Kids & Family
Long Branch Will Provide Lifeguards For Ocean Twp.'s Pool
Because Ocean Township cannot find enough junior lifeguards, it has to pay Long Branch $155,000 to provide the guards this summer.
LONG BRANCH, NJ — Last week, the city of Long Branch and Ocean Township reached a shared services agreement that will allow Long Branch residents to work as junior lifeguards at the Ocean Twp. pool.
Apparently, Ocean Twp. cannot find enough young people in that town who want to work as junior lifeguards at their town pool. So they had to ask neighboring Long Branch to provide lifeguards.
Ocean Township will pay Long Branch $155,000 for the first season with a 2 percent increase if the agreement is picked up for a second year. Ocean Twp. also agreed to provide the water testing and water chemistry for the Long Branch city pool, and be on call for water quality emergencies and pool maintenance. Ocean Twp. has the responsibility of opening and closing the pool at the beginning and end of summer.
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Long Branch will no longer have to pay an outside company to do its pool maintenance, saving more than $50,000.
“Ocean Township approached me last year asking for help providing lifeguards to them," explained Long Branch OEM director Stan Dziuba. "In the same conversation, I found out that they are qualified to do all the water testing that we paid a company to do last year. By going into a shared services agreement, Long Branch will not only save money, but will make money too. Both towns gain something from this agreement."
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The deal will begin this summer, starting Memorial Day weekend and ending Labor Day weekend 2022.
If all goes well this summer, the towns will renew for a second season in summer 2023.
“This shared service agreement allows both towns to help each other. We have a great Junior Lifeguard program that sparks interest in young residents to become a lifeguard and later work for our beaches or pool," said Long Branch Mayor John Pallone. "We are happy to help Ocean Township, in return for a service that is needed to have safe water in our pool."
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