Council dives into future of Public Works superintendent position

City Council
By: 
Kim Brooks
Express Editor

     A lengthy discussion on whether the city’s Public Works Department needs a superintendent position will continue at the Monticello City Council meeting in January.

     During the Dec. 5 meeting, the council started the conversation, prompted by a letter of interest from current long-time Public Works (PW) employee Billy Norton. Norton, who’s worked for the city since 1996, expressed interest in taking on the position due to his experience with the department.

     The council decided to eliminate the position in February 2015 when the former superintendent, Mark Cigrand, left. It was also around this time that former PW Director Diz Edwards retired.

     “The council at that time,” said City Administrator Doug Herman, “decided it was unnecessary to have a middle man position for that department.”

     Council member Dave Goedken questioned whether there was even a need to bring the position back, asking PW Director Brant LaGrange if there are issues within the department.

     “I question where the issue is,” said Goedken. “Do the guys not know what to do?”

     LaGrange said there are no issues at hand, just that he’s had to rely heavily upon his employees as he’s learned the ropes.

     Herman noted that under the collective bargaining agreement, LaGrange has the right to assign duties to the PW employees as he sees fit. Herman said the previous superintendent took the director out of the loop on this.

     “They should all work through Brant to make decisions,” Herman said.

     However, he said a lot of people in the community know Norton enough to contact him during emergencies involving the PW department.

     LaGrange said all of the employees work well together, and for the most part, are capable of taking on each other’s duties if needed.

     “Between the departments in the past,” said LaGrange, “there was very little cross interaction. That’s all gone away now.”

     Some members of the council also asked if a superintendent position was needed when LaGrange spends time in his office within City Hall. Herman felt LaGrange would still have plenty of time to assign duties as well as the needed office work.

     Council member Brian Wolken asked if a superintendent would be needed if LaGrange were unavailable or gone for a period of time.

     “We all have radios,” said LaGrange. “There are plenty of ways to get ahold of me.”

     To continue to the conversation at the Jan. 3 council meeting, Mayor Dena Himes stipulated, “This is not about the employee (Norton), but about the position.”

     However, it was pointed out that when the police chief is gone, the sergeant steps in. When the mayor is gone, the mayor pro tem steps in.

In other city business:

     • The council approved the purchase of a black 2016 Dodge Charger for the police department, which replaces a 2012 Charger that was totaled in a high-speed chase on Nov. 4.

     The MPD will receive $11,415 from the insurance company to apply toward the $25,256 purchase price. Chief Britt Smith said insurance would also cover the cost for striping the vehicle, as well as transfer of the equipment, and the purchase and installation of a new propane conversion kit.

     He estimated the total to be around $15,000.

     • The council will request a traffic study from the DOT for E. Oak Street/Highway 38 between the Highway 151 interchange and Locust Street.

     Herman said this stretch of roadway was studied by the DOT in the past, but has since seen increased development and traffic with Dollar General and more students driving to the high school.

     “It’s been recommended by local citizens to have a turn lane,” added Herman. He said the DOT has not felt that this was necessary in the past.

     “A speed study would give us data to look at for a turning lane,” he said.

     • Chief Smith brought a parking issue to the council’s attention along N. Gill Street.

     First, there are signs that state “no parking” on both the west and east sides of the street, but the city code only addresses no parking on the east side.

     Second, there is a duplex along Gill Street that does not offer off-street parking for the tenants, so eliminating parking on both sides of the street, Smith said, could be a hardship for those people.

     After much discussion, Smith said he would visit with the school’s transportation department to get their feelings with regards to the “no parking” situation. Smith said with bus traffic coming from the north and south, the school might have a different perspective than the city. Depending on the school’s opinion, the city could restrict parking on the east side of N. Gill up to Fourth Street, or resort to amending the city code.

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