The District of Lantzville is one step closer to hiring a new full-time employee.
Lantzville councillors voted in favour of hiring full-time labourer during a committee of the whole meeting Monday night.
The decision comes after a staff report to councillors recommended that they consider merging their casual labourer and temporary summer labourer positions into one.
Fred Spears, director of public works, said councillors can merge the district’s summer temporary labour position and the eight-month casual position together to create the full-time position, adding that the only additional cost would be in the form of paid benefits.
Coun. Will Geselbracht told councillors that the full-time position is warranted, noting that he has seen the director of public works operate the district’s sanding truck.
“This season we have had a lot of snow,” he said. “We have drains that plug up. I’ve seen that. I’ve seen the director of public works driving a sanding truck. I suspect that somebody else could be doing that.”
Coun. Mark Swain, questioned whether combining the casual and temporary position would leave the district short-handed in the summer, however, Spears said the summer months are typically slower.
Coun. Bob Colclough said hiring a full-time labourer won’t be a big increase to the district’s operating budget and will benefit the district overall.
“We have more than enough money to have a permanent full-time person,” he said.
The expected increase to the district’s operating budget would be $6,600, resulting in a 0.42 per cent increase to property taxes according to the staff report.
The decision will need to be approved by councillors at a future council meeting.
