City leaders discuss vacancies, vote to advertise two positions

The Holly Springs mayor and board of aldermen continued discussions October 16 about the reorganization of a few city departments.

Mayor Andre’ DeBerry, following a strategy session the week before, passed out suggestions on job responsibilities for the director of public works and street division supervisor.

“We need to define the criteria we use for selecting these employees, plus qualifications and job descriptions for each,” he said.

He said a part of the plan is possibly creating an engineering services division of the Holly Springs Utility Department and putting the present public works director, Don Hollingsworth, there.

“Our existing public works director would be able to use his area of expertise,” DeBerry said. “He could put his engineering expertise to work for utility and public works.”

He suggested the city proceed with advertising for a street division supervisor and a building and ground supervisor.

“These people would be subordinates to the public works director,” DeBerry said. “They would not have departmental head status.”

The discussion then moved toward the suggested scope of work for the public works director.

The opening paragraph of the mayor’s handout said, “Work involves planning, organizing, directing, staffing, coordinating, reporting, budgeting and evaluating the programs and activities of several functional divisions of work comprising the public works department. Divisions include administrative, street, shop maintenance, solid waste garbage, solid waste trash, wastewater collection, inventory control and the public service work program.”

Hutchens said, “I thought we talked about him being a working director – giving directions but operating machinery if need be, too.”

DeBerry said he does expect the public works director to be on site at times contributing.

“I’m not saying this person would always be managing, but we need a person strong in organization and management,” he said.

Hutchens said it appeared, under the suggested job outline, that the city would be looking more at a person riding around seeing that everyone is doing his or her job.

“The city is expanding every day. We need to develop our efficiency. We’re not creating another position. We’re filling a position with someone not as technically trained on the engineering side.

“We need engineering service on a daily basis. If we create that department and fill it with an existing engineering person on our staff, why not devote our attention to where the public works director has expertise?”

DeBerry said the purpose of providing the outline of job responsibilities for the meeting was to “provide a sense of what we need to be looking at.”

The mayor and aldermen also discussed possible salaries for the public works director.

Following the long discussion, the board voted to advertise for the positions of street division supervisor and building and grounds supervisor.

“I really want to get this process started,” DeBerry said, “and we have more time to work on the director of public works.”

Passed a resolution brought to them by the board of supervisors concerning railroad crossing problems in the county. The county and cities are requesting a meeting with Burlington Northern Santa Fe officials.
Approved a resolution to declare intention to condemn four tracts of property along Martin Street for the installation and maintenance of water, sewer and gas lines. W.G. Construction submitted the low bid of $696,159 for the work, but these four easements must be received first. Twenty-one of the 25 landowners in the area are on board.
Gave city clerk Belinda McDonald the go-ahead in getting a city credit card for travel purposes only. She said one is needed for such things as holding rooms at hotels and booking flights.

All travel will still be coming before the board of aldermen for expense approval. Cards will be issued only to the mayor and city clerk.

The mayor and board of aldermen will meet again next Tuesday night, Nov. 6. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. upstairs in city hall.


Thursday, November 1, 2007
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