Supervision of the St. Ignace city pool staff at LaSalle High School is under review by the city's Recreation Advisory Committee after a 15-year-old female lifeguard was allegedly assaulted by an out-of-town teenager Friday, August 4. The incident, still under investigation by the St. Ignace City Police Department, was discussed briefly by the committee at its regular meeting Wednesday, August 9, and while the city will continue to employ minors to supervise the pool for the remaining two weeks of the season, City Manager Eric Dodson told the board that, in the future, the city may need to hire adult supervisors.

In other business at the meeting, Mr. Dodson said it is time to hire a city recreation director, a position he has filled for the summer to save money.

Three lifeguards have been on staff at the pool this summer, all of them under the age of 18, which makes them minors under state and federal labor laws. Minors must work under adult supervision, according to the state Labor and Economic Growth Department's Wage and Hour Division, and supervision means "being on the premises to direct and control the work of minors and to be available to render assistance in case of an emergency."

Mr. Dodson told The St. Ignace News that the lifeguards are checked on occasionally by other city employees, although, he admitted, there may be times that they are working alone. He said parents and swimming instructors are at the pool much of the time it is open, and lifeguards have an emergency telephone and a contact number on hand.

No adult was present during the time the young lifeguard was allegedly punched in the face by a male student from New York, he said.

A group of New York students, comprising a drum and bugle corps, were camping in the LaSalle High School gymnasium at the time of the incident and practicing their music at the school, said St. Ignace Area Schools Superintendent Mike Springsteen, but he said Tuesday, August 15, that he was not aware of the incident at the pool, which is on school property but operated by the city. The school board, meeting Monday, August 14, did not discuss the matter.

Michigan allows minors ages 14 and 15 to work between the hours of 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. The pool is usually open each day at 8 a.m. and stays open as late as 9 p.m. on Wednesdays for open swimming.

The three city-employed lifeguards are certified in rescue, first aid, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, Mr. Dodson said.

With less than three weeks to go until the pool is closed for the summer, Mr. Dodson said the city will not seek to hire someone else, although he noted there will be changes made next summer. "We'll make sure this never happens again," he told The St. Ignace News.

The assaulted lifeguard gave notice and left her job, and Mr. Dodson said her time will be made up by the two remaining lifeguards and by swimming instructors.

The committee authorized Mr. Dodson to begin advertising for a new recreation director, which has been vacant since April. Mr. Dodson said the city has held off on hiring a new director for the summer to save money, since the city is in debt. Now, he said, it has been long enough and the position needs to be filled so that person can keep recreation programs going and help the city market the underused Little Bear East Conference Center and Ice Arena.

"It's been a decent summer for the Recreation Department," said Mr. Dodson. "We've been able to save quite a bit of money and our recreation programs are covered, with volunteer help being over and above our expectations."

The city hired Erica Cena as an intern to help oversee the daily city recreation routines. City employee Helen Thibeault also has contributed hours at the office, helping out with secretarial duties.

Miss Cena will complete her sports and recreation management degree at Lake Superior State University when she completes her 15-week internship next month.

The recreation director's position is "almost two jobs in one," said Mr. Dodson, explaining that it includes being recreation program coordinator as well as a facilities manager, overseeing maintenance and equipment for Little Bear East.

"This person needs to be a doit all person," Mr. Dodson explained to the committee, "a catch-all person where he or she is the lead dog in the building but isn't afraid to sweat a little bit by pushing the broom if needed, too."

Committee Chairman Don Gustafson said the committee's first concern should be to ensure the operational stability of the building.

"It is a huge benefit to have people to operate the building, but it's a major expense, too," Mr. Gustafson said, explaining that the Little Bear's budget provides very little room, if any, to hire more people other than a recreation director to operate the facility.

"If you take a look over the past decade or two," he said, "our recreation has changed a lot. The major change is this building."

Committee member Marianne Huskey said those interested in the position must be aware that there is potential for a lot of working nights and weekends, and it requires a lot of communication with parents.

"The job, with its overtime, can be a real good burnout for whoever takes it," said committee member Kelly Simmons.

The committee agreed that with the help of volunteers and possibly another part-time employee, it may help make the director's daily duties less demanding.

Mr. Dodson and Miss Cena were instructed by the committee to research the cost of installing a camera system and possibly a card scanning system for users at the Little Bear East fitness center. Mrs. Huskey said there are many people who are using the facility but not paying.

The fitness center desk is unmanned many times with the city's recreation department relying on the "buddy system" for customers to pay as they use the facility. That system is being abused, said Mrs. Huskey.

"There's about 40 or 50 people stealing time, and that adds up," she said.

Mr. Dodson said with the help of Miss Cena, he will search for camera and card systems, similar to what hotels use, that may be inexpensive enough to purchase.