Washington’s City Council, during a budget work session Wednesday, approved requests to add new positions to the city’s workforce, bring back a former position and add a full-time administrative assistant to the electric department.

The council also approved adding a $2,000 line item to the city’s upcoming budget so it can promote weddings at locations on the city’s waterfront.

The equipment-services division of the Public Works Department got permission to add an equipment mechanic II position to the workforce and upgrade the fleet-maintenance supervisor to pay grade 22 with a 5-percent increase in pay. The division said the request is justified because the new position would perform specialized mechanical work and the fleet-maintenance supervisor performs highly skilled diagnostic and technical work.

Making those changes would cost $48,237, according to the request document. That cost would be offset by eliminating the supervisor’s position (salary at $58,057) at the cemetery division, according to the document.

The council voted 4-0 to approve that request. Mayor Mac Hodges and council member William Pitt did not attend the session.’

With a 3-1 vote, with Councilman Doug Mercer dissenting, the council approved Brown Library’s request to add a full-time circulation supervisor at a cost of $45,400. The library proposes to convert one part-time position and do away with two 16-hour part-time positions, resulting in eliminating three part-time positions for one full-time position, according to a city document. The reorganization would result in a savings of $17,919, with the total cost of the service expansion at $27,481, according to the document.

Currently, the circulation supervisor’s position is being filled by the library’s program director.

Mercer noted that currently the library gets 48 hours (a week) of work from the three part-time employees at a lower cost to the city than it would get from a full-time employee working 40 hours a week. He also said making the change would result in two part-time employees losing their jobs.

Library Director Sandra Silvey said the change is needed to better meet needs of the library and its patrons.

The council, with another 3-1 vote with Mercer dissenting, approved the request from the recreation arm of the Community and Cultural Resources to re-establish the position of lead recreation maintenance worker by promoting an employee at pay grade 10 to pay grade 12 at the minimum salary in that grade. In the event the supervisor of the recreation maintenance department is on vacation or not working for various reasons, there is no one in charge of the department, according to a city document. Making that change would cost $3,600.

Adding the weddings marketing and promotions line item to the budget would result in operational costs of $2,000, which would be offset by at least $2,000 in increased revenues from people booking Festival Park or the Municipal Pier for weddings, according to a memorandum from the recreation arm of the Community and Cultural Resources Department.

The council, with yet another 3- vote with Mercer dissenting, approved the electric department’s request to move a part-time employee into a full-time position as an administrative assistant, which would staff the department’s office at the Municipal Building during normal business hours. Currently, that office is closed during some parts of the work week, according to Jeff Clark, the city’s electric director. “They need a face to contact,” Clark said of people who come to the department’s office for various purposes.

 

BACKGROUND

Washington’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2017-2018 includes requests to add new positions to the city’s workforce, bring back a former position and add a marketing and promotions line item to the budget to promote Festival Park and the Municipal Pier as wedding venues in the city.

The City Council will review the requests during its upcoming budget work sessions, making a final decision on them when it adopts the 2017-2018 budget later this year.

“We are falling short on the programming and outreach we should be doing in the community. There is also not enough tine to run the circulation desk correctly,” reads the request for the full-time circulation supervisor. “There needs to be training, organization, and library standards need to be followed. Having on person try and perform two full-time (roles) is not realistic.”

The equipment-services division of the Public Works Department got permission to add an equipment mechanic II position to the workforce and upgrade the fleet-maintenance supervisor to pay grade 22 with a 5-percent increase in pay. The division said the request is justified because the new position would perform specialized mechanical work and the fleet-maintenance supervisor performs highly skilled diagnostic and technical work.

Making those changes would cost $48,237, according to the request document. That cost would be offset by eliminating the supervisor’s position (salary at $58,057) at the cemetery division, according to the document.

The recreation arm of the Community and Cultural Resources wants to re-establish the lead recreation maintenance worker by promoting an employee at pay grade 10 to pay grade 12 at the minimum salary in that grade. In the event the supervisor of the recreation maintenance department is on vacation or not working for various reasons, there is no one in charge of the department, according to a city document. Making that change would cost $3,600.

“There is no one charged with assigning duties, explaining duties, or making sure staff is completing tasks correctly. This is not a request for a new position, however establishing a position that used to exist,” reads the document.

Adding the weddings marketing and promotions line item to the budget would result in operational costs of $2,000, which would be offset by at least $2,000 in increased revenues from people booking Festival Park or the Municipal Pier for weddings, according to a city document from the recreation arm of the Community and Cultural Resources.

“The creation of the Inner Banks Wedding Association has provided staff with the opportunity to attend bridal shows and advertise with other local vendors to attract weddings to our venues,” reads the document.