While no one addressed the Mineral Town Council during a public hearing on the budget on June 18, one town employee voiced frustration to the mayor and council members about a perceived cut to their salary.

Earlier this month, two Town of Mineral DMV Select employees cited issues with staff salary and transparency with the town council during public comment; Mayor Pam Harlowe has reiterated on several occasions that cuts to salaries for DMV employees have never been considered.

Also in June, Kelly Singletary, the town’s treasurer, outlined in a resignation email that she has experienced “unfair treatment” and observed practices that she believes are “inconsistent with professional, ethical, and operational standards.”

During budget discussions over the past several months, Harlowe has cited a need to find $125,000 in the budget to fund a new town well. Cuts to salary were mentioned, including a decrease in pay for a future town manager from $90,000 plus benefits to between $55,000 – $60,000. Cuts were also mentioned for the town treasurer and town clerk due to the size of the town and current rates that would be similar to the future town manager, according to Harlowe. She has stated that “continuing to spend as the 2023-2025 council has done will bankrupt the town.”

After consulting with legal counsel in closed session, the council emerged at the June 18 meeting for a public hearing on the $1,562,000 budget. No one addressed the council during public comment.

Council member Rebecca “Becky” McGehee asked about several salaries that she perceived to be cut in the budget, including wages for the town clerk and town treasurer, DMV salaries, and a maintenance person. Harlowe responded that no salaries have been cut.

In wages and salaries for the Town Manager, the FY26 budget is $95,000. The FY27 council recommendation is $60,000, a difference of $35,000.

In wages and salaries for clerk/treasurer expenses, the FY26 budget is $113,946. The FY26 council recommendation is $109,876, a difference of $4,070.

In wages and salaries for DMV expenses, the FY26 budget is $147,414. The FY27 council recommendation is $143,000, a difference of $4,414.

In wages and salaries for public works, the FY26 budget is $53,014. The FY27 council recommendation is $50,000, a difference of $3,014.

McGehee also inquired about a cost of living raise for town employees, to which Harlowe said there are not any due to a need for a balanced budget. Council members get paid $100 a month in their position; McGehee stated that she would be willing to give up her salary if needed, but a motion was never made.

McGehee also raised concern with wages and salaries for an employee at the cemetery.

$15,000 was allocated in the FY26 budget for this position, but only $8,000 was in the FY27 council recommendation. Harlowe said this was due to only $6,659.61 being spent in the FY26 projected year end total and the FY27 recommendation is based on the previous year’s budget.

Hank Staudinger works for the town and does its water and sewer repair work. He was in attendance during the meeting and raised a question when it was noticed that the wages for public works was cut by roughly $3,000.

Harlowe responded that this is due to public works staff being less busy in the winter months and that he would be transitioned from a salary employee to an hourly employee.

“I’m not doing that,” Staudinger said. “My phone is being used for all of the town business. The town doesn’t own a four-wheel drive truck so the town has no way to read meters in the winter when there is ice and snow on the road…I use my shop to work on all the mower’s —- y’all don’t pay Besley [Implements] to work on them. I don’t charge mechanic rates. I don’t charge for my power, I don’t charge for my water…I work on all the stuff.”

Staudinger noted that he already works more for the town than is listed on his weekly pay and that he is frequently out on Saturdays and Sundays on emergency calls for town business.

“I make no overtime or time and a half,” Staudinger said. “Y’all are getting me for 31 hours a week at the same money no matter how many hours I put in. That’s not fair to [me] and I’m not going to work by the hour and you’re not going to cut me during the winter…it’s not like I sit around and do nothing. Y’all got to remember one thing — I pay taxes in this town too, so I’m not taking advantage of the town. If anything, the town is getting over on me. My phone has all photos that are nothing but the Town of Mineral. If that’s what y’all are going to do, then y’all can stop texting my phone and my phone is off limits.”

Harlowe advised Staudinger to document his hours so the town can have a better understanding of his work; he responded that he doesn’t have time to write the town a book every night of what he is doing, but that his history of work being completed is in his file before he became a salary employee roughly 2-3 years ago.

Both McGehee and council member Michelle Covert acknowledged the work that Staudinger does for the town and voiced disapproval of reducing his salary.

In a follow-up interview with The Central Virginian, Staudinger reiterated that he feels the town is taking advantage of his work and that there should have been a private personnel meeting to discuss any salary changes.

“I feel like if I didn’t come to the meeting and the question wasn’t asked, nobody was ever going to tell me until I found out in my paycheck,” Staudinger said.

He took issue with the mayor’s perception that in the winter time, the work load is reduced; he pushed back stating that projects that he doesn’t get to in the summer are often accomplished in the winter.

Two to three years ago, Staudinger said that the personnel committee took note of his extra work for the town, noting responsibilities like meter reader, grass cutter and grave marker, which prompted his transition to a salary employee.

Staudinger also took issue with Harlowe stating that no salaries were cut, only to later state that $3,000 is reduced in the salary for public works.

The Town of Mineral used to have six operational wells to supply water to residents; the town is currently down to one functioning well and pays the retail rate for water purchased from the Louisa County Water Authority (LCWA).

“My biggest problem is if [the town] is over budget, why wasn’t our first thing to go to the Louisa County Water Authority and get an agreement on a gallon amount with a wholesale rate for water instead of us paying retail rate?” Staudinger asked. “That should have been our first negotiation process.”

The process to get a new well will not be a timely process, Staudinger said, as it’s not the same as drilling a house well and the town has to go through the Virginia Department of Health (VDH). While understanding the town’s need for a balanced budget, Staudinger said cutting employee salaries is not the right thing to do.

“This is something [the Mineral Town Council] has dropped the ball on for years,” Staudinger said. “[The town] had six wells and now they are down to one — eventually the one is going to play out.”

Staudinger also commented on McGehee’s comment about council members giving up their $100 monthly salary. The total amount from six council members over the course of a year is $7,200.

“Isn’t it worth it to give up that $1,200 a year to keep the good employees that the town has?” Staudinger said, adding that he is not asking for a raise, but for his salary to be left alone.

As of June 22, Staudinger said that he is still performing his duties for the Town of Mineral because his pay hasn’t been impacted yet, but if the council decides to go ahead with the reduction in public works salary, things may change.

Regarding the $53,014 salary for public works in the FY26 budget, Staudinger clarified that number is shared, but not evenly divided, between him and another town employee.

In a follow-up interview with The Central Virginian, Harlowe expressed disappointment that Staudinger feels that he is being taken advantage of and encouraged him to document hours if he is working more than his set hours.

The council will meet on Thursday, June 25 at 6:00 to vote on the budget.