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SALEM – The parks commission prepared for the upcoming 2025 pool and lake seasons in its February meeting.
The commissioners voted unanimously to approve the proposed dates for the 2025 season at both the Salem City Lake and Centennial Park Pool. This year the lake season will run from April 19 through Oct. 25, and the lake will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays weekly; and the pool season will run from June 1, through Aug. 31.
The commissioners also voted unanimously to hire seasonal staff for both locations.
Lake staff hired included attendants Jeffrey Greenfield, James Barton, Nelson Thomas and James Smith, all of whom are returning employees.
Pool staff hired included: Pool Manager Rocco Crawford, Head Lifeguard Trenton McCoy, Assistant Head Lifeguards Eva Rand and Audrey Barborak, Lifeguards Caden White, Chloe Dowd, Marhsall Boron, Ellie Hazelbaker, Emma Klingensmith, Braydon Fennema, and Concession Stand Workers Isabel Marti, Cassidy Wallace, Mara Miller, and Abby Barborak.
All the pool staff hired are returning workers except for Boron and Barborak. The department will still need to fill three vacancies for Concession Stand Workers, with Pastore noting that she was currently waiting for responses from some of last year's employees to potentially return to their positions.
Other personnel matters discussed included the Recreation Supervisor Position which was left vacant by Parks Director Kelli Pastore's promotion. Pastore told commissioners that the vacant Recreation Supervisor position had been posted on the department's Facebook page, the city's website, and the Ohio Parks and recreation website and that several resumes had already been received ahead of the March 7 application deadline.
Pastore also announced that the department had purchased a new truck at a discount. Pastore explained that the department had purchased a 2016 Chevy Silverado from Hilltop Energy Inc., a subsidiary of D.W. Dickey & Son, for a "deeply discounted prices" of $5,000. Pastore said that she and the department greatly appreciated the support of Hilltop Energy, and D.W. Dickey & Son, and the Dickey family, particularly Hilltop Energy President Ian McNally, and D.W. Dickey and Son Fleet Manager Tom McKenzie. Parks Foreman Wes Bryan also said that the maintenance crew were very pleased with the truck.
Other matters discussed included pavilion seven at Centennial Park. Pastore explained that the pavilion's support posts were in poor shape and that Salem Custom Remodeling had submitted a quote of $3,000 to repair them. Bryan said that it would be cheaper for the maintenance crew to replace the posts themselves, and the commissioners agreed to allow the repairs to be conducted in house.
The parks commission will meet next at 5 p.m. March 26.
mahart@mojonews.com