Friday was the last day on the job for Town of Smithfield Human Resources Director and Public Information Officer Tim Kerigan. Kerigan accepted a position with the Johnston County Human Resources Department effective Oct. 12th.
The Town of Smithfield has several vacancies, including a permanent town manager, fire chief, public utilities director, and four positions on the police force.
Interim Town Manager Jim Freeman is out of town on vacation until Oct. 20th and Police Chief Michael Scott is filling in as town manager. His salary will not change.
However, WTSB News has learned two Town of Smithfield employees will be making more money until a new Human Resources Director can be hired.
Information Technology Specialist Brian Adams and Administrative Assistant Veronica Hardaway will receive a temporary pay raise of up to 7.5 percent. In an email from Freeman to town council members, he said “Generally being south is consent to “temporarily” increase pay for two employees in order to take on some additional Human Resource position administrative/project responsibilities… as soon as a Human Resource Director is hired, responsibilities transfer back and temporary pay increase ends.”
Those duties include conducting a flu clinic, new hire orientations, updating social media outlets, and implementing a new website.
Hardaway will receive a maximum increase of 7.5% from her current salary of $29,121.09. Adams will see the same maximum increase from his current salary of $44,166.14.
Their work will still be performed during the normal 40 hour work week.
