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Residents, HR and commissioners debate proposed elimination of city safety coordinator
Summary
Mount Juliet commissioners and staff heard public comment defending the safety coordinator role during a budget workshop after the city manager recommended eliminating the position to reduce costs. Supporters warned the cut could raise insurance and regulatory risks; city leadership said the role could be absorbed into other duties if necessary.
Mount Juliet commissioners heard public comment and staff discussion Tuesday night after the city manager included the safety coordinator position among possible elimination options in the proposed budget.
The human-resources official who spoke for the role, Lynn (HR director), told commissioners he "would be remiss if I didn't express serious concerns regarding the potential elimination of the safety coordinator role," saying the position helps limit insurance and workers' compensation claims, maintain OSHA compliance and support employee training. "For a public entity the size of the city of Mount Juliet, the safety coordinator position is a necessity, not a luxury," he said.
Lynn and others described several duties the safety coordinator has taken on since the position was created and filled in December 2023: re-establishing monthly safety-committee meetings, updating departmental safety protocols, identifying workplace hazards, arranging compliance-focused and protocol-specific training, and coordinating with external consultants (Public Entity Partners, KeyRisk) and a technology partner (InSafe) to build an online safety hub for the city. Lynn said the hub "will streamline and centralize all safety program related activities, improve communication, organization efficiency, and enhance visibility into preventative actions taken to mitigate recurrence of future injuries and accidents." He and others cited fewer claims and broker recommendations as evidence of value.
City Manager Kenny (identified during the meeting) said the recommendation to remove the position was a budget-cutting option, not a criticism of performance. He told the commission he did not take “any satisfaction” in proposing the cut and that, if commissioners direct it removed, city administration would revert some responsibilities to prior arrangements. "These were relatively new positions added in recent years, so we would divert back to doing what we're doing before," he said.
Commissioners asked staff for more information on the fiscal and insurance impacts. Commissioner Giles asked whether the presence of a safety coordinator reduced workers' compensation costs; Lynn said claims have been fewer and that he can provide data. The manager agreed to gather insurance-rate and premium information for commissioners.
No final action on the position was taken at the workshop. Commissioners and staff discussed the option as part of a broader set of cost-saving ideas in the draft budget and asked staff to provide follow-up data on claim history, insurance discounts tied to safety staffing, and which duties would be reassigned if the position is removed.
Ending
The safety coordinator drew sustained support from staff and commenters at the workshop, and the commission directed staff to return with data on claims, insurance effects and implementation options before a decision on the position is finalized.
