BERLIN– Elected officials this week agreed to give municipal employees a $500 holiday bonus.
The Berlin Town Council on Monday voted 4-1 to use contingency funds to provide each of the town’s 60 employees with a $500 one-time bonus.
“People really appreciate it, especially during the holidays,” Finance Director Natalie Saleh said.
Mayor Zack Tyndall said a discussion of a one-time payment had been added to the council agenda at the request of Councilman Steve Green. Last year, one-time payments of $500 were approved in December at the suggestion of then-Councilman Troy Purnell, who pointed out that the town had been in the habit of providing them before a two-year lapse.
Saleh this week presented officials with calculations that showed the cost of a $250, $500 and $750 payment. While contingency funds in water, wastewater electric and stormwater were capable of funding a payment, she said the general fund contingency didn’t have quite enough to fund any more than a $250 payment. She said the council could use potential end of year surplus to fund the difference or could reallocate the cost of the salary study underway to cover the difference.
As an employee of Wicomico County, I like the idea of an across the board $500 given to all employees as opposed to percentage increases. $500, everyone get the same amount. At 2% a $100,000 employee gets $2,000 while a $30,000 employee gets only $600.
Agree.
I am sure that a lot of these $30,000 employees are over paid and don’t even deserve even a $100 bonus. Just being an employee doesn’t justify any bonus.
Berlin is just doing some good things lately. The county commissioners should take note. All they wanna do is spend money on worthless things. And then throw the employees crumbs in July. And don’t criticize Mrs. Abbott if nothing gets done right away. She’s up against a bunch of good ole boy goobers who like their power.