Fenton aldermen amend CDL rule, approve multiple hiring steps to fill public‑works vacancies

The Fenton Board of Aldermen at a special meeting amended the Maintenance Worker 1 job description to require a commercial driver’s license within six months after an employee’s probationary period ends and approved a package of hiring measures to address recent public‑works vacancies. The board voted to advertise maintenance positions as depending on qualifications, to try paid job‑posting services for one month, and to pursue a temporary staffing agreement to place workers quickly.

The changes come after officials said three public‑works employees recently resigned, leaving multiple vacancies and prompting staff to recommend short‑term fixes while longer staffing and pay issues are reviewed. “We need to ease the restrictions, lessen them, make the city a fit and more appealable to applicants,” Alderman Hill said during the discussion.

Board members and staff described the scope of the staffing shortage: the public‑works department has 12 approved maintenance‑worker positions in total. As of the meeting staff reported that four of six Maintenance Worker 1 positions are vacant, all three Maintenance Worker 2 positions are vacant, and two of three Maintenance Worker 3 positions are vacant. To increase applicant interest, staff proposed advertising the Maintenance Worker 2 and 3 openings as “dependent on qualifications” and to omit fixed starting pay in recruitment materials except where legally required or later approved by the board.

Staff member Nikki briefed the board on the specific change to the Maintenance Worker 1 (MW‑1) job description. Under the amendment, new MW‑1 hires would be required to obtain a CDL…