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SALEM – The Salem Parks Commission approved the list of seasonal employees in its meeting last Wednesday.
The list of employees for the 2024 season, which was unanimously approved by the commissioners, covers both employees for the Centennial Park Pool, and the Salem City Lake, with the majority of last year's seasonal employees opting to return. The pool will see the returns of head lifeguard Trenton McCoy, lifeguards Maddie Bufkin, Chloe Dowd, Audrey Barborak and Eva Rand, who will be joined by new lifeguards Caden and Conner White, Emma Klingensmith, Ellie Hazelbaker, and Natalie Klemann, Alexis Mathes. Braydon Fennema will be returning to the concession stand, and will be joined by Damion Mathes, Mara Miller, and Cassidy Wallace. The role of pool manager will be filled by a new face in Rocco Crawford. The City Lake will see three of its four employees returning from last year including supervisor Jeff Greenfield, and attendants Jim Barton, and Tom Hill, with Pete Penick set to fill the final attendant position.
This came in preparation for the opening of the city lake Friday, which Parks Director Jacob Logan said the department was fully prepared for with concessions for the lake purchased, and Parks Foreman Jim Grimm saying that the anchors and ropes for the boats at the city lake had also been replaced.
The Centennial Park Pool traditionally opens the Sunday after school which would fall on June 2 this year. However, with the school year ending early this year Recreation Supervisor Kelli Pastore suggested the department open the pool on Saturday, June 1, which trustees voted unanimously to approve. Pastore also said that Salem Elks Lodge 305 had invited the department to apply for a $1,000 Community Service grant to purchase new pool furniture, and that the application had been submitted.
Also discussed was a request from the Bee City USA Committee to paint a mural on the blank backside of the Waterworth Memorial Park stand which faces the pollinator garden. Logan said the committee offered to pay for paint costs and complete the mural themselves at no cost to the department.
"They asked if they could put a mural on the backside of that restroom, that faces the pollinator garden, its currently just a blank wall, and it would be flowers and plants and stuff like that, and they're willing to do all of it," said Logan.
Logan also noted that the mural would only be on the back wall, as the two side walls each have signage that the committee does not want to interfere with. The commissioners voted unanimously to authorize the mural.
During her report Pastore said that the softball and baseball seasons began and that the softball league's sponsors had cumulatively donated $3,850 towards uniforms and equipment to outfit participants. Logan and Pastore both thanked the sponsors for their support and generosity, with Pastore noting that their contribution helped to ensure that no child interested in participating has to be turned away due to being unable to afford equipment. Pastore also said that the previously discussed Spanish Soccer League would begin May 19, and continue Sunday until mid-October.
During his report, Logan announced that the department's grant request to the Salem Community Foundation for the purchase of new battery-powered tools had been approved, thanking the foundation for their generosity and continued support of the department.
"The Community Foundation is phenomenal, absolutely phenomenal," said Logan.
The Parks Commission will meet next 5 p.m. May 29.