The lifeguards walked off the job Wednesday afternoon
TRENTON -- The city's four public swimming pools will be closed indefinitely after the city failed to pay its vendor on time.
USA Management, the Georgia-based vendor contracted to operate the pools, has yet to receive a payroll payment that was due July 8, spokeswoman Elle Anderson said.
"We will not staff the pool until payment has been tendered," she said.
The lifeguards, who work for the vendor, walked off the job Wednesday afternoon to protest what they say is a continuing problem with the city.
"They did not want to work more hours and not get paid," Anderson said.
Under the contract, she explained, the city sends USA Management the money, which goes into a payroll account.
"If we don't receive those contract payments, the payroll account is not funded for those guards to be paid," Anderson said. "We work off the funds of the contract."
When the company informed the lifeguards that their paychecks may be delayed, they decided to take their own action.
"We never directed anyone to leave or said, 'You're not getting paid,'" she said.
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Their walk out forced city officials to temporarily close the pools, but they reopened shortly after when USA Management told everyone to return to work.
Though the pools will remain open until 8 p.m. Wednesday, they will not reopen Thursday morning, Anderson said.
City spokesman Michael Walker anticipated that the pools would reopen no later than Thursday.
"We are working through an issue with the vendor contracted to operate the city's pools," he said.
The city later sent NJ Advance Media a copy of a wire transfer confirmation. It shows that $20,895 was sent to USA Management at 3:02 p.m.
USA Management was awarded the $185,188 contract last month. It runs from June 27 through Sept. 5.
Cristina Rojas may be reached at crojas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaRojasTT. Find NJ.com on Facebook.