Here is the re-cap of responses to my question: *Small Michigan libraries - * *How are you handling the raise in minimum wage in February?* *Are you giving raises to the whole staff or just to those earning below $12.48? (Yes, we have one person in that group.) * *Giving everyone a 20% raise would be awesome, but would totally blow our budget. I'm just looking to see how all of your boards are handling this.* *Thanks for your wisdom!* Allegan District Library did a one time wage adjustment across the board last year. Not all increases were the same. I canvased hiring wages in SW Michigan and then took into account longevity. We did not feel it was fair to just increase low paying wages, but also could not increase everyone's pay equally across the board. All staff have been affected by today's economy. I sat down with each individual to give them their pay increase letter if they had questions. Best of luck. Pam Pamela Armstrong Director 331 Hubbard Street Allegan, MI 49010 269-673-4625 Fax: 269-673-8661 _________________________________________________ We are a Class 1 library. We are in the same boat as far as minimum wage. The board is meeting Tuesday to look at how badly it is going to affect our budget and what they would like to do. The current thought is that anyone under will be raised $12.48. We can not raise everyone 20% . They are looking at how much they can raise incrementally everyone else. We do not have different positions only clerks and myself the director. Our staff has been here between 8 months and 10 years. We are looking at creating tiers based on library education; CEU’s, Beginners Workshop etc. But we are limited based on budget. I would be interested in any responses you receive. Kelli Lovasz Director North Branch Township Library 3714 Huron road North Branch, MI 48461 810-688-2282 810-688-3165 (fax) northbranchlibrary@northbranchlibrary.net _________________________________________________ Since this particular legislation used the inflation rate (.032), we are using that to give raises to the rest of the staff. It will be better then 2025 COL and will keep the staff content with the increase in min. wage across the board. Amber Alexander Library Director – MLIS Presque Isle District Library 181 E. Erie Street Rogers City, MI 49779 _________________________________________________ We have 2 full time and 1 part time for our staff. The part time always received minimum wage and of course will go up to 12.48 in February. My Board decided at this past Monday’s meeting that would also give the 2 full time staff the same 2.15 raise when the new fiscal year starts on April 1. The 2.15 is the amount minimum wage is increasing and doing the 20% across board is not doable. Their reasoning was “it’s only fair and they feel the need to keep some distinction in pay level for positions that have more responsibility”. We are a Class 2 library. It will make the budget tight but we can manage that for FY 2025-26 but don’t know about following years increases. *BillieJo Bluemer* Director *Rauchholz Memorial Library* *1140 N Hemlock Rd* *Hemlock MI 48626* *989-642-8621* _________________________________________________ I have Circ Desk staff that is at $13 and $15.21, as well as a Library page at $9.87 who is under 18. I proposed a 4 % increase in wages, (which we received last year), and a 6%, knowing that the Board would not accept the 20% increase. They did not like the six percent. It was the first view of the Wage Scenarios, so we will take another look at the next meeting. I did get the staff wages increased by $2 the last time (2018) this big increase in minimum wage was to take place, so I feel okay with where most of the staff is sitting. *Karen McKinnon, Library Director* *Leighton Township Library* *Education, Information, Recreation* *4451 12th St PO Box H* *Moline, MI 49335* *(616)877-4143* _________________________________________________ I'm a class III. As this has happened in the past, everyone's wages get increased the difference of the old minimum wage to the new. And we're on a schedule to keep it going every year with the MI Dept of Treasury. Christian Dunham | Director Bullard Sanford Memorial Library facebook.com/vassarlibrary vassarlibrary.org 989-823-2171 _________________________________________________ I've been slowly raising our hourly staff wages for the past three years and I finally have our pages (our lowest paid staff) at $12.00. They were at $9.87 when I started in 2022. I've been raising everyone else at the same time, but at a slower rate. For February, only the pages will get bumped up to the $12.48. The rest will remain where they are for a bit. *Deb Hemmye* Library Director Huntington Woods Public Library 26415 Scotia Road Huntington Woods, MI 48070 248-543-9720, ext. 686 _________________________________________________ I'm a class 4 (but on the verge of class 3), but also in a similar situation. We are not doing 20% raises for everyone. Anyone under (currently have 3 just under) will be raised up, and I'm looking at doing a 5% raise for everyone else (provided the budget allows). Hope this helps! Amber Hughey _________________________________________________ We are a class 5 library. We only have one person who is making less than $12.48/hr and there is enough money in the PT salary budget to absorb the increase. That position is currently at $11.70/hr. Our fiscal year is July 1-June 30 so we are only talking about just over 4 months at the higher rate, which amounts to a few hundred dollars. Everyone else (who has been here over a year) would potentially get a raise on July 1, 2025. I'm hoping for 3% but it's too early to determine that. For my PT salary budget, I budget for a full 52 weeks, but PT staff do not get holiday pay and they sometimes take days off so there is always a cushion and we end up not spending it all. Patty Braden, Director Romulus Public Library 11121 Wayne Road Romulus, MI 48174 734-955-4516 www.romuluslibrary.org _________________________________________________ My board told me to figure that 20% raise for everyone. I have three four (4) people earning below the $12.48. As you stated, that would be AWESOME, but it totally blows our budget without cuts to some other things. Time will tell exactly what the board decides to do. Nannette F. Pretzer, Director St. Charles District Library 132 S. Saginaw Street St. Charles, MI 48655 989-865-9371 n.pretzer@stcharlesdistrictlibrary.org _________________________________________________ We too have staff earning less than $12.48. My Board is considering giving everyone above the $12.48 minimum a $1 raise, some staff will fair better than others. Kristina Knezic, Director Berrien Springs Community Library 215 W. Union St. Berrien Springs, MI 49103 269-471-7074 www.bsclibrary.org _________________________________________________ Class I library here- We only have 1 employee below the minimum wage. I will be raising just their payment. Our fiscal year starts April 1, so the others will get their raise starting that date instead. Mary Gallup Director Clinton Township Public Library 100 Brown St. Clinton MI 49236 *Thank you all for your responses!* -- Perri Saunders, Director White Pigeon Township Library 102 N. Kalamazoo St., P.O. Box 399 White Pigeon, MI 49099 269-483-7409 *p.saunders@woodlands.lib.mi.us <p.saunders@woodlands.lib.mi.us> * *Brighten the corner where you are.*