SOUTH HAVEN, Mich. — In January, South Haven officials approved a service agreement with the United States Lifesaving Association (USLA). The organization was tasked with creating a lifeguard program proposal for some city beaches.
Monday night, the proposal was presented to city council and meeting attendees.
If implemented, the proposal would staff North Beach and South Beach with lifeguards from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
South Beach would be staffed with five lifeguards Monday through Thursday, and six lifeguards Friday through Sunday. North Beach would be staffed with five lifeguards daily. The proposal also includes staffing one chief lifeguard five days a week.
Based on an average wage of $25/hour, the 15-week staffing cost would be around $234,000 each season. This number does not account for other necessary program items, like equipment and training.
Read the full proposal here:
USLA Aquatic Safety Recommendations for South Haven by news on Scribd
After the presentation, city council failed to pass a motion to direct city staff to implement the first steps of the USLA lifeguard program.
Minutes later, council members passed a different motion, directing city staff to come up with an itemized list of costs associated with lifeguard staffing and necessary equipment proposed in the USLA lifeguard program.
South Haven hasn't staffed lifeguards at beaches since the early 2000s. Since then, community conversations about bringing a lifeguarding program back have been ongoing.
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