HOLLIDAYSBURG — Blair County is preparing to hire temporary staff to help with the primary election, summer maintenance work and to lead tours for six months at Fort Roberdeau.
At a time when the county is having difficulty finding employees, the county Salary Board on Wednesday granted requests from departmental supervisors to fill temporary jobs.
Director of Elections Sarah Seymour received permission to hire 10 assistants to help with the May 17 primary. One person is needed for tasks stretching over six weeks, from April 11 to May 24, and nine additional people are needed to work from May 18 to May 24.
The assistants will be paid $10 per hour, with the cost of the help expected to total $5,250, Seymour said.
The county’s highway department wants to hire six summer employees for up to 12 weeks at 37.5 hours a week. The salary board agreed to set the pay for those positions at $10 an hour, with the total cost for the county adding up to $27,000, Manager Paul Shaffer said.
In addition, the salary board also approved Shaffer’s request to hire three seasonal laborers for up to 26 weeks, also at 37.5 hours per week. The hourly pay rate was listed at $14.42 for the non-union temporary positions.
Fort Roberdeau Director Glenn Nelson also secured approval to hire two seasonal tour guides at $10 an hour.
Nelson said the guides will be assigned to provide educational tours to school students and the general public, between May 1 and Oct. 31.
Each guide is budgeted for 500 hours, Nelson reported, so the cost for the pair of guides will be about $10,000.
The salary board also voted Wednesday to create and fill a full-time vector control specialist seasonal position from April to October, at $16.43 an hour, based on the current union contract. The position focuses on mosquito control efforts and monitoring potential threats. The salary and benefits are reimbursed by the state through the county Emergency Management Agency.
Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 814-946-7456.
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