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Flint council presses administration on DPW director recruitment, HR notifications and licensing
Summary
Council members pressed the city administrator and HR manager about a near-empty applicant pool for the DPW director job, whether unqualified applicants receive rejection notices, losses of a pay supplement grant linked to staff departures, and the need for licensed leadership to oversee water infrastructure.
Council members spent much of May 26 probing city recruitment and HR communications tied to the vacant Department of Public Works director post and broader staffing in water and streets.
Councilwoman Lewis said residents and applicants report not hearing back after applying and asked whether the city notifies unselected candidates. "So when you say a candidate, can you please define candidate?" Lewis asked, focusing on whether only qualified applicants get responses. Mr. Edwards (city administrator) and Charlie McClendon (labor relations manager) replied that recruiters do send emails to applicants who do not meet minimum standards, though delivery failures and a small HR staff can limit outreach. McClendon said, "Our recruiters do send an email to the ones who don't meet the MES... We send an email." (labor relations manager, Charlie McClendon).
Mr. Edwards told council that a national posting (through the Michigan Municipal League) drew one applicant who interviewed and was offered the job but later withdrew; he said no internal applicants met minimum qualifications. Council members repeatedly emphasized the operational risk from turnover in DPW leadership and urged steps to broaden recruitment and consider incentives: members raised a previously expended $36,000 supplement grant that had been used to retain talent and said its loss contributed to staff departures.
Councilors pressed for clarity on licensing requirements. Public commenters and council members cited the S1 certification as relevant to DPW leadership and said several past departures and short tenures contributed to gaps in oversight over water treatment, paving and service-line completion. One council member asked whether the city is using headhunters; staff said the city relies primarily on the Michigan Municipal League and welcomes referrals.
City staff said there are currently no qualified applicants in the active pool and encouraged council members to refer candidates. The discussion closed without a hiring decision; council asked staff to provide job-description details, salary figures and copies of personal-service contracts referred to during the exchange.
