Letters to the Editor

Editor:

The GRF Board’s decision to reduce management salaries and wages by $600,000 has drawn criticism. Before questioning this decision, perhaps we should consider the facts.

In 2020, GRF spent $9,037,141 on salaries, wages and benefits. The 2026 budget calls for $15,609,412, an increase of $6.57 million, or nearly 73%, in just six years!

For perspective, wages and salaries nationwide increased approximately 26% during roughly the same period, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. While these figures measure different things, the disparity certainly warrants examination.

Today, personnel costs account for approximately 54% of GRF’s operating budget. With 202 employees, including 29 management positions, isn’t it reasonable to examine whether multiple layers of management are necessary, efficient and affordable?

The proposed $600,000 reduction represents just 3.8% of the 2026 personnel budget.

Importantly, the Board has directed that this reorganization be accomplished without reducing services.

Our employees deserve appreciation and fair compensation. But shareholders, who have endured substantial assessment increases, deserve fiscal responsibility and accountability.

Examining management costs isn’t an attack on employees. It’s responsible stewardship of shareholder dollars.

Rather than criticizing the Board for tackling our largest operating expense, shouldn’t we applaud its willingness to ask the difficult questions? That’s leadership worth supporting. Jane Hamel Mutual 4 Editor’s Note: For a true apples-to-apples comparison, residents should compare audited financial statements, which show actual spending by the GRF, rather than budgets, which are merely forecasts. According to these statements, in 2025, GRF spent $14.03 million on salaries and wages compared to $9.04 million in 2020. But using the 2020 numbers may not be a true gauge of GRF salary-and-wage spending as the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically reduced staffing levels. In 2019, prior to the pandemic, GRF spent $9.76 million on salaries and wages, representing an increase of 44% over six years. Over 10 years, from 2015 to 2025, GRF’s total salaries and wages increased 35%. (Numbers are approximate as they have been rounded for clarity.)