MetroNews - Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Both
MSHA and the state Mine Safety Office are trying to meet a deadline to
hire additional mine inspectors. Not only are they competing for the
same people, but also state Mine Safety Director Ron Wooten says MSHA
is upping the stakes. "MSHA seems to be hiring some of our people,"
Wooten tells MetroNews.
Wooten
says the state can't afford to lose any more of its inspectors and he
says not only are they short a few; they also have to deal with
vacation and sick leave. That's why the office is spending $21,000 to
advertise the positions in newspapers across the state. Wooten says,
"We need inspectors and that's the bottom line."
Director
Wooten says the situation becomes even more dire starting July 1st. "As
we look forward into the next fiscal year, which begins here in the
next few days, we are responsible for hiring an additional 10
inspectors over and above what are part is right now."
Wooten
stresses the agency isn’t looking for just anyone to fill these
positions." We're serious about having the right people in these
positions. It's difficult particularly as MSHA is out there trying to
do the same thing."
Wooten
says MSHA, federal Mine Safety Health Administration, can offer its
inspectors more money. Wooten says if the state is serious about having
the best of the best inspecting state mines, then a financial decision
needs to be made. "Let's just face it. We have to be competitive and
we're going to have to, at some point, make a determination which
direction we're going to go. And if it's money, then we're going to
have to have more money to be competitive."