According to Blue Earth City Administrator Mary Kennedy, the City of Blue Earth Public Works Department is one of the many organizations impacted by the worker shortage. Kennedy says that this year the Public Works Department has significant difficulty obtaining part time, seasonal staff and it was clear that pay rate was a critical factor.
Kennedy researched seasonal public workers pay rate available through the League of Minnesota Cities. She then provided documentation showing that Blue Earth’s starting pay rate for both under 18 years old and over 18 years old, was well below average.
Kennedy said, “Part time, seasonal workers are very, very valuable to us and we need to compensate them proportionately.” Kennedy added that the current city work force is going to age out and retire as well and that will impact the city across the board. Kennedy says the city needs to consider how to recruit for positions at competitive pay rates, begin budgeting up for next year and begin to think about succession planning.