By Bonnie Culverhouse
The City of Minden Personnel Committee has paved the way for Mayor Terry Gardner to hire an Assistant Public Works Director.
“We are not creating a new position within a department,” Gardner said. “It does not have to go before the council. I will hire the person for that position.”
At the Monday, June 7 meeting of the Minden City Council, members voted 3-2 to deny hiring a Public Works Director. At a prior agenda meeting, District A Councilman Wayne Edwards said he felt a candidate with more experience was necessary.
“I interviewed him and saw his resume, and I am of the opinion you need a much more experienced individual,” Edwards said of candidate Tyler Wallace. “I wish we had an assistant’s position to train him and then move him up to the next level.”
Edwards, District B’s Terika Walker and District C’s Vincen Bradford voted against Wallace, while District D Councilman Michael Roy and District E Councilwoman Pam Bloxom voted in favor.
Gardner said at the Personnel Committee meeting, members voted unanimously in favor of the Assistant Public Works Director position. The committee, which is comprised of city department heads and representatives, has no city council members on it.
“We took a job description that was not funded, and re-titled it Assistant Public Works Director,” Gardner said. “We are posting for that job, so people can apply. I can hire anyone that applies that agrees with the job description.”
Since there is no Public Works Director, Gardner has been acting in that capacity.
“The person who is hired will train under the Public Works Director, who is me,” Gardner said. “I act in that position until we hire one.”
Gardner pointed out that all department heads report directly to the Assistant Public Works Director.
Revising other job descriptions to show they will report to the assistant, was high on the priority list for the Personnel Committee.
“We changed several job descriptions at the recommendation of our assistant city clerk Michael Fluhr to stay within state laws,” Gardner said.
The committee unanimously adopted the revisions to the job descriptions of Facilities Director, Downtown Development Director, Building Official, Human Resources Manager, Streets and Drainage Manager, Airport Manager, Water Distribution/Wastewater Collection Manager, Water and Wastewater Manager, Water Production Superintendent, Water Distribution/Wastewater Collection Superintendent and Wastewater Superintendent, changing those positions to salary positions, as presented.
