City Manager to fill 5 staff spots

The Waynesboro City Council on Wednesday night approved the city manager’s request to fill five of 17 vacant full-time positions in city departments.

In September, City Manager Mike Hamp asked to fill six positions. Due to a hiring freeze in effect for city employees, Hamp must seek the council’s approval before filling vacancies.

The city has saved $76,719 by keeping the positions unfilled.

Hamp revised his request for council members, who approved hiring of a recreation program coordinator and four public works employees: two equipment mechanics, an equipment operator and a refuse driver.

Hamp told the council the positions require special skills and are difficult to assign to existing personnel. Continued vacancies “may require adjustments to services and programs,” he said.

Mayor Tim Williams initially said the council would not be able to answer Hamp’s request during the Wednesday meeting, but within minutes, he and council members Nancy Dowdy, Lorie Smith and Bruce Allen voiced their overall support, peppered with questions and reservations. Vice Mayor Frank Lucente was absent.

“I personally don’t like the idea of hiring any employees right now,” Williams said. “But Mr. Hamp has his hands on the day-to-day.”

Dowdy said she hoped for a better detailing of the recreation coordinator’s duties, especially because the position carries a $33,600 salary. The department has done without the coordinator for 138 days, she said. She did not support that hiring.

The vacant recreation program coordinator in the Parks and Recreation Department has, in particular, hampered its work, Hamp has said, due to duty changes there over the last two years.

Dowdy found more concern in Hamp’s report that of 17 staff vacancies, 13 are in public works. She said she was more inclined to fill those positions with the winter season looming.

Allen said he has learned more about public works recently and sees a need in that department.

Hamp also spoke to the hiring freeze, arguing savings could be better achieved through the budget process. He asked that after the hiring freeze, he be given discretion to fill positions.

Smith picked up on Hamp’s argument, stating that the city manager is held accountable for the quality of services and so should handle hiring, not the council. Dowdy briefly rebutted Smith, calling the hiring freeze a council matter.

Hamp said he would consider hiring an assistant library director in three months and a maintence supervisor in the future.