Alina Layng Response to Question #4:

4.  The SLV Water District has four vacant positions. In addition, the environmental manager currently covers a project manager position. How do you think the District should address these staffing challenges?

The district has some challenges to overcome with their image. Their reputation precedes them  on many accounts, but especially on positions having been downgraded in the past. Demoting employees' positions does not make current employees or future employees feel that their job is secure.

How do we overcome it? Prove them wrong!  The district needs attractive benefits. If the district cannot raise wages to be more competitive they can easily offer remote positions or hybrid schedules to attract employees.  The employers that are offering these benefits are poaching some of the best employees right now.  Once the district has these positions filled they must make the commitment to never demote an employee's position again, and gain the trust of future employees.  

The district also needs to lessen the workload on current employees by recreating the project manager position that Bob Fultz and prior board members eliminated.  The district's environmental manager worked remotely through a covid infection when they should have had the staff available to support their temporary absence.  If the district continues down this road, staff will burn out and they will lose valuable employees seeking better opportunities.