City of Orangeburg: COVID bonuses OK’d for employees

“A lot of our frontline workers have put themselves in harm’s way given the current state of the pandemic over the past two years,” City Administrator Sidney Evering said Tuesday.

City Council voted 6-1 to provide a one-time, $500 vaccine incentive stipend to all full-time city and Department of Public Utilities employees who are fully vaccinated.

A $250, one-time vaccine incentive stipend will be given to part-time city and DPU employees who are fully vaccinated.

Employees will have to show proof of vaccination before the close of business on Nov. 15 to qualify for the money.

Frontline city and DPU employees will also receive a one-time hazard pay stipend of $1,000. All other city and DPU employees will receive a one-time COVID stipend of $500.

Part-time city and DPU employees will receive stipend payments at a rate of 50% of full-time employees, according to city council’s resolution.

The status of employees will be determined by the city administrator and DPU manager.

Evering said the money is being provided because of the increasing number of COVID cases and COVID-related illnesses.

The $236,220 cost will come out of the city’s share of federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. The city is receiving about $6.3 million in COVID-relief money.

Prior to the vote, Councilman Bernard Haire voiced his opposition to the incentives.

“We should not have to pay for individuals to get the shot,” Haire said.

He said individuals who do not receive the vaccine should be terminated from their positions unless there are special health or religious reasons for not getting vaccinated.

“There have been too many deaths, too many individuals who have expired because of not taking the shots,” Haire continued.

“We just need to buckle down and mandate that either the employees will get their shots at a certain point in time or they will be terminated.”

“It is not fair for those who have had shots to work around people who have not taken the shots,” Haire said. “If we allow our employees to not take the shots, I think that is a bad thing for the city. It is high time that we get a handle on this virus in our city, in our state and our country. We are still just playing around with it.”

Haire also expressed concerns that he has not been properly informed how the $6.3 million will be spent or if the incentives are within the federal guidelines of how the money can be spent.

“I think council has to have a better understanding of what these dollars are going to be for,” Haire said.

Evering said he sent the guidelines either the day before or earlier in the morning.

“That is not being fair to council members when you say you mailed them out at the 11th hour,” Haire said.

Haire voted against the incentives.

Council members Dr. Kalu Kalu and Jerry Hannah said they were for the incentives, but agreed that council needs to be better informed in a timely fashion about how the city plans to spend the federal money going forward.

“This is a council run type of government,” Kalu said. “We need to, not the city manager or DPU, oversee the distribution of $6.3 million. As a council, we have to have the knowledge of where the money is going.”

Kalu said council members should be able to tell the public how the money is going to be spent.

Evering said he will provide a plan to city council about possible ways the money can be spent.

Councilman Richard Stroman said he believes frontline workers should be given $1,200.

Councilwoman Liz Zimmerman Keitt said she was all for the incentives.

“Those persons that are frontline have been out there working all of this time,” Keitt said. “It is God given that they are able to keep going and we thank them so very much.”

“The incentive is not paying anyone,” Keitt said. “It is just an incentive to help them go on.”

Keitt said those who do not get the vaccination will not get anything.

“I think it is just fair for us to give those persons that have taken the time, effort and thanking the Lord for letting them still be alive,” Keitt said. “I am for the incentive for employees. They have done a fantastic job.”

Keitt thanked employees for all they have done during COVID.

Orangeburg Mayor Michael Butler said the city is well within the federal guidelines by providing the incentives, noting that the Orangeburg County School District and the Regional Medical Center have used federal money give employees an incentive to get vaccinated.

“It a blessing to have employees who are willing to work,” Butler said. “They have shown their bravery by going out to work in the midst of all of this. They are on the frontlines.”

“I am for it,” he said. “These employees are worth it. We have to do something for these employees.”