Service staff warns board of recruitment losses tied to low pay

Will Chapman, speaking during the board's delegation period, told the McDowell County Schools board the district is having difficulty hiring service personnel for maintenance and technical roles. "We're having an extremely difficult time, recruiting people to, especially electricians and HVAC technicians, to recruit people to fill these empty slots that we have, which we have 2 of right now," Chapman said. He said a candidate who completed the hiring process accepted a private-sector offer that paid about $22.23 an hour more than the district could offer.

Chapman said entry-level pay for trade-certified candidates places the district "$23 to $26 an hour low on entry level positions," while private employers are starting technicians in the mid-30s. He urged the board to consider a structured plan to supplement wages for classifications with hard-to-fill roles, saying short-term contractor hires are costly and not a long-term solution. The board did not take immediate action during the meeting but heard Chapman's request as part of public comment.