HOWLAND – Directors have approved salary increases for several administrative employees.

Trustees said they have reduced administrative staff from seven to five full-time employees with benefits and redistributed the workload of employees.

As of June 16, the new rates of pay include:

• Director of urban planning, $ 70,595 to $ 72,675;

• Zoning Director, $ 54,000 to $ 56,080;

• Administrative assistant to the director of finance, $ 26 to $ 27 per hour;

• Administrative assistant in the fire department, $ 18 to $ 19 per hour;

• Administrative assistant for public works, $ 17.59 to $ 18.59 per hour.

Officials said the salary increases would cost the township $ 12,000 a year. The cost of two full-time employees with benefits was $ 85,000, resulting in a savings of $ 73,000.

Administrator Matt Vansuch said the township has been able to rework positions and job responsibilities with fewer employees.

“I think we’re more efficient with fewer people, but they’ve taken on more responsibility. Our planning director is more involved in getting grants and monitoring those grants. We can save more money in the long run ”, he said.

Township administrator Darlene St. George said all full-time employees are required to pay 5% of the cost of township health care premiums per month as of July 1 and 7% of the cost of care premiums district health per month from July 1, 2022.

The salary portion will be paid by deduction from the salary.

In other cases, trustees have heard from residents of the Avalon Drive area concerned about flooding on their streets and basements due to recent torrential rains.

Resident Rick King of Avalon Drive said the sewers and pipes on the street needed to be checked because the basements had been flooded.

David McCann, director of the township’s public works department, said they checked and found no obstructions or blockages in the sewers.

“Sewers are designed to maintain a constant flow of precipitation. When we have extreme rainfall like we did this week, it’s a challenge everywhere, but the water ends up draining. The problem was the heavy rain. We had a lot of rain in less than 20 minutes the other day ”, McCann said.

Vansuch said the township and county engineering office had checked the area and examined the capacity of the storm water system and found no issues. Now they are looking for structural issues.

“You have to understand that we get downpours of rain at some point, which is becoming more and more common” Vansuch said.

Tom Ross, also of Avalon Drive, and other residents said whenever there was rains they saw problems with drainage and flooding, the most recent being Tuesday and July 2.

Some residents said people put clippings and leaves on the road, clogging sumps and sewers. St. George said this was prohibited and residents could notify police. She said video of someone doing this would help police when they need to give warnings.