BOZEMAN — Bogert Pool has been suffering from a staffing shortage of lifeguards. A result of this staffing shortage has lead to the pool being closed on weekends until recently when they announced that they will start opening on Sundays this upcoming weekend.
Many residents are excited about the new pool day opportunity. Residents like Deb Wilke look forward to the weekend opening.
“I appreciate the pool being open for us in the summer months, especially now they’re opening on Sunday, mainly for families witch children, and the parents that work Monday through Friday,” says Wilke.
City Manager, Jeff Mihelich is more than pleased to announce the new hire of lifeguards to the pool.
“We just hired some additional lifeguards. We were only open Monday through Friday. Now we have enough guards to be open Monday through Friday, plus Sunday,” stated Mihelich.
Mihelich says he would like to see the pool open seven days a week, but it’s just going to take a little more time to hire the proper amount of lifeguards. To spike interest in the job posting, Bogert Pool is putting on job fairs.
“We are doing a hiring fair, and we have done those throughout the summer,’" says Mihelich, "The hiring fair again is just a way for people to meet our staff, to learn that working at any of our aquatic facilities is chill… it’s a cool job.”
Along with the job fairs to spark interest in applications for lifeguard positions, Mihelich also brought up the fact that Bogert has raised the hourly wage of lifeguards and has included bonuses.
“We’ve significantly increased the salary - from $15 an hour to $21 an hour. Number 2, we also now provide signing bonuses,” stated Mihelich.
With the increase in wages and the vitality the Bogert Pool offers to the community, the hope is the pool will be open seven days a week very soon.
