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Virginia Beach council keeps lifeguarding company on duty
By Aaron Applegate, The Virginian-Pilot – 1/25/2012
The City Council stuck with tradition on Tuesday night, voting to keep the private company that's provided lifeguard services at resort-area beaches for decades.
The 7-4 vote to rehire the Virginia Beach Lifesaving Service came despite a city report that said turning lifeguard duties over to the city's Department of Emergency Medical Services would save the city $1.4 million over five years.
Some council members said they were not convinced those savings would pan out, citing, for example, a possible future need for a city building to run the operation.
"We're excited to continue serving Virginia Beach," said Tom Gill, deputy chief for Virginia Beach Lifesaving Service, taking deep breaths after the vote. Right up until the end, at least two council members on the clearly divided body had yet to make up their mind.
Voting to keep the company were Mayor Will Sessoms, Glenn Davis, Bill DeSteph, Harry Diezel, Barbara Henley, John Moss and John Uhrin.
Voting for a city takeover were Vice Mayor Louis Jones, Bob Dyer, Rosemary Wilson and Jim Wood.
City Manager Jim Spore and Emergency Medical Services Chief Bruce Edwards wanted the council to bring lifeguard services in-house.
"We are pleased that the City Council took a serious look at the provision of lifeguard services at the resort beaches and evaluated all the facts before voting this evening," Edwards after the vote in a prepared statement.
Former and current lifeguards packed the City Council chambers, offering testimonials about their work with the company and pleading with the City Council not to make a change.
Some Sandbridge residents said lifeguard service has improved since the Department of Emergency Medical Services took over guarding beaches there from the company in 2009. City officials said they have saved about $111,000 a year by bringing that work in-house.
The city is set to pay Virginia Beach Lifesaving Service $1.45 million this year to guard resort beaches, mainly between Rudee Inlet and 42nd Street. The company will be paid $7.3 million over five years, according to the city.
DeSteph said he voted for the private company because the government should not be taking work from small companies.
Kent Hinnant, president of Virginia Beach Lifesaving Service, and his wife own half the company, and Angela Garcia Mozer, daughter of developer Eddie Garcia Sr., owns the rest.
The city said its lifeguards would have been certified at a higher level for medical emergencies.
"You're talking a higher level of service for less cost," Wood said.
Dyer said the city should take over the work to save money to help chip away at the city's $90 million budget shortfall.
"It's more than money," Sessoms said. "It's about tradition. It's been a great place for young people to be responsible and grow up."
Aaron Applegate, 757-222-5122, aaron.applegate@pilotonline.com
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