Smithfield council rehires former employee
SMITHFIELD – It was a close vote, but the borough now has a new, old part-time employee. With a 4-3 vote council rehired Richard McKnight as a part-time employee at a rate of $6.15 per hour.
The original motion cast by councilman Wendi Dice to hire McKnight at minimum wage died for a lack of second. On the second motion to hire at the increased rate of pay, Dice along with councilmen Orville Hornsby and Jesse Moats voted against rehiring.
Dice said she was against having McKnight at the increased rate.
In the past when McKnight had been employed as part-time on call, the extra amount was justified because he was obligated to be on call. She also disagreed with giving him a minimum amount of work hours each week.
Council President Jack Frith noted that the job is as advertised, part-time, and that could mean from no work up to 39 hours in a given week.
Councilman Kelli Ash added that she didn’t feel that McKnight would return for less than what he earned in the past. She pointed out that he also has experience with operating heavy equipment that warranted more than minimum wage.
Moving to other business, Frith noted that residents’ garbage service bills will be going up a small amount to account for the recent increase in tipping fees passed on garbage collectors by the state.
Frith said he could see where the contracted company J.C. Sanitation couldn’t shoulder the increased cost alone and that the increase won’t be much.
Councilman Jean Kennedy said that the increase in costs to dump garbage at landfills should actually work to encourage residents to recycle more.