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EFD to revamp lifeguard hiring
Upcoming
By JOYCE LI the daily northwestern @joyycee_li
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Content warning: This article contains discussions of sexual harassment and assault.
As the Evanston Fire Department begins recruiting lifeguards for the 2023 season, city officials said they are continuing to improve workplace culture among lakefront staff.
In 2021, WBEZ reported on a petition signed by more than 50 female lakefront employees alleging pervasive sexual harassment and assault from their co-workers. Several city officials resigned, including City Manager Erika Storlie and Parks and Recreation Director Lawrence Hemingway. In early 2022, the city released a report completed by an independent law firm stating city officials failed to address sexual misconduct along the lakefront.
Now, after taking over from Parks & Recreation, EFD is preparing for its first season managing the lifeguard program. This is also Lakefront Manager Tim Carter’s first full season leading recruitment efforts — last summer, he had just six weeks to prepare after his April appointment.
Because lifeguard operations will fall under the fire department’s purview this summer, Carter said recruitment efforts started earlier, on Nov. 11 at the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program job fair. By the end of January, Carter said the EFD received 120 lifeguard interest forms.
EFD Chief Paul Polep said this year’s lifeguard training would feature more extensive life safety training.
“We’re trying to put our own spin on it,” Polep said.
» See LIFEGUARDS , page 6 lets residents give input on how to spend $3 million of the city’s American Rescue Plan Act funding, Molitor wanted Evanston’s ASPA community to have a voice in the process.
After she expressed interest, Molitor said an organizer for participatory budgeting reached out to her and offered her a seat on the Participatory Budgeting Steering Committee.
“We really need to, as a community, make sure that we are involved in as many spaces in the city as possible,” Molitor said.
Starting in October 2022, the committee and volunteers from
» See BUDGETING , page 6
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