The Town of Middleburgh hasn’t had a single application for a Department of Public Works employee.
And that doesn’t bode well for winter plowing.
“There’s still no interest. Not one application,” DPW Superintendent Steve Kowalski said Thursday.
“I’ve had eight calls. Four laughed and hung up the phone.”
The job pays $18/hour to start.
Though he said he’d hire just about anyone, Mr. Kowalski also said it’s not a job for just anyone—especially when it comes to plowing in Huntersland, a route Albert Porter handled for most of the 38 years he was with DPW,
Mr. Porter has retired.
Some people have called it the “Great Resignation,” and Mr. Kowalski said hiring is a problem everywhere.
Even the Town of Carlisle, he said, which has boosted pay to $20-$21/hour is having a hard time finding help.
“I don’t know where everybody who used to work went,” Mr. Kowalski said, but the only way to solve the problem now is to increase salaries to $26-$27/hour.
“Then you’d never be in this position again.”
Plowing in particular is a grueling, demanding job, said Councilman Steve Hendrickson, suggesting the town look at restructuring its pay scale; your life isn’t your own when you have to be up at 3am to plow.
Though increasing DPW salaries might seem like the most obvious solution, it’s not that easy; Councilman Pete Coppolo pointed out that if they start paying new hires more, they’d have to increase salaries for all employees.
The question is also where that money would come from, said bookkeeper Charlie Spickerman; with the price of fuel and inflation “I think there’s going to be a serious tax increase this year,” he said.
The Town Board agreed to think about the issue, but Mr. Kowalski warned them winter is right around the corner.
He’s concerned about his personal liability if something happens he said.
“Unfortunately, it will be the taxpayers that don’t get the service they’re used to.”