Some part-time city employees are going to get a small pay raise. The City Council on Monday night, Oct. 10, voted 4-zero to give 5% pay raises to part-time Marine Safety Department employees in the following positions: pool lifeguard, swim instructor, assistant pool manager, pool manager, aquatics coordinator, beach lifeguard, junior lifeguard coordinator, beach operations supervisor, rescue boat operator.
The cost, according to a staff report, would be less than $34,000 (rounded).
During Monday’s council meeting, Marine Safety Chief Joe Bailey cited a need to make the city competitive for potential Marine Safety employees.
For example, he said that five years ago Seal Beach paid rookie lifeguards better than Long Beach did. Now, Long Beach pays better.
“This summer, several communities throughout the country experienced a lifeguard shortage. Some cities have been forced to close their pools due to the lack of lifeguards,” according to the staff report by Marine Safety Chief Joe Bailey.
“Fortunately, the City has not yet had to close the Pool or limit beach access, but shifts have been affected,” Bailey wrote.
“In addition, part-time Beach Lifeguards have not received an increase in pay for the last five years. The lack of increase in pay combined with the State of California’s mandatory minimum wage increase have made the City’s wages less competitive than surrounding areas in Los Angeles and Orange Counties for certain classifications,” Bailey wrote.
“The department’s long-term goal is to overhaul the structure of these positions to create a broader spectrum of classifications to support both the needs of the department as well as employee development, advancement, and retention,” Bailey wrote.
“The increase of 5% for all Marine Safety part-time staff is expected to cost $33,948.33,” Bailey wrote.
