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Webster Groves seeks new IT systems analyst and to unfreeze positions for parks and public works
Summary
City staff proposed adding an IT systems analyst (mid‑year hire, ~ $73,000 starting salary) and unfreezing three positions: one parks custodial role and two public-works positions tied to stormwater and PropW work; an EPA 319 grant was discussed as partial funding for the public‑works roles.
Scott Davis presented a consent-agenda request to create a new IT position and to unfreeze three positions in parks and public works at the Board of Aldermen meeting on Feb. 18.
Davis said the city currently has two IT staff — an IT manager and an IT specialist — and recommended adding an IT systems analyst to increase capacity while the city rolls out new platforms and applications. He said the position would likely start at about $73,000 on pay grade M; benefits would be added on top of salary and would increase the full-year cost. Davis asked the Board to authorize hiring mid‑year so the new analyst could begin in April rather than waiting until the next fiscal year.
Davis also asked to unfreeze three previously frozen positions: an evening and weekend custodial position in Parks & Recreation to support the new water park, and two public-works roles intended to perform concrete and right-of-way work in-house. He and the city manager noted that doing that work internally could save money versus contracting out labor.
On potential funding, staff discussed an anticipated EPA Section 319 grant expected to be roughly in the low hundreds of thousands of dollars (staff referenced a $300,000-plus figure) that could cover much of the public-works staffing costs. Davis said the public-works positions would be charged to the stormwater fund and that the EPA grant, if awarded, would reimburse or cover related labor costs.
Council members asked whether the new IT position changed the city27s total authorized positions. Davis said the request would increase position control; he noted a small number of frozen positions remain in parks and public works. A council member asked whether the city has an AI policy; Davis said he is “currently crafting” one with the help of AI.
Why it matters: the IT hire aims to speed implementation of technology projects and reduce single‑person knowledge risk, and the unfreezing of parks and public‑works positions affects the city27s ability to deliver capital and maintenance work and to respond to storms. Grant timing and award risk were discussed as implementation factors.
Staff will move the items forward on the consent agenda; council discussion noted a balance between using stormwater funds for operating costs and protecting funds for capital projects.
