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Council rejects amendment to strip street-superintendent from job-description revisions, adopts updates
Summary
The London City Council adopted Resolution 132-26, updating multiple city job descriptions and rejecting an amendment that would have removed the street superintendent from changes. The failed amendment lost on a 6–1 vote after debate about CDL and herbicide-applicator requirements.
The London City Council on the evening’s agenda adopted Resolution 132-26, which revises several city job descriptions, after rejecting an amendment that would have removed the street superintendent from the changes.
The amendment, moved by Councilman Thomas Boyd, sought to strike the street-superintendent position from the ordinance citing concerns about a preexisting Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) requirement and whether the city can supply licensure or training. Boyd argued that removing the upfront possession requirement would reduce protections around hiring and questioned how the city would ensure employees could obtain necessary licensure if the requirement were shifted to after hire. "I think that, yep, just, hey, taking this power away from us and, hey, what we have put in place and allowing it…" Boyd said during debate, urging caution.
Council members who opposed the amendment said the change was intended to open the candidate pool while preserving the city’s ability to require and maintain credentials where the job requires them. "It removes the requirement that you prepossess the CDL or the herbicide applicator's requirement," a council member said during discussion, adding that the revised language allows the safety service director to require that staff obtain and maintain a CDL or certification if needed. Council members repeatedly said the amendment does not remove the requirement if the job function ultimately requires the license.
Council voted down the amendment, 1–6, and then adopted Resolution 132-26 on final reading, 6–1. The measure is described in committee notes as housekeeping and aims to clarify contemporary duties, hiring qualifications and thresholds (including when a CDL is required based on vehicle/trailer weight). The debate highlighted an unresolved operational question about whether the city will provide or help fund training for employees who must obtain new credentials; members said they expect further clarification from staff before future hires.
The ordinance as adopted permits the safety service director expanded discretion to set whether candidates must already possess certain licenses or be able to obtain them after hire; council members emphasized the revision is intended to balance management flexibility and safety requirements.
Next step: the updated job descriptions will take effect as specified in the resolution and be implemented by the relevant departments; council members asked staff to return with clarifying information about training and any costs associated with ensuring staff meet licensing requirements.
