Two barrier island communities look at salaries

Two barrier island communities have been exploring how well they pay their employees because of turnover in various departments.

Sullivan's Island and the Isle of Palms have seen some of their employees hired away, in part because employees leave the smaller municipalities for bigger ones that offer more money. And the Isle of Palms has been looking at increasing pay in a number of departments.

Sullivan's Island

Sullivan's Island recently filled three police officer positions open since before the end of 2007, but only after increasing starting salaries.

Andy Benke, Sullivan's Island town administrator, said that trained officers often went to larger departments because of salary.

"We discovered it was very difficult to hire quality, trained officers," he said.

After looking around, Benke said, officials decided Sullivan's Island's pay structure for the eight-member police department was a little behind the curve.

According to a 2007 survey, Sullivan's Island paid the lowest salary compared to neighboring communities. Once salaries were increased, the department filled three positions in April, hiring an officer from Mount Pleasant and North Charleston each as well as a new recruit.

Isle of Palms

The Isle of Palms City Council began looking into salaries more than a year ago, mainly because of turnover in the Public Works Department, but council members continue to discuss how much more they should pay some of their staff.

Council voted in spring 2007 to hire the Archer Co. to examine the city's pay structure in all departments and continues to discuss what to do with the consultant's recommendations.

Mayor Mike Sottile said he didn't think turnover had been excessive in any department. In 2007, 22 of the city's 95 employees left, with 12 of those who left saying they were offered more money at other jobs. Of the 22 who left, just three were police officers. In a recent budget meeting, City Council discussed adding $215,000 to the fiscal year 2009 budget for pay increases but hasn't made any decisions.

The Personnel Committee plans to meet May 13 to recommend whether to implement the study.

Councilman Ralph Piening, chairman of the Personnel Committee, said during a recent budget meeting that he didn't think the city necessarily had to implement the study.

But fellow Councilman Ryan Buckhannon said at the same budget meeting that certain departments seemed to experience turnover consistently.

"I don't want to have this study and not do anything with it," he said.