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Middletown mayor says energy coordinator hiring stalled as Public Works understaffed
Summary
The mayor told the Recycling Commission Middletown re-envisioned an energy coordinator as a full-time Public Works position but hiring has stalled amid staffing shortages ("down about 11 positions") and budget politics; commissioners were urged to attend council and department meetings to show support.
Commissioners pressed the mayor on why Middletown does not currently have a dedicated energy coordinator. Rebecca McLaughlin asked directly whether the city lacks an energy coordinator position despite the commission's sustainability goals.
The mayor said the city reworked the earlier part-time contractor role into a proposed full-time Public Works position, but hiring has been difficult. "We're right now down about 11 positions," the mayor said, describing constraints in Public Works and challenges winning political and budgetary support for creating and filling the role. He also said competitive recruiting and the complexity of the job description narrowed the applicant pool.
Commissioners recommended visible support for the role by attending Public Works and council meetings and writing to the mayor and council. The mayor said re-posting the position would be a priority once the director-level vacancy in Public Works is resolved, and he pledged to update the commission on the recruitment timeline.
The exchange highlighted the staff capacity limits that could delay technical sustainability work and stressed the value of a dedicated, technically skilled energy coordinator to carry forward the clean-energy task force's mandate.
