Local governments across the state are short-handed as employees test positive for the coronavirus, or have to isolate after exposure.
The surge in COVID-19 cases is affecting posts that range from firefighters to city bill collectors, limiting services and putting response times for critical services at risk. To deal with the staffing shortages, some Massachusetts cities are looking for new hires or asking workers to pick up extra shifts.
Ahead of the anticipated snowstorm on Friday, three of Salem’s plow drivers and two mechanics are out, said David Knowlton, the city’s engineer and director of public services. A tenth of the contractors the city uses are also unavailable as a result of the pandemic.
“It’s going to take longer for us to do what we did last year, just because we don’t have as many bodies,” Knowlton said.
In Worcester, City Manager Ed Augustus estimated that some 400 city employees are currently out, putting a strain on municipal operations.
“People are having to work additional overtime and other shifts in order to make sure there’s the coverage that we need to pick up the trash, plow the snow, provide the emergency services, answer the 911 calls, dispatch the appropriate first responders,” Augustus said Thursday. “So all of that is challenged.”
Among those out are 260 Worcester school employees, roughly 60 firefighters and 40 police officers, according to Augustus.
“So far, we’ve been able to keep things running,” he said. “We’re getting close in some of the departments. And particularly the fire department, we can’t lose too many more people and not have, kind of, impacts on response times.”
The virus also hit Worcester's office where residents can pay tax and water bills in person. With just one employee able to work on Wednesday, the office closed to walk-in service and switched to appointment only.
Salem’s Knowlton promised that, despite shortages with its snow-plowing, the streets will be cleared after the anticipated storm.
“A storm that would take us six hours to fully resolve and have the cleared streets, it’s going to take another two or three hours, maybe longer,” he said. “Just be patient with us and we’ll get the job done.”
To keep operations running, Salem is looking at whether other city departments, like the police and fire departments, can help with plowing this winter. And they’re looking to hire more help.
“We’re always looking to potentially bring in other folks to help us with our snow operations, whether it's just retirees or people that are just in the community that can drive a pickup truck and have plowed before to come in and use our vehicles,” he said.
And, he says, he’s hoping for a light winter.
