Saratoga Springs civil service commission approves two new Department of Public Works positions

The Saratoga Springs Civil Service Commission on June 25 approved two new competitive titles for the Department of Public Works: Utilities Engineer and Stormwater and GIS Specialist, with commissioners voting in favor at the end of the presentation.

The new positions are intended to consolidate and specialize the department’s engineering staff as the city faces growing water, sewer and stormwater responsibilities. "These 2 proposed positions are kind of a review of the engineering department along with some of the staffing issues that we've had in terms of being able to retain and keep people," a Department of Public Works representative said during the meeting, describing the proposal and recruitment challenges.

City staff told the commission the utilities engineer would focus on water, sanitary and stormwater design and would be a pathway to Professional Engineer (PE) licensure; the stormwater and GIS specialist would address expanding MS4 (municipal separate storm sewer system) permit requirements and the accompanying reporting and program management. "A report from Cornell, the Saratoga County Cornell Cooperative Extension who oversees the MS4 for the county said that municipalities' responsibilities are increasing up to 200% in the new MS4 requirements," the representative said, summarizing outside technical guidance cited to justify the dedicated stormwater role.

Commissioners said the plan would consolidate three existing titles into two more specialized roles. Staff said the city would likely stop recruiting for the older "engineering technician" title because recent hires have either left quickly or advanced to higher titles; the department currently has two senior engineering technicians and would convert one into one of the new titles. The presenter also said a longtime CAD/Survey employee recently retired and that person’s duties could transition into the stormwater and GIS specialist position.

Staff and commissioners discussed compensation grading but had not finalized specific salary grades with human resources; staff estimated the utilities engineer would likely be at or near grade 16 (similar to the assistant city engineer) and that the stormwater/GIS role would be a grade above the current senior engineering technician (roughly grade 15). The presenter said preliminary calculations showed the reorganization could produce a slight budgetary savings by replacing three positions with two, but final budgetary approval rests with the City Council and HR-level grade assignments.

Commissioner Joanna Zangrando moved to approve the proposed competitive titles with the clarifications discussed; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote. Commissioners also asked staff to add language clarifying that the stormwater and GIS specialist "may" supervise others on specific projects rather than be a standing supervisory role.

The commission’s approval authorizes the city to create the competitive class job specifications and proceed with recruitment under civil service procedures; final hiring, grade assignments and funding remain subject to Human Resources and City Council review. City staff said recruitment for engineering titles has been challenging, with some postings active since mid-2024 and applicants often seeking a clear pathway to licensure.

The commission noted the changes during its regular business session and recorded the formal vote as passed. The commission will forward the classification changes and job specifications to the City Council and HR for finalization and budget review.