South Haven City Manager confirms lifeguard draft plan to be on upcoming council agenda   

SOUTH HAVEN, Mich. -- South Haven City Manager Kate Hosier confirmed with ABC57 Wednesday that the topic of lifeguards will be on the May 19th city council meeting agenda.

Community members and representatives from the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project have been working to get lifeguards returned to the beaches at South Haven for more than a decade now.

The lifeguard program was first terminated in 2001. Since, there have been 12 drownings in South Haven, 10 of which have happened since 2009.

City Council member Mary Hosley presented a motion - which was passed - earlier this week to have the draft lifeguard plan presented by the City Manager to the council by 5 p.m. Wednesday.

The city has cited liability and budget concerns as their main worries over whether or not to re-start the program.

ABC57 reached out to multiple city officials Wednesday, including South Haven Mayor Annie Brown, but each declined an in-person interview request.