Town Employees to Get Christmas Bonus

Mount Pleasant town employees will find an extra $250 in their December paychecks following a council vote on Monday to authorize bonuses totaling $246,000.

The town will pay the taxes and deductions on the bonus for 535 full and part-time employees so that employees realize the full $250 bonus.

"In all my time in business, I've done bonuses, and when you hand them a $250 check, you're going to get more value out of that than any other raise we could offer in July," said Mayor Billy Swails.

The town said it can easily afford the bonuses, since other costs have come in lower than expected and some revenues have been larger than anticipated.

Town employees did not get a bonus in 2011, but they did receive a $1,000 one-time bonus in 2010, according to records. That payment came after years of deferred raises, a hiring freeze and a layoff of roughly 70 employees.

Councilmembers said the bonus is a thank you to town employees who have continued to produce despite sour economic times.

"We ask the employees to continually do more with less and less," said Councilman Ken Glasson. "We ask them to cut and cut, and I can't think of a time when our employees haven't operated in the most cost-efficient manner as possible."

The town council, judges and a small number of part-time employees will not be eligible for the bonus. Anyone on the payroll Dec. 3 will receive the raise. The council approved the bonus unanimously on in special meeting Monday.