Lawrence sees increase in staff resignations, needs to fill 18 full-time positions

City of Lawrence officials say the city is losing specialized staff at a high rate, and that significant pay raises could be required to stem the tide of outgoing employees.

More than 20 highly specialized city staff members whose jobs require formal technical and scientific training have resigned in the past few years, according to information the city provided the Journal-World. About 10 of those resignations were employees in the city’s municipal services and operations department and occurred over the past several months.

City Manager Tom Markus said that the resignations are mainly market driven. He said that amid record-low unemployment rates, the city’s pay has not kept up with pay being offered in surrounding communities. Markus said the landscape is especially competitive for those with science and technology degrees.

“What I’m seeing is a much more competitive environment right now,” Markus said. “And I think that the employees with those skillsets know they are in much higher demand than they used to be.”