HELEN — The success of Alpine Helen is in the experience visitors to the city enjoy. For that reason, the Helen City Commission on Tuesday wasted no time giving all city employees a 4-percent, across-the-board raise effective with the first pay period of 2019.
Mayor Jeff Ash explained the importance of keeping quality personnel who enhance the city, not only for its residents but for the visitors.
“The rationale is easy,” Ash said. “We’ve had a very successful year. Since we’re a service-oriented community, the people that work for us have tasks that are tied to the numbers of people that come into town, the activities, the events and everything. The hours that they work – they might be here all night, cleaning up for Sunday morning.”
Ash said city leaders believe businesses and lodging establishments depend on the government to maintain a welcoming atmosphere that is pleasing and safe for both residents and visitors.
That’s why Helen officials try to keep the best employees possible.
“The across-the-board increase is earned by them,” Ash said. “It’s expected of us to do things to keep our people making a living, and that will continue. It’s that simple. We’re a different type municipality, but it’s incumbent on us to make sure that the parity of the wages that they do is in keeping because we don’t want to lose nobody, and we want to see them live and work here and they’ll continue to get increases as this town grows and progresses because everybody is enjoying the fruits of their labors.”
