Summerville To Hire Two Full-Time; Four Part-Time Employees With New Budget

Thanks to the financial support of sewer customers, the City of Summerville is readjusting staff pay, adding full-time employees and giving raises.
Recently the city council passed its 2019-2020 fiscal year budget. It includes funds to hire two fulltime employees and four part-time workers.
This will bring the total number of fulltime employees to 81. That is still lower than in previous years.
Back 17 years ago, the city had 94 fulltime employees. But that is when the extra employees were needed to read meters and the city had its own garbage service.
The city cut four employees in 2003 when it privatized its meter reading service. The following year when the garbage service was privatized, officials cut three more employees.
While the city is adding only two fulltime slots, they also agreed to hire four part-timers. They include:
* Better Hometown Director Susan Locklear is getting one to help water the flowers and trees in the downtown. They will also help, if time permits, with events and economic development.
* City hall is getting a groundskeeper. They will be responsible for watering the flowers around city hall and the fountain at Dowdy Park. They will also help sweep and do janitorial work at city hall. The city does not have a janitor and employees had to do the custodial work themselves.
* The water treatment plant in Berryton will use the part time worker to mow grass, help with sludge removal from the system and mopping the plant. They will be a general helper, according to City Manager Janice Galloway.
* The wastewater treatment plant will also have a part time helper who will mow, clean and do odd jobs.
The extra funds generated off sewer rates will also provide 16 employees with a special one-time boost in pay. After this boost in pay, the lowest paid worker will make $14.07 an hour. The highest paid employee makes $39.42 an hour.
Council members make $300 a month. The mayor makes $600 a month.