Waynesville council approves Public Works reorganization to add supervisors, reclassifications

The Town of Waynesville council voted to approve a multi-part reorganization of the public works department that, according to Public Services Director Ricky Born, is intended to strengthen supervision, improve service levels and consolidate several operational divisions.

Born told the council he spent seven months reviewing department needs and proposed a new flowchart, job descriptions and a cost analysis that shows the change would cost approximately $12,000 annually but can be absorbed in the current budget. "This is the strategic next step into strengthening supervision, improving service levels, and also putting a structure together that meets operational needs," Born said.

The plan would reclassify several positions, create supervisory roles (including new supervisors for public facilities and for a proposed traffic division), and consolidate water-treatment, distribution, wastewater and stormwater work under clearer lines of supervision. Born said implementation would involve developing standard operating procedures and take months to implement; he estimated 3 to 6 months to establish the structure and 3 to 5 years for deeper transformational change.

Council members asked detailed questions about operational authority for emergency responses, operator-in-charge (ORC) requirements at the water and wastewater plants, how current superintendents might transition into new roles, staff involvement in drafting SOPs and how the changes would affect morale. Born said many staff were consulted and that SOP drafting would rely on long-tenured employees'institutional knowledge; he also said some positions that are currently superintendents would keep technical responsibilities while broader administrative oversight could shift to managers.

Council votes on the package were taken in three parts: approval of the reorganization flowchart and structure; approval of associated reclassifications and updated job descriptions; and acknowledgment of the budgetary impact and authorization to implement the changes during the current fiscal year. All three motions passed by voice vote.

Council members praised Born's outreach and said they had observed improvements in public works responsiveness since his arrival. Born told the council he would continue to work with HR and staff, that some retirements (including one named Kyle Cook in October) create natural opportunities to implement classification changes, and that training and team-building exercises (including a planned "Five Dysfunctions of a Team" session) would accompany the structural changes.

The council recorded the estimated net fiscal impact as approximately $12,000, to be absorbed in the current budget, and directed staff to proceed with implementation and documentation of job descriptions and reclassifications.