He added: “Plus, it really doesn’t sound safe not to have lifeguards.’’
Given the town’s budget crunch, officials said the elimination of the program was among many bad choices submitted to members of a Town Meeting, who approved the cuts in May.
“We have been living very close to the edge of a budget crisis here for several years,’’ said Thomas Guerino, town administrator.
He said the town of about 20,000 residents, which doubles in population during the summer, had to cut its budget for next fiscal year by 3 percent to nearly $52 million.
The decision to cut the town’s 18 full-time lifeguards, which will save about $75,000, was made as officials sought to keep other jobs. In the end, they had to cut 20 town employees, including administrative personnel in the Police Department, staff at the Department of Natural Resources, and school employees, including at least one teacher.
The town also cut its decades-old swimming program, which taught youngsters to swim at local beaches.
“Whatever reductions are made, it’s always the wrong cut,’’ Guerino said, noting that he received a raft of e-mails criticizing the decision. “We are not happy making these cuts. We know this is an important program, but the town had to balance the urgent priorities of getting us through the fiscal year.’’
Donald Pickard, chairman of the Board of Selectmen, said he has heard from more than a dozen constituents worried about the program’s elimination.
“I hear the people, and they really want lifeguards,’’ he said. “It’s unfortunate we can’t do it. The budget has been set through a Town Meeting vote.’’
He said the selectmen did not have the power to change the budget without approval from Town Meeting members.
