The St. Charles County Council voted Monday to boost the pay for some positions within the county's highway department to woo new workers. It comes as the county prepares to host a career fair this week highlighting more than 60 open positions.
"It is no secret — the war for talent is on and we're not any exception to that," said Paul Hunt , assistant human resources director for St. Charles County .
Staffing shortages have been a persistent problem for St. Louis -area government agencies competing in a tight, low-unemployment job market.
Low pay and burnout have plagued some departments, such as the St. Louis County jail and the region's 911 call dispatch centers. As a result, local governments have spent millions paying overtime, hiring expensive contract workers, and in some cases, raising salaries to attract candidates.
St. Charles County needs 911 dispatchers, corrections officers, street maintenance workers, mechanics, and several other positions within the county's parks, health, and police departments. The county is also looking to hire within the prosecuting attorney, recorder of deeds, medical examiner, and assessor's offices.
"Regardless of what someone wants to do, chances are pretty high that we have an opening that's going to be a good fit for them," Hunt said.
The county has struggled since 2019 to fill vacant 911 dispatcher positions. Last year, it even contracted with a third-party company to provide temporary workers and cut down on needed dispatcher overtime shifts.
While that six-month effort was not a permanent fix, it did reduce the number of full-time dispatchers working 18-hour shifts to cover the staffing shortages, county officials noted.
The county still has 10 dispatch positions to fill. The starting pay for a dispatcher is about $56,000 in St. Charles County — the highest in the area.
The county's corrections department has also struggled to fill vacancies, said department director Dan Keen .
"Corrections is a tough business to recruit workers for because it is one of those settings in the criminal justice system that people don't wake up dreaming of becoming a corrections officer," Keen said.
Keen said the department is working to overcome preconceived notions about what work in corrections entails.
"Back in the 2000s, it was look for staff that were big, muscular and could hold their own. We're not looking for that type of individual anymore," he said. "We're looking for level-headed individuals, who know how to talk to people, who treat people with respect."
He said the department needs workers for both its day and night shifts. The starting pay for corrections officers is $48,000, though some earn up to $70,000 if they have previous experience. Starting pay for a certificated police officer working with the department is $55,000, Keen said.
While employees have 12-hour shifts, they work a schedule that sees them in the St. Charles County Jail only 13 days a month.
"That schedule is great for a young family that is just starting out," Keen said. "It gives them the opportunity to be with their loved ones and to make sure they have that work-life balance that we want them to have."
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