South Whitehall Commissioners Discuss new Rates for Engineers

South Whitehall Commissioners discussed an upcoming resolution that would increase the current rate schedule for township engineers by around 2.5 percent or about $1,000 a year.

During the Wednesday night meeting, President Christina Morgan asked Assistant Township Engineer J. Ralph Russek Jr. why The Pidcock Company - the township's contracted engineering firm - was requesting the increase.

"Our rates have been in place since 2010," Russek said. "We’ve been asked twice over the past two years to hold. With sensitivity to the economy we’ve kept it to 2.5 percent, so if we were to have the same scope of work we did in 2012, then 2.5 percent would amount to about $1,000."

Township Manager Jon Hammer said the new rates are not in the recently adopted 2013 Operating Budget and confirmed the overall cost would "amount to less than $1,000."

The new rates will be incorporated into a resolution to be voted on at an upcoming meeting. Hourly increases amounted to $1 to $2 for 16 different positions that range from administrative assistant to principal of firm.