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Port Arthur officials say 73 city jobs open as council presses HR on hiring, overtime and licensing
Summary
City human resources officials told council the city has 73 current vacancies — about a 9% vacancy rate — and described steps to recruit and retain staff, while council members pressed for faster posting of openings, clearer online listings and targeted solutions for licensed utility operators.
Port Arthur human resources officials told the City Council on Aug. 12 that the city currently lists 73 vacancies and is actively recruiting to fill many of them.
The HR presentation and a prolonged council discussion focused on how unfilled positions are driving overtime and operational strain in critical departments, especially utilities. "We have 73 vacancies," HR director Dr. Leila Thigpen said during her presentation, and added the city currently has an "approximately 9% vacancy rate." The HR team said 16 of the vacancies were in the interview stage, leaving 57 open, and that 12 await city manager paperwork to begin active recruitment.
Why it matters: Council members said unfilled positions are causing repeated service problems — for example, irregular trash pickup and high overtime costs in utility operations — and pressed HR for immediate fixes. Councilman Calvin Kinlaw and others repeatedly asked why only 28 openings appeared on the city website while HR reported 57 active openings that remain posted continuously; Dr. Thigpen said staff would "go back and verify" and align the public listings.
What HR proposed: Thigpen outlined a multi-pronged response including rebuilding the HR team, adopting an updated wage and compensation plan to improve pay competitiveness, working with recruiting firms, hosting job fairs, expanding social-media outreach and streamlining onboarding. She said HR has increased outreach and is working with Texas Workforce Commission and local partners.
Licensing and the utilities workforce: Several council members and utility managers stressed that licensed water and wastewater operators are in short supply and that licensing tests have low pass rates. Public works leadership described that some treatment-plant operator exam pass rates are low and that math on the test is a common barrier. Utilities manager Matthew (first name given in the meeting as Mr. Matthews) and newly hired assistant manager Barry Barnes were cited as part of a plan to tutor and train candidates. Council members suggested convening local educators or offering classes to help candidates pass licensing exams.
Concerns from council: Council members said the city must both recruit and retain staff. Several asked whether unspent salary funds for vacant posts could be repurposed; the finance director, Lynn Boswell, said budgeted personnel funds are normally not moved to other categories without review and that funds are sometimes used to pay temporary agency workers with city manager approval. Council members urged routine exit interviews, more direct accountability for filling positions and faster public posting of openings.
Next steps: HR committed to present a wage-and-compensation recommendation to the council within two meetings and to correct the public job listings. Council members said they will press department heads and finance staff to clarify whether unused personnel money can be reallocated when a vacancy persists for long periods.
Ending: The council did not take a formal vote on HR policy at the meeting but recorded a sustained and detailed request that HR and the manager move faster on recruitment, post all vacancies publicly, pursue creative training and return with wage-plan proposals.
