Pools seek community support amid staffing and operational challenges
By Audrey Posten
When the city of Strawberry Point announced in April that it would close its swimming pool this summer due to declining usage, limited staff and rising maintenance costs, community members expressed sadness and anger. Public outcry prompted the city council to reconsider, and at a special meeting on May 27, it was announced the pool would reopen no later than July 1. A pool committee has also formed to recruit staff and fundraise for improvements.
While other communities around Clayton County aren’t threatening to close their pools—in fact, most opened for the season late last week—officials said they face the same issues as Strawberry Point.
Community swimming pools aren’t money-making ventures.
The city of Elkader budgeted $82,386 for operations this year, with revenue at $38,500—a loss of $43,886. Monona expended $117,490 on its pool during the 2024 season, while bringing in $71,944—a difference of $45,546. In Guttenberg, expenses from the last fiscal year came in at $143,051 and revenue at $64,632—for a loss of $78,419.
“It’s one of those things we know we’re going to lose money on,” admitted Monona City Administrator Barb Collins. “But we want to keep the pool open, so we’re willing to lose the money. We work it into our budget for that, but we still need people to come.”
Expenses include the cost of regular operations, like staff wages, chemicals and utilities. When its pool closure was announced, Strawberry Point said income from passes, admissions and concessions accounted for roughly 20 percent of the $90,000 to $100,000 total to operate, not including capital improvements. City Administrator Deno Andrews said between $100,000 and $150,000 in capital improvements is needed in the coming year or two, including painting, water heaters and other equipment, as well as upgrades to the bathhouse.
While Guttenberg has a new pool, opened in 2019, Elkader’s dates to 1989.
Elkader council member Bob Garms said new pumps, a water heater, recaulking and painting has been needed to keep the facility in good shape.
“It’s kind of like your house. If you don’t have upkeep periodically, it’s going to fall apart,” he stated.
City administrator Jennifer Cowsert said the council has continued to invest in recent years. A current project to replace the original filter system cost $69,590, while a pump came in at $22,200.
“Both of these items could give out at any time due to age, so it is better to be proactive,” she noted.
Just Friday, it was announced the pool there would be closed for repairs until June 11, after water loss was noticed while preparing for the season. Cowsert said a contractor determined a pipe below the shallow end was cracked, and planned to fix it June 4.
“The pool needs to be partially drained so the repair can be made. This requires the depletion of chemicals in the pool. Therefore, the pool will be closed beginning Sunday, June 1 to start this process,” she explained. “Once the repair is made, it takes time to refill the pool and rebalance the chemicals. Our target date to re-open to the public is Wednesday, June 11.”
In Monona, the cost to fix the steps on the smaller, un-manned slide in the deep end at the 21-year-old aquatic center will run around $2,000. Deputy city clerk Amanda Donlon said the pool board wants to replace them so pool attendees will still have a slide to use if the larger one is closed due to short staffing.
Overall expenses fluctuate, she noted. “If bigger expenses come down, we lose more.”
The Guttenberg Pool generates revenue through swim lessons, pool passes, admissions and concessions, according to Michelle Meyer with the city of Guttenberg. It’s similar for the other pools.
“And we have an endowment fund that goes to pay for smaller items that are needed at the pool as well,” Meyer added.
The pool in Monona collects donations for upkeep through an endowment too, thanks to LeRoy and Colleen Darby, for whom the aquatic center is named. The facility was also the beneficiary of Mae Reusser Community Betterment grant funding.
“We’ve gotten some new chairs and an actual chair for lifeguards to sit on in the shallow end,” Donlon said. “We have new things coming to the concession stand. We have a pizza oven now. We’re going to promote more sales for the concessions, to try to help out.”
Cities have tried to offset some rising costs by raising fees on daily admissions and/or season passes. Like in Monona, they also try to beef up concession sales.
“We need the community support, even if it’s coming to the concession stand and buying a few things. If you’re out for a walk or at a park, stop and grab an ice cream. Anything helps,” quipped Donlon. “And you can always stop in and say, ‘Here’s a donation for the pool.’”
Events generate revenue too.
“We’re always looking for creative ways to bring in more revenue and help ease the impact on the city budget,” said Elkader pool manager Kelly Erickson. “One way we do that is by organizing fun events like UFO nights, moonlight swims, DJ nights and foam parties—things that draw in more people and make the pool a place families want to come back to. These events not only boost attendance but also help with concessions and pass sales.”
Erickson tries to be smart about staffing too. If the pool is slow or the weather isn’t ideal, she will send guards home early to save on payroll.
“Every little bit helps when it comes to managing costs, and we try to balance providing a fun, safe experience with being responsible stewards of the city’s resources,” she said.
Along with operational costs, staffing is another challenge for locals pools. While each requires a different number of lifeguards to operate, Guttenberg, Monona and Elkader all said filling slots is tricky.
“We’re sitting good with staff,” said Meyer of Guttenberg about a month before the season started, “but it’s been kind of difficult. We’ve been raising pay after looking at what everyone else pays. A lot of the kids go to Kwik Star or restaurants.”
Elkader and Monona have also raised salaries to compete with other positions.
“Even this year, they were telling us what some other local places pay, and we can’t keep up,” Cowsert said. “Although we would like to pay more, we still have to keep the overall budget in mind.”
“Things have shifted,” added Erickson. “A lot of students are looking for jobs that pay more or offer year-round work, which makes sense for them, but it means seasonal jobs like ours aren’t as appealing.”
And it’s not just the pay, but lifeguards’ schedules.
“A lot of these kids have two to three jobs, activities, vacations. Some of the returning ones are just coming back to help out. They don’t want to see the pool close. They say, ‘I can take a couple days here.’ But we’ll take it. Lifeguards are really hard to come by,” Donlon said of Monona.
“It’s hard to find people who are both available and reliable,” agreed Erickson. “To help with this, we try to be as flexible as possible with scheduling and create a fun, supportive environment that makes people want to come back. Covering the cost of training or certifications and offering bonuses has helped a little too. But, overall, staffing continues to be one of our biggest hurdles.”
As a teacher, Erickson relies on one-on-one conversations with students to recruit them as lifeguards. She said returning lifeguards are also strong advocates to their friends and younger students.
Returning managers are key too, said Sophie Landt, Monona’s billing clerk.
“Having a returning manager is nice because she knows some of the previous lifeguards or can hopefully get new ones,” she said.
Monona has even encouraged adults to apply as lifeguards.
“We have no age requirement to be a lifeguard. If you can pass the test, you can be a lifeguard,” Collins stated.
Cowsert is open to the idea in Elkader as well.
“Even if they just committed to one to two days a week, or said they want to help with lessons. We have a lot of requests for private lessons,” she said. “The assumption is, if an adult applied, they would be willing to stay for a number of years. That may be a wrong assumption, but if it is true, then we would have a base number to rely on.”
Monona needs seven guards at one time to make a full rotation, but a minimum of four are needed. If not fully staffed, the large slide has to close.
Elkader seeks to have a manager, two assistant managers and at least eight lifeguards on staff, along with four reliable people to work the front desk and concession stand.
“When we’re short-staffed, it gets really difficult to stay open regular hours or offer extras like night swims, swim lessons or private parties,” said Erickson. “Having enough trained, committed staff makes all the difference in what we’re able to offer the community.”
While staffing can impact pool hours and services—and thus attendance—so does the weather.
Meyer said attendance in Guttenberg has been strong since the new pool opened in 2019—”unless it’s cold or rainy.”
Data from Elkader shows attendance in the past 15 years peaked at 9,607 in 2012, or an average of 64 people per day. In the past five years, it’s fluctuated from 4,600 to 6,400 annually, with 5,208 people visiting in 2024. That was a drop from 6,455 in 2023.
Donlon characterized Monona’s attendance as “OK.”
“But it seems to drop,” she said, “especially last year, when it was colder, rainier. We were closed more and people weren’t using the pool like they used to. It would be nice to get more families to come. We would love input if there’s something they want to change. It’s just figuring out the best way and most cost efficient way of doing it.”
Elkader council member Deb Schmidt said “it takes a village” to keep a pool going.
“When we give our time, we create something worth returning to. We’ve worked hard to offer competitive wages, but we also need community creativity and heart,” she shared.
City officials stressed swimming pools are important for many reasons. They teach water safety and swim skills, which can save lives, and support physical and mental health.
Pools draw people to communities, both to visit and live.
“People are looking for certain amenities,” said Elkader council member Garms. “Not only the school, but is there a hospital? Is there a public library? Is there a swimming pool? Are there recreational activities?”
“When I travel with my little ones, one of the first things I look for is a city with a pool. It’s a universal draw for families and one of those special amenities that truly serves all age groups,” Schmidt added.
“You may not need it now,” said Collins in Monona. “Maybe your kids are beyond where they want it, but hopefully, if you stay here, your grandkids are going to come some day. And for older people, it is good exercise.”
Meyer, from Guttenberg, stressed pools “give youth something to do and spend time with friends. It’s a good start to entering the workforce and builds responsibility.”
It brings the community together, advocated Erickson.
“It’s a familiar, fun spot that generations have enjoyed,” she said. “It gives kids and families a safe, affordable place to spend time together.”
