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Outlining the need for growth by Holly Matthews [email protected] City administration anticipates having an assistant public works director on board by early April, City Manager Mary Ann Nau said Wednesday. Nau observed that the benefits and savings provided by having a public works director who is an engineer more than covers the expenditure related to the hiring of an assistant PW director. In a recent correspondence with council, Nau said the savings from a switch to more reliance on in-house engineering through Public Work�s Director W. Dwayne DelGrande�s expertise is approximately $40,000 in 2005. Also Wednesday, Nau said the public works director is cutting costs for the city by utilizing his expertise with Community Development Block Grant projects and land use developments. In addition, the public works director provides a layer of added protection through on-site supervision of certified operators at the Waste Water Treatment Plant and the Water Works. Nau said the assistant public works director�s job will be a non-union professional management position. The work includes coordination and supervision of the Streets Department, and overseeing work in the parks, building and maintenance, as well as directing and controlling facets of infrastructure, maintenance, planning and construction. She noted that the city parks have grown from a few parks/playgrounds to park complexes, and the public demands maintenance of these areas. Some of this work is shared with the school district. Nau has noted to council that over the past several decades there has existed a lack of non-union supervision for the streets department, recreation and building maintenance employees, and there has been criticism of the quality and quantity of work they produce. The assistant public works director is expected to provide non-union supervision and oversight. There will be about 15 full-time employees under the assistant�s supervision. DelGrande was hired in summer 2004 at a salary of $47,000, to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Jon Bromley. The assistant�s salary will be in the upper 30s. DelGrande�s prior engineering career had included the design and operation of wastewater and water treatment plants � municipal and industrial � and his environmental consulting work had included stormwater management, roads and highway construction, sludge incineration, environmental compliance and radiation protection. Nau said that because Phase II of the Department of Environmental Protection-mandated sewer upgrade program is in the completion stage, this is the time for the city to move away from the high price which comes with reliance on outside engineering consultants which have charged the city between $80 and $140 an hour. Nau added that cities such as Oil City and Meadville � which also have waste water treatment plants � employ a city engineer. She observed that Meadville has more than one on staff. She said with DelGrande�s employment, the city is becoming more development friendly. The city can now do its own component of work required for development plans without the need for engineering fees which can cost $1,500. Work required for CDBG program planning can be extensive and DelGrande can address these projects. �We have to change with the times,� Nau said. �This isn�t Mayberry.� Nau said the application deadline � including resumes and cover letters � for the assistant public works director is Friday. Personal interviews then will be scheduled. A college education is preferred with a degree in business/civil engineering or equivalent training and construction/public works experience. People seeking the position should have ability to manage construction projects using both in-house and contracted resources, assist in preparation of the annual department and capital budget. Advanced use of computers is a plus. The individual hired for the position will report directly to DelGrande in carrying out his duties. Add a comment |
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