Bowmanstown hopes to welcome a new full-time worker into the fold soon.

On a 4-2 vote, borough council on Tuesday agreed to advertise to hire an additional full-time employee.

Councilmen Darren Thomas and Rob Sikorsky, councilwoman Candace Rodrigues, and council President Pam Leiby were in favor. Councilmen Rob Moyer and William Ravert were opposed. Councilwoman Kara Scott was absent.

Moyer said that in the past, the borough had two full-time employees and part-time help in the summer.

However, public works supervisor Chris Bixler said the borough needs to change its ways if it wants to retain workers and build a team.

Moyer told Bixler he understood, but that council needed to review the situation a bit more.

“I think we need to sit down and determine what we need,” Moyer said.

Bixler took it a step further.

“There’s a lot of grass to cut,” Bixler said. “If we want to improve and go in the right direction, we need more manpower to get those jobs done.”

Moyer said he didn’t disagree, but that council needed to make a decision about what it can afford.

Leiby said that there have been instances where the borough has trained workers, only to see them leave in a year or two to work for better paying municipalities.

Moyer said the borough has two issues: Finding a way to get the work done, and what it wanted to do to move forward.

“We need to advertise for full-time help now, period,” Thomas said.

After the motion was approved, Moyer said that because the borough’s income is limited, it needs to limit its costs.

Leiby said it was clear that Bixler could use more help, so there isn’t as much work on his plate.

“We need to find (Bixler) some help,” Leiby said. “We’re not looking for a skilled laborer, just someone to mow the grass (and such).”