Park & Rec workers get wage bump

NEW LONDON – The wage schedule for part-time and seasonal employees in the New London Parks & Recreation Department will be increasing in 2026 more than originally proposed.
Ginger Sowle, director of the Parks & Recreation Department for the city of New London, originally proposed wage schedule increases for the department’s part-time employees that would amount to an increase in wages of $57,177. When the proposed wage schedule was discussed at the Sept. 2 Parks & Recreation Committee meeting, members of the committee didn’t think the wage increases were high enough to entice people to seek employment with the department.
At the Oct. 7 Parks & Recreation Committee meeting, Sowle presented a wage schedule with higher increases for part-time employees. The increases amounted to wages increasing by $98,143. The committee recommended this proposed wage schedule for part-time employees in the department be approved by the New London Common Council.
When the council met Oct. 21, it approved the wage schedule that included $98,143 in total wage increases for part-time employees in the department.

Sept. 2 meeting

At the Sept. 2 Parks & Recreation Committee meeting, Sowle told the committee that her department researched comparable jobs to the part-time jobs in her department and found that that the city is “coming up drastically short” in providing similar wages for those jobs. She said she has different comparisons “of how little we are paying our staff.”
“We find that they’re using us almost as a stepping stone to get their feet wet in jobs,” Sowle said. “… I feel that part of our service to the community is helping these youth learn how to work.”
Sowle said the city of Antigo is offering $13.40 per hour for base level positions. In comparison, the city of New London is offering $9.75 per hour as a starting wage.
With the Highway 15 bypass now complete, Sowle said it’s easier for people to travel to the Fox Valley for a part-time job that pays at least $15 per hour.
The proposed wage increases were intended to entice people to work for the city, Sowle said.
The wage increase proposal called for a 5% increase for starting base level positions.
“Not that much, but it’s enough that if we keep going with this, we can be competitive,” Sowle said.
The wage increase proposal also called for a 10% increase for the park’s mower positions, which are year-round positions, as they are on call in the winter to help clear snow.
Sowle added that those employees operate expensive equipment.
“We’d like to have people that have an interest and desire to keep these pieces of equipment running well, so competency is compensated there,” Sowle said.
Ald. Bernie Ritchie Jr. said that even with the proposed increases, the proposed wages were too low.
Ald. BaLynda Croy agreed.
“The way the wages are going, just everywhere, if we want quality people, we’re going to have to keep pace with the starting wages of Kwik Trip,” Croy said.
Sowle said the average starting wage at businesses in the city is $13.33 per hour.
“That’s what we’re losing kids at,” Sowle said.
Based on the comments from committee members, New London City Administrator Chad Hoerth said he felt the committee was not in agreement with the proposed wage increases.
Sowle said she could bring back a proposal for a larger wage increase, but added that that would increase the total budget for the Parks & Recreation Department.
Ald. David Dorsey said working for the city does provide some benefits that other area businesses don’t provide, such as flexible hours.
Sowle agreed.
“We are very flexible with our staff,” Sowle said.

Oct. 7 meeting
At the Oct. 7 Parks & Recreation Committee meeting, Sowle told the committee that the wage increases she originally proposed would have amounted to an increase of $57,177 to the department’s budget for wages. After changing the increases, the total increase for wages in the budget would amount to $98,143.
She also acknowledged that the proposed increases are still not at the level of starting positions at area businesses.
“But this is the best that we can do for a hypothetical increase without raising our fees so high that people aren’t going to be using our programs,” Sowle said.