ODEBOLT, IOWA – AUGUST 2, 2010
The thing that I am learning as a expand TSN’s coverage into other towns in Sac County is that any city that attempts to maintain a municipal pool is setting themselves up for trouble. Not huge “heads are going to roll” kind of trouble, but certainly trouble of the “pain in the ass” variety.
Sac City experienced it last year with citizens complaining about rest breaks that are too long, Wall Lake went through a wage dispute earlier this year, and now Odebolt with citizen complaints about lifeguard bullying.
At the August 2, 2010 meeting of the Odebolt City Council, Councilperson Todd Bengford brought the issue of bullying at the pool to the council’s attention by first presenting and discussing the following letters from concerned citizens.
August 2, 2010 Odebolt Pool Complaints
It should be noted that one citizen named “Sharon” was in attendance to discuss this issue as well.
Mr. Bengford started off by reminding the rest of the council and mayor that as far as the letters are concerned, “They are going off what their kids say…” Bengford insisted that he is not calling anybody a liar, but that, “You just don’t know who to believe.”
Benford, who is the council’s liaison to the pool committee, told the council that a pool staff meeting was held with all of the pool employees. According to Bengford, the lifeguards accused of bullying have defended their actions saying that if they enforce the rules in a traditional manner and remove troublemakers, parents retaliate. In his recount of the meeting he seemed to reenact his instructions to the guards for the council saying, “That’s why we have a manager, you know, don’t worry about kicking somebody out. If you think you have to kick somebody out, you know, give them their warning, If they’re not abiding by the rules, and you’ve warned them once, Boot ‘em!”
According to Bengford, the pool manager agreed.
After that first staff meeting, two lifeguards resigned, which led to a second staff meeting. According to Bengford, the remaining lifeguards that were not accused of bullying are still claiming to be harassed by their fellow lifeguards and have asked their parents not to say anything for fear of retaliation.
At the second staff meeting, Bengford and the pool manager took a stern stance with the lifeguards, claiming to have said, “These are the rules. From now on you sit your butt in the lifeguard chair and you don’t get out of it unless there’s an emergency or if it’s break time.
According to Bengford, the second staff meeting was effective and there haven’t been any problems since, but a citizen named Sharon in attendance at the evening’s city council meeting disagreed. According Sharon, who claims to have done a little amateur surveillance on the lifeguards, “They’re not watching the kids as well as they should be.”
Bengford seemed a little frustrated at this point, insisting that he had a meeting with all of the lifeguards present so that they could have the opportunity to speak up. According to Bengford, nobody spoke.
Sharon answered, “They are all afraid to say something because of what will happen to them or their vehicle.”
Bengford asked, “From one kid?”
“Yes, possibly”
“So one kid is controlling, pretty much everybody.” Concluded Bengford.
“Well, I’m pretty much saying yes.” Answered Sharon.
According to Sharon, this one kid doesn’t seem to feel that there will be any repercussions because the city cannot afford to fire him. Councilperson Butch Hemphill disagreed saying, “See, I think he’s got the wrong attitude there, because if we have too, we’ll remove him.”
At this point, Mayor Rex stepped in and brought focus to the conversation suggesting that the main problem is that there are a couple of lifeguards that are intimidating everyone else, and that in all of his years he’s never seen letters like these from citizens.
After spending a little time debating the details of the allegations in the letters, it came to light that the lifeguards in question may be the same kids who vandalizing the pool last year. According to Sharon, the kids were assigned community service, put the punishment was not followed through on.
With just 14 total days between the city council meeting and the August 16 closing date, the council decided to let Councilperson Bengford hold another staff meeting at the pool and just try to make it to the end of the season.
Following is the full video of the event provided so that you can watch the cconversation for yourself. The combined length of the videos are about 25 minutes.
Copyright (c)2007-2010 Curtis Bloes All Rights Reserved
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