Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Workforce topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public works recruiting for wastewater operator and administrative hire; training plan outlined
Summary
The city’s public works director told the committee the department is recruiting for an administrative position and multiple levels of wastewater operator roles, interviewing about 10 candidates for operator positions and planning internal recruitment first and on-the-job certification progression.
City public works leaders said they are recruiting for two positions: an administrative role tied to utilities and a wastewater operator. The department plans to recruit internally first for the admin role and has opened wastewater operator recruiting to level 1, 2 and 3 candidates.
The director told the Parks and Public Works Committee that the utility rate study completion triggered the administrative hire and that the wastewater operator recruitment produced about 10 interviewed applicants. Staff said the broad recruitment strategy intentionally targets candidates with a range of experience so the city can hire promising employees and train them through operator certification levels.
Tom Holmes, the wastewater superintendent identified in the briefing, will lead on-the-job training and certification progression. Staff described a training pathway in which new hires study to obtain a Level 1 operator certificate and then progress by obtaining higher certifications while gaining experience. The director said this approach has worked better than hiring very experienced candidates in the past.
No committee action was taken; staff said recruitment and interviews are ongoing and that they will continue the internal-first hiring step for the admin position before opening to outside applicants if necessary.
