Concerns about the hiring and retention of city employees prompted a line item on the agenda at Thursday night’s Elkton city council meeting.
According to Elkton Mayor Arthur Green, the city’s employees are a few dollars per hour shy of the local area average which recently caused a city utility employee to take a higher paying job in another city in Todd County.
Additionally, the city has no applicants for its vacant police officer position, a fact that council members believe may be related to low pay.
Council member Michael Case did point out that the city’s insurance and benefit package was much better than most other employers.
The council heard the first reading of an ordinance that will reclassify existing employees and will give a 3% pay increase to all city employees. The reclassification and pay increase, if approved by the council in November, will take effect in January and will result in a $56,000 budget shortfall.
Mayor Green recognized several fire department employees for their years of service:
John Rice and John Johnson were recognized for 5 years of service, Perry Knight for 20 years of service, and Robert Standard for 45 years.
