Council raises pool staff wages

The Tea City Council met April 4 for its first meeting of April. The council heard from pool manager Donna Howes about wages and rates.

“I think the thing that sticks out in my mind, I’d like to see long-term employees be compensated to be in the market. It feels like we’ve had a constant decrease in applicants,” Howes said.

Howes, along with city economic development director Jenni White, presented a price comparison of the Tea pool compared to season and daily rates, as well as swimming lesson rates to area pools. They also compared the wages of lifeguards to surrounding pools.

Looking at wages, lifeguards in Tea last year made $9.25 an hour while those in Sioux Falls earned $10.25, Wild Water West was $9 to $10 and Hartford was $10. WSI employees, those certified to teach swimming lessons, at Tea received $9.75 and those in Sioux Falls earned a dollar more.