A COVID-19 hangover is lingering over Longmont Recreation’s summer day camps and swimming pools, which will be open for business this year but facing staff shortages and reluctance from some to get out and play.
“We are still seeing some hesitancy from people to get out there and do some mixing,” Suellen Dabney, recreation program supervisor for the city of Longmont. “We still see a significant number of people not ready to get out there.”
“I’ve talked to several parents and for health and safety reasons they don’t want their children out there in the public.” added Sara Taylor, also a recreation program supervisor.
Dabney oversees the city’s summer day camps. Taylor manages the city’s pool programs. Both say they are also struggling with labor shortages just as pools and recreation activities emerge post-COVID-19 restrictions.
Taylor said the city now has five pool managers while it needs 12 to be adequately staffed. ”We are in dire need for pool managers,” Taylor said. “We are now really worried about what the summer is going to look like if we are still so short staffed.”
The city has upped the starting wage for applicants 15 and over to $15.50 per hour or up depending on qualifications. The city is also offering free certification classes to be a Red Cross lifeguard and swim instructor.
“If you want to work for the city of Longmont we will train you for free,” Taylor said.
Workers get more pay as they climb the employment ladder in recreation, she said, and can become lifeguard instructors.
The city will usually hire summer day camp supervisors who are 18 or over and have experience working in small groups of kids, most often after working in the city’s pool programs, Dabney said.
Her staff includes many long timers but she needs at least five more to fully prepare for the opening of day camp on May 31.
Taylor and Dabney say when city programs were shut down or limited due to COVID-19, many prospective employees moved on to other work and other interests. Some of those jobs are also better paying.
“... There are so many different job opportunities out there,” Taylor said. “I just think there has been a cultural shift in people’s priorities … and I don’t think we can compete with what some companies are offering.”
Longmont Recreation still attracts hard-working people in jobs that help families, Dabney said.
“It’s a great place to work and you form really tight bonds here and we want to help people,” said Dabney, a 30-year employee. “That makes it a special place. “
For more information about recreation program openings, go to:Recreation Jobs | City of Longmont, Colorado (longmontcolorado.gov)
