From the start, 1986, that was my desire. To have a job that would support my family. 
   
  And as long as it was just the two of us, in a story and a half 12 by 24' house with a telephone but no running water and electric, we were just fine. But when the family doubled in size and the job shrank from 6 months to 3 months and then 6 weeks, I had to do something else.
   
  And beekeeping was what I knew and so chose. You'd probably do the same, if you were me. But you aren't and so you wouldn't, perhaps.
   
  It was even tryed, at least once, by Bob Mungari, to find me Dept. employment during the off season. But I would have had to move and start before the Apiary Inspection season was over , so it didn't work out.
   
  If there was a full time, not seasonal, job offered now, I'd give up my bees to do the job. That's not an option. No such job exists in Apiary Inspection at this time.
   
  If you all would get behind the idea of a State Apiarist Position and then pushed for it, then someday there would be full time employment for someone. 
   
  It's too bad that this, what's happening now, didn't happen sooner. Then we'd be over this by now. Now that AHb are here. Or were and will be.
   
  Mike, you have expressed yourself quite well. And just what I have been thinking of for a while now.
   
  Something like this (and this is just salaries):
   
  State Apiarist:  $50,000.00 to $75,000.00 per year Civil Service Position.
   
  Senior Apiary Inspectors: $40,000.00 to $50,000.00 per year Civil Service position or seasonal at $25.00 per hour with continued health insurance with partial emp[loyee contribution for the off season. After 5 years of 40 hours per week Seniors would become full time.
   
  Apiary Inspector 3: $35,000.00 or $36,000.00 per year or seasonal $18.00 per hour. After 5 years of 40 hours per week work an Apiary 3 would become full time.
   
  Apiary Inspector 2: $32,000.00 or $33,000.00 per year or $17.00 per hour seasonal.
   
  Apiary Inspector 1: $30,000.00 per year or $16.00 per hour seasonal.
   
  No beekeeping or other Conflict of Imnterest Activities allowed. 
   
  Or, like Maine, up to fifty colonies for Apiarist and Seniors and up to 150 colonies for seasonal. And, like New Jersey, no pollination. 
   
  No nuc sales. Or, maybe it would just be easier to say, no beekeeping related business what so ever.
   
  Mark Berninghausen
   
  p.s. now Lloyd and I are in that exclusive club of former apiary inspectors.

Mike Stoops <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
  . The inspectors should be paid a salary which would support them and their families at the level which the degree of intricacy of their job would entail.
			
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