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PARKERSBURG -- The Board of Health on Thursday approved a 5 percent across-the-board raise for Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department employees.
"This hopefully will accomplish two things," board Chairman Stephen Worden. "One, improve morale on our over-worked staff and two, it may make the positions more … attractive" when attempting to hire people.
The move came a week after Wood County Commission President Blair Couch, the vice chairman of the board, said during a commission meeting that the department was having trouble keeping employees. Aside from the pressures of working during the COVID-19 pandemic, he cited the salaries being offered by the department, which serves Wood, Wirt, Calhoun, Pleasants, Ritchie and Roane counties.
Couch noted Health Department employees' pay is determined by the West Virginia Division of Personnel but they are not considered state employees. So when raises are given to state workers, Health Department personnel aren't included.
But the Board of Health can vote to give raises, subject to approval by the Division of Personnel.
"Our employees are working very hard," Health Department Executive Director Eric Walker said. "The costs of goods and services are increasing."
When that happens and salaries remain the same, "it can make things very difficult, very strenuous, and that's when you start to lose employees," he said.
While additional COVID funds can help offset some of the raises, and grants may cover the increased pay for positions they fund, the proposal by Walker identified a $1.2 million certificate of deposit held by the department as the source of funding if neither of those alternatives were available. He offered the board the length of time that fund alone could sustain different raises, from 16 years for a 3 percent increase to five years for 10 percent.
The board members present voted unanimously for the 5 percent raise, which the CD could fund for 10 years absent any other sources.
"I'd think 5 percent will be impactful to the employees' paychecks, they'll notice it," said Couch, adding a higher amount would be impractical at this time.
"That would give the state 10 years to get health departments funded properly," Worden said.
Officials estimated the raises will go into effect by Nov. 1.
In other business, the board voted unanimously to approve the creation of a finance supervisor position, a job that had been eliminated in the past due to state budget cuts. Walker said it should cut down on overtime and ease the burden on other workers.
Some board members and personnel participated in the meeting at the Health Department offices in downtown Parkersburg, but many joined via Zoom, with Worden citing the recent upswing in COVID cases as the reason after an in-person meeting in July.
Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com.