by Alex Brooks
At a special meeting on April 18, the Hoosick Town Board hired pool and summer camp staff, and set pay scales for the coming summer. Janet Davendonis will be Pool Manager and Tyler Rondeau Assistant Pool Manager. Leo McGuire will be Concession Manager and pool support staff, and Ireland Ward was hired as Swim Program Coordinator, contingent on getting WSI certification. The Board also hired 4 lifeguards and 10 summer day camp counselors, but it still does not have anyone for Summer Day Camp Director or Assistant Day Camp Director.
The Board passed a pay schedule for summer staff which raised the pay of all the staff by a similar amount to the state-mandated increase in the minimum wage. Camp counselors are paid minimum wage, with a slight increase for those with CPR and First Aid training. Minimum wage was $10.40 last summer and is $11.10 this summer. This 70 cent per hour raise was given to all levels of pool and summer camp employees except the two Managers, who got a 35 cent per hour raise to $18.30 per hour. Several members of the Board said they may not be able to continue raising pay across the Board as the minimum wage goes up further. Eric Sheffer said, “When the minimum wage is $15 per hour, what will the high end be?” It costs the Town a significant sum annually to keep the pool open, and both citizens and Town Board members have in the past urged the Town Board to look for ways to reduce this burden on the taxpayers, but of course the rising minimum wage is moving the Town in the opposite direction.
The Board also discussed the pool and playground renovation project, known as the “SAM Grant,” trying to nail down the components of the project and what they will cost. Elements of the project include replacement of pool pumps and filters, a new splash pad for kids, some pavilion buildings for shade around the pool and playground, a “community fitness court,” replacement of a sewer pipe that runs across the pool area, re-sealing and re-lining of the basketball and tennis courts, new fences around those courts, and improvements to the ice rink including a 3-season turf surface, updated lighting and sound system. Tom Marciotta was present to discuss the finer points of these projects. He is a local resident with a lot of professional experience managing pools and skating rinks who has been very generous with his time, helping the town manage the pool and plan the SAM Grant. Supervisor Surdam called him a “godsend.”
The Board hopes to nail down details of the SAM Grant project by the time of its May meeting so it can submit plans to the grant administrator, get them approved and get the project launched.