[ back ]
Mayor recommends switch to full-time service workers
(by Sali McSherry - August 25, 2010)
Mayor recommends switch to full-time service workers
By SALI McSHERRY
The question over employing full-time vs. part-time service workers is up for debate in Bentleyville.
Mayor Leonard Spremulli said Monday he recommended moving two part-time employees, who currently work between 30 and 32 hours weekly, into full-time positions. He said, if his calculations are correct, it won't cost the village any more money.
He said the move is a step toward the future and would give the village some continuity. When the service director, Timothy Pitts, who also is the village's police chief, and the part-time service foreman, who has been with the village for about 10 years, retire, Bentleyville will need people who already know the system and the equipment, Mr. Spremulli said.
Currently, the village has two young part-time service workers who are paid $18.29 per hour. Mr. Spremulli recommended reducing their hourly rate to $15 and eliminating the cost of outsourcing the cleaning of Village Hall, at an annual cost of $6,500. That job then would fall to the service employees.
He said Bentleyville could save money through a reduction of overtime for winter snowplowing. Currently, annual overtime is about 450 hours, and Mr. Spremulli approximated that could be reduced to 270 hours through work-shift changes.
Village Council President Joseph Maurer, who chairs the finance committee, questioned the accuracy of the calculations. Employing part-time workers gives the village a lot of flexibility, he said. Bentleyville doesn't have to guarantee a set amount of hours or pay for benefits and pensions, he said.
The village always has had part-time people in the service department, Mr. Maurer said. And while Bentleyville has about $1 million in reserves, it is facing a $250,000 deficit looming this year, he said. It's not the right time to consider hiring full-time employees, he said.
With health-care costs "going through the roof," there's a lot of uncertainty about how much those benefits will cost the village in the future, he said.
Councilman John Bourisseau, chairman of the safety and streets committee, agreed with the mayor. It's planning for the future, he said.
There are some concerns about the transition when Mr. Pitts retires, if there are not full-timers to take over, he said. It also would give the village some assurance that it's covered for snowplowing, he said. That's an important aspect of it, Mr. Bourisseau said. With full-timers, shift coverage for snowplowing would be better, he said, and could be supplemented with part timers when needed.
Retaining good workers is important to the welfare and safety of the residents, Mr. Spremulli said. People are looking for full-time jobs and stability, and that leads to loyalty to the job. There's typically more of a turnover with part-time employees, he said.
One of the young service employees has been with the village for over three years, and the other for about a year, Mr. Spremulli said.
The village also employs another part-time worker from time to time, Mr. Bourisseau said.
Mr. Spremulli will recommend a budget to council for next year that includes two full-time service workers.
Mr. Maurer said he would analyze the costs of employing the two full-time people.
[ back ]
