Espanola council has given its approval to an increase in pay for student summer wages.
Town Clerk Joseph Burke says council is increasing the student hourly wage to $18.00 with a $0.50 increase for each returning year.
He adds the increase was a proposal made by staff to address significant shortages in applications for the full-time Public Works summer student positions that are available.
Burke says with inflation and the rise of minimum wage, the department has not increased student wages since early in the last decade, adding the town has now reposted its summer student positions in hopes of attracting additional applicants.
