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Grand Island board authorizes recruitment as engineering staffing, outsourcing options discussed
Summary
The board agreed to allow advertising for engineering civil service positions as the town weighs filling one vacancy and using outside contractors or consultants for specialized work, including grant support from firms such as GHD.
The Grand Island Town Board voted at a workshop to allow the engineering department to advertise to fill a single vacancy while discussing longer-term staffing and outsourcing options.
Board members heard from colleagues that eligible civil service candidates for existing assistant engineer and assistant town engineer titles have been declining and that retirements are pending, prompting staff to request permission to broaden recruitment. The board approved a motion to permit advertising for civil service lists and, if no viable eligible lists exist, to recruit provisional hires. The motion specified the intent to fill one position at this time.
During discussion, board members explored alternatives to fully staffing the department, including contracting out work and using engineering firms under contract for grant-writing and technical tasks. The engineering firm GHD was named as an existing contractor on sewer work; board members discussed relying on GHD for sewer-side grant inputs and another contractor referenced as Wendell for water-related grant support. Board members said outsourcing might be cost-effective compared with hiring a permanent staffer for specialized grant and infrastructure work, though they did not confirm any change to current contracts.
Board members emphasized the need to prepare job descriptions that match the town's needs and civil service titles, noting one of the roles requires a professional engineer credential while another does not. The board also said that a future permanent, higher-level engineering hire would involve the town board in the appointment.
The board asked staff to evaluate contractor scopes and to discuss grant-management capabilities with current consultants so the town can decide whether to use municipal hires, contractors, or a combination. No final decision was made to outsource specific functions; the board's action at the workshop was limited to permitting recruitment activity consistent with Erie County civil service procedures.
