Despite financial hardships, Youngstown plans to hire treatment plant employee

YOUNGSTOWN — The financially strapped city, looking at layoffs to balance its general fund budget, will hire a “pretreatment administrative assistant” for its wastewater treatment plant with an advertised annual salary of $50,826.88.

Among the desired qualifications for the wastewater job is “thorough knowledge of supervisory methods, major clerical work,” as well as the ability to type 40 words a minute.

As for the starting salary, Mayor Jay Williams said the exam announcement should have listed a range and not a specific number.

Williams said he couldn’t provide a range today, but added the person hired would likely make less than the advertised annual salary.

Under a 2002 federal court settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency about the city’s wastewater system, the city is required to employ a “pretreatment administrative assistant,” Williams said.

Without that agreement, the mayor said it’s unlikely the city would fill the position. The final day to sign up for the job is Thursday with a written test given Saturday.

As of this afternoon, 45 people had applied.

For the complete story, see Wednesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com