FORT SMITH -- City officials expect to soon weigh the possibility of pay increases for workers and whether such a move will help fill empty positions -- specifically in the Parks Department.
The city on Thursday had roughly 84% of its 1,162 positions staffed. This includes 66 of its 82 seasonal positions for all departments, according to city human resources director Rick Lolley.
At-Large City Director Kevin Settle said at Tuesday's Board of Directors meeting he'd like the board to look at whether the city should raise wages or hire private contractors for parks upkeep. The city pays its entry-level part-time workers $11 or $11.95, depending on the position, or $12.95 to start for full-time workers, Lolley said.
Settle's remarks precede a Sept. 28 study session to discuss the results of a Johanson Group pay study for the city. The last study, completed in 2019, resulted in an overhaul of the city's pay structure and increasing starting pay for full-time workers.
'This is what's going on in our community'
Many of the city's part-time workers are in the Parks Department -- its 39 open positions Thursday were the equivalent of 10 full-time workers, Lolley said.
City Administrator Carl Geffken said part-time seasonal workers and equipment operators are the lowest-paid of all city employees. He also said the problem of hiring and retaining them is compounded by the fact many employers throughout town are looking to hire workers.
Mervin Jebaraj, director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas, said many people have had time to reconsider what they want to do for work after being laid off in the wake of covid-19. He also said services such as childcare play into job choice.
But pay is a factor too, he said.
"Companies that are willing to offer premium wage have had better success hiring workers. Workers can then turn around and use some of that increased wages for childcare or whatever else that they might need," Jebaraj said.
The vacancies impact the department's ability to mow and clean ditches and drains, said Geffken.
"People need to understand that this isn't a city of Fort Smith problem. This is what's going on in our community," Settle said.
Directors at their July 6 meeting cited concern over the city spending money on new parks without upkeeping or improving its 33 existing parks. Geffken at the meeting said the administration will request money for additional parks staff in the city's 2022 budget.
Lavon Morton, Ward 3 city director, has frequently said he believes parks maintenance should be a priority of the city.
Pay vs. privatization
Settle and other directors before him have suggested contractors be used for parks work. But Geffken says it's not that simple of a fix.
Geffken said contractors "have the same issue" as public sector employers in hiring workers. This stretches them thin on time, he said.
At the Tuesday meeting, Geffken said the study suggested raising the city's lowest full-time salary to $13.64 per hour and the lowest part-time salary to $11.70.
"The other option, which of course costs much more money, is to make our minimum full-time salary $15 an hour," Geffken said.
Settle said the board "has got to make some decisions" in the coming months on priorities and what they will cost. This includes deciding how frequently they wish to see the parks maintained and how much money to spend, he said.
"Whatever it is, maybe we have salaries that we do increase because we need better offers, and some we might keep lower, and we decide to privatize it and move it out," Settle said. "That's kind of where I'm going with this."
Max Bryan may be reached by email at [email protected].