Deputy Administrator Sam Taylor responds to Farm Gal's questions re: the city decision not to post lifeguards at City Beach this summer:

Coeur d'Alene has been unique in recent years in that we not only paid some of the highest wages statewide for these positions, we even offered to pay for the training for our guards. That's fairly rare. Not only that, but we also offered for lifeguards to come work in parks maintenance on rainy days where the beach was closed, so they could be guaranteed some wages on those bad-weather days. I should note that on rainy days when the beach is "closed" that simply means we put up signs that say no lifeguard is on duty and folks have to swim at their own risk. That's been the practice forever. The beach doesn't actually, physically close, and the guards have only ever been on duty from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in peak summer months. Other times they're not out there. We have no life guards at Sanders beach, nor does NIC have guards at the river beach along the dike road. The community is used to numerous beaches in the area with no guards.

Our recreation supervisor shared today that what we've found is that lifeguards or those who might be lifeguards for us in the past enjoy working at local theme parks like Triple Play and Silverwood more along with the Kroc Center. Silverwood is a major one, because they happen to also get a season pass if they work there, and all of their friends are typically there as well. That's something we can't compete with. Full explanation here.

DFO: I appreciate that Sam weighed in here to provide the city's view of the staffing problem for lifeguards.

Question: Any further thoughts on this matter?

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