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Council questions plan to eliminate Public Works director; tables reorganization for budget review
Summary
A proposal to eliminate the vacant Public Works director position and reallocate funds to supervisors and equipment-operator raises met concerns about oversight, union negotiations, and recruitment; councilmembers asked for more analysis and tabled the proposal for budget deliberations.
Mayor Dana Holbrook described a plan to eliminate the vacant Public Works director role and use the salary to create a second supervisor position and increase pay for equipment operators to address recruitment shortfalls. "This adjustment could help address ongoing hiring difficulties," Holbrook said, noting several candidates declined offers due to pay.
Councilmember Lyndsie Whigham said she had not been properly informed and raised procedural concerns about ongoing union discussions and prior decisions to professionalize the director role. Public Works Supervisor Joe Massa said the department is understaffed (five staff, three available for fieldwork) and cannot match local mining wages despite better benefits. After discussion the council agreed to table the proposal for further analysis during budget deliberations.
