Commission approves street and equipment operator advertisements; staff to seek council reclassification to require CDL

The Moraine Merit Commission on May 7 approved advertisements to fill promotional and entry-level positions in the street division and heard staff say they will ask the City Council to change a groundskeeper position back into a street maintenance worker position with a required commercial driver’s license (CDL).

Commissioners voted to advertise for a full-time equipment operator and to conduct promotional tests for street maintenance and equipment operator roles. Staff said the promotional tests will be given concurrently for eligible employees and the entry-level advertisement will follow once the council-level classification change is completed.

A department representative explained the reason for the reclassification: recent changes to CDL requirements now demand approximately 40 hours of driving time and 40 hours of classroom instruction, which the department said creates a burden when hiring non-CDL candidates and expecting them to obtain a CDL after hire. The representative said the existing groundskeeper had obtained a CDL and that most of the street division now holds CDLs; returning the job to the street maintenance worker classification would allow the new hire to perform broader department duties, including snow removal.

The staff member said the position will require a CDL upon hire and that a table-of-organization (TO) chart change must be approved by City Council; the commission will return to advertising once the change is made. Commissioners approved the advertisements by motion and roll call votes recorded as affirmative for those present.