Butler County commissioners approved the hire of five lifeguards for the Alameda Waterpark on Wednesday. These five lifeguards will earn higher wages than guards have in the past as the county attempts to deal with a widespread shortage of pool attendants. Butler Eagle file photo.

County commissioners on Wednesday ratified the hire of five lifeguards for the Alameda Waterpark after raising the wage earlier in April.

The hiring of those five lifeguards represents the county filling one-third of the number of pool attendants required to fully open and staff the water park this summer.

One, hired as the pool’s lead lifeguard, will earn $14 an hour, while the remaining four will be paid an hourly wage of $12.50.

Butler County on April 6 approved higher rates of pay for lifeguards at the Alameda Waterpark in an attempt to ensure full staffing throughout the summer. Prior to the April 6 raise, pool attendants earned $10 an hour.

While the Alameda Waterpark faces its own shortage and the county has attempted to rectify the shortage with higher pay, it is by no means alone in facing a lower number of lifeguards — and lifeguard applicants — in Butler County. Municipalities which operate their own pools in the county have raised their wages as high as $16 per hour in search of new guards.

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