Warren hired as HSUD manager
Donald Warren, a supervisor at the Holly Springs Utility Department, was approved as interim HSUD manager at the September 7 meeting of the mayor and board of aldermen.
He replaces Bill Stone, who came on as general manager July 2017 under the Kelvin Buck administration. Stone’s last day was September 7. Warren’s first day was September 8.
Ward 1 alderman Bernita Fountain made the motion to hire Warren after over an hour meeting in executive session. The motion was seconded by alderman Dexter Shipp and was passed by a split vote of 32, with aldermen Colter Teel and Patricia Merriweather voting no. Alderman Andre Jones also voted yes.
In discussion prior to the vote, Mayor Sharon Gipson said Warren would focus his attention on right-of-way issues and outages.
Warren cited certifications and his service in the U.S. Marine Corps and supervision of 28 employees during outages, emergencies and routine maintenance.
Shipp asked Warren about his experience with budgets.
Warren said he would have to see what’s going on in the manager’s role.
Gipson said Warren would serve as interim manager and “thinks he will apply for the permanent position.”
“I know Warren is the best person at this moment in time for some of the challenges we have before us now,” Gipson said.
Stone said, following his release from the position as manager, HSUD has about 60 employees and about 28 working on the electric side.
CFO Steve Reed, who joined HSUD as chief financial officer in February 2019, could be leaving following a period of transition, he said. The CFO directs the business operations of the utility, Stone said. That includes customer service, billing and accounting.
Stone said HSUD has not had a full staff on the accounting side since the pandemic began in 2020.
“Everybody was working half-time,” Stone said.
Typically the department, besides the CFO, had four positions in accounting, the lead accountant, accounts payable, payroll specialist and miscellaneous accounts receivable and loss recovery, he said.
“In spite of short staffing and COVID issues, the 2020 audit of the electric department showed no findings,” Stone said. “The water, gas and sewer audits for 2020 have not been completed at this time.”
Reed expressed his appreciation to the City of Holly Springs for being given an opportunity to work as CFO of HSUD.
“I have enjoyed my time with Holly Springs,” he said. “We have some of the greatest employees here I have ever worked with.”
HSPD
Three people were approved unanimously by the board of aldermen to work as clerks at the Holly Springs Police Department. Chinya Yates was hired as part-time clerk covering the 7 a.m. To 7 p.m. Shift on Saturday and Sunday. Pearly Jones was hired as overnight clerk between the hours of 10 p.m. And 7 a.m., and Shawanna Moton was hired as weekend clerk between the hours of 7 p.m. And 7 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.