Trending
Beginning next year, employees of the Lycoming Housing Authority will receive a 2.5% increase in wages for all positions at a total cost to the authority of $42,762.
Employees who are eligible for a merit increase could add another 2.5%, resulting in a 5% total increase.
The need to attract and retain employees was the driver behind the increase.
"In 2020 we conducted a salary
comparison of other authorities and local government agencies to develop our pay plan," said MeriLyn Severson, executive director.
"It has become increasingly challenging to attract and fill vacancies for the authority, as it has been for employers across the nation," she said.
Having asked 12 other housing authorities in the northeastern part of the state to see if they were having similar issues and what they were doing to solve the problems, Severson said that all of them were having staffing difficulties. All but one of the authorities were offering wage increases or other incentives.
The proposed increase to the current pay plan "is balanced enough to aid in attracting and maintaining staff but will not impose a burden on the authority should funding levels decrease in the future," Severson said.
"While competitive wages are important, they aren't the only answer," she wrote in her report to the board. "The authority will continue to offer our employees flexible work schedules, benefits, a support atmosphere and other incentives such as employee luncheons and merit coupons for a day off."
Based on the assumption that their operating grant will be funded at the current level of 95.86%, the board passed its 2023 budget. The Department of Housing and Urban Development is expected to release 2023 budget figures in January.
The following data was used to calculate the authority's budget for next year: net potential rent, $1,580,097; potential operating subsidy, $1,517,703; utility expenses increased by 24%, $729,409; increase in maintenance costs of 10% due to inflation; purchase of one maintenance van and a tractor; non-dwelling rent, $67,549; and other income, $716,634.
The board also approved a contract with LHFI for management services at a cost not to exceed $200,000.