KINGWOOD — Competition for holders of CDL licenses is fierce, and we’re losing, Kingwood City Council was told recently.
During a recent session to work on the 2018-‘19 budget, City Clerk Mary Howell told council it’s hard to attract and keep holders of CDLs (Commercial Drivers Licenses) in particular but also employees for other positions.
Kingwood has 18 workers. That doesn’t include the Sewer Department, Water Department, Parks and Recreation, and the Kingwood Public Library, all of which employ and pay their own employees.
“A starting wage of $10 an hour is just not working,” Howell said, noting that Walmart starts workers at $11 an hour and the State Division of Highways at $12 an hour.
The city’s CDL drivers start at $13 an hour but are expected to keep the trucks in order and have to drive garbage trucks to the Tucker County Landfill, up Caddell Mountain.
