Secondary Roads considers creating new position

Board of Supervisors
By: 
Kim Brooks
Express Editor

     County Engineer Derek Snead brought the idea of creating a new job and job description within Secondary Roads to the attention of the Jones County Supervisors during their Aug. 17 board meeting.

     The position would serve as an assistant to Wes Gibbs, Roadside Manager and Chief Inspector. The employee would serve as Roadside Assistant the majority of the time and a motor grader operator when needed.

     Snead told the board that he ran the idea by the union representative who did not have any issues with the new position.

     “I’m concerned we might leave you short-staffed,” said Supervisor Joe Oswald.

     “We’re short-staffed right now,” said Snead. “There are lots of positions we’ve never hired back with (motor grader) operators and office staff.

     “We have a very good staff now that’s been able to accomplish the same duties,” he praised. “We’ve done more with less.”

     Snead said if they get the right candidate for this position, it will help alleviate some of the workload placed on Gibbs right now.

     “They could help fill in the gaps Wes needs help with and provide services in the wintertime,” Snead explained.

     “What are you lacking?” questioned Supervisor John Schlarmann.

     “We lack the time Wes can spend on projects as the supervisor and inspector because he’s out spraying,” explained Snead. “We try to have someone on site with the contractor when they’re working as much as we can, not 100 percent of the time, but the majority of the time, specially when we have multiple projects going on.”

     Snead said Jones County is lucky because there are stable contractors who don’t always require supervision.

     With this new position, Snead said he doesn’t just want to hire anyone.

     “Wes has a degree in wildlife management,” he said. “We don’t want to narrow this down to that caliber and compete with other counties. We want someone with at least some experience in a related field who’s done some spraying. But we want it broad enough to get a number of candidates.”

     Snead said roadside spraying can be a touchy subject, and the candidate needs to be conscience enough about the work he/she performs.

     “It takes a special person versus just telling someone to go out and spray,” he said.

     Supervisor Jeff Swisher asked if this new job had to be offered in-house before Snead can start advertising publicly. Snead said they plan to open it internally and externally at the same time.

     Swisher said there are great motor graders out there, and wondered if the spraying aspect of the job would hinder applicants.

     “There are so many repercussions if something goes wrong,” Snead said of a dedicated sprayer. “They have to have the desire to do it and do it very well.”

     The board asked Snead how many more Secondary Road employees he expected to retire in the near future. With 32 on staff, he said they could lose five more to retirement within the next five years.

     The board felt that Gibbs would be a great example for an assistant to follow and learn the ropes from.

     “Wes is a huge asset to Jones County,” commended Snead. “He’s saved the county thousands of dollars with grants he’s received. That’s not common with other counties.”

     Snead said his goal is to advertise and get this new position filled in time for winter.

     “I want to keep the ball rolling on this because it will take some time,” he said.

In other county business:

     • The board rescheduled the public hearing to repeal and replace the Jones County Floodplain Management Ordinance to Tuesday, Sept. 21, at 9:10 a.m.

     • In approving a fireworks permit for an event on Aug. 28 in Center Junction, County Auditor Whitney Hein commented that the board may want to revisit and revamp the application. It was last revised in 1973, and the current fee is just $5.

     “We could be clearer as to who needs to apply for this type of permit,” Hein said.

     • The board approved a request for bids for a 2022 tandem truck cab and chassis for Secondary Roads.

     Snead said he anticipates delivery of the equipment after July 1, 2022.

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