P&R proposal, a hot topic

   A request from the Parks and Recreation Department to hire additional part-time and seasonal staff was cause for much discussion during the March 20 Monticello City Council meeting.

   Parks and Rec Director Jacob Oswald brought the decision to the council following the same discussion at a previous council work session.

   “In an effort to continue providing high-quality programs and experiences, the P&R Department seeks to fill the following positions…;” that of an Aquatics Coordinator and an Intern.

   Oswald previously requested hiring an additional full-time employee. That was not favored by the council. He then proposed to the P&R Board the idea of hiring two part-time/seasonal employees, which means the city would not have to offer benefits.

   The Aquatics Coordinator would oversee staff and the pool manager, lead training, and occasionally fill in as a lifeguard. This position would also work to develop additional programming associated with use of the Aquatic Center to help offset an increase in wages.

   The proposed wage would be between $8,000 and $10,000 for the season, with the potential to earn bonuses based on added revenue.

   The job would run from April through August.

   P&R has hired a paid summer intern for the last two years. This position would entail assisting P&R staff with programming, marketing, special events, and park maintenance.

   The wage would be $5,000 for the season, May through August. Like the aquatics’ position, there would also be the possibility of receiving bonuses.

   Mayor Dave Goedken said he had an issue with P&R hiring additional staff after presenting their FY 2024 budget and having been asked to cut their budget.

   “We sent budgets back to department heads to cut and he (Oswald) puts changes in at $15,000 with new spending,” Goedken said. “I have trouble understanding that. I question where we’re going with the budget. It’s great that we have new programs, but those should be supported by user fees, not on the tax roll.

   “I’d hate to see the city push for higher tax rates versus everybody else. This will make our tax problem worse and worse,” added Goedken.

   P&R already increased users fess at the pool, Berndes Center, and department activities to help compensate for the proposed increases in wages and the budget.

   Goedken said the pool loses money year after year, and now P&R is proposing adding another position under that line item.

   “The pool has been at a loss for 20 years,” Oswald offered. “When I took the job, we cut the decrease by $70,000.”

   “We need to figure out why the pool is not making money before we put more into it,” added Council member Brenda Hanken.

   Oswald said the idea behind the Aquatics Coordinator is to free up his and P&R Superintendent Kegan Arduser’s time so they can focus on expanded summer programming.

   “I built $10,000 in the budget, and we have an additional $64,000 in the current budget,” offered Oswald.

   He told the council his department has been talking about expanding staff for two to three years now.

   “A lot has been added,” he said of programming, including running the MYBSA program, which has generated $26,000 already through registrations. “In the last six years, we’ve added 30 programs. We need additional staff, so we went the part-time route. You’ll burn Kegan and I out pretty soon.”

   Goedken and Hanken asked why P&R can’t attract more volunteers to run the programs.

   “We have 95 volunteer coaches,” Oswald noted. “We can always use more volunteers.”

   However, he said they cannot rely on volunteers to run the pool.

   “Closing the pool would eliminate that problem,” Yeoman said.

   “That’s a possibility,” Hanken shot back.

   Goedken still felt that P&R programs should come from those who use the programs; not all of the taxpayers.

   Oswald said they cannot keep increasing fees or no one would take part.

   “There’s a fine line,” he said.

   Council member Wayne Peach said what attracted him to Monticello, among several things, were the amenities and services offered.

   “We need to attract new and younger families to our community,” he urged. “Our tax rate will go up because our town won’t grow.”

   “But people need to be able to live here,” Hanken said of maintaining a decent tax rate.

   “This town was primarily built by the people who have lived here all their lives,” Goedken added.