At its second round of budget workshops Friday night, the Peachtree City Council scrutinized proposals for two new full-time positions: a buildings system supervisor and an assistant planner.

The new hire would augment the current staffer who is in charge of maintenance and overseeing contractors working on maintenance of city buildings. That employee is currently working on nights and weekends when necessary, and is paid overtime.

Councilman Steve Boone asked if current city staffers could learn bits and pieces of the job instead of hiring a new employee to handle the work. While that could be done, the employee wouldn’t have the expertise to handle various systems including the complex air-filled bubble that encloses the pool at the Kedron Aquatic Center, officials said.

The city’s current building supervisor oversees contractors, which is necessary to make sure things are done correctly when repairs are made because some contractors will use cheaper parts to make money on a given job, said City Manager Bernie McMullen.

Boone agreed that such problems are even seen at the federal level.

“Well that’s a sad state of affairs,” said Councilwoman Judi-ann Rutherford.

Several council members were also dubious about the need to make the part-time planning assistant a full-time position. It was noted that when the city previously had a position for director of developmental services, the staffer in that position was a certified planner. But now Assistant City Manager Colin Halterman is filling the role, leaving the city without a backup in case City Planner David Rast leaves.

Councilwoman Judi-ann Rutherford said that move may have been short-sighted on council’s part

McMullen said there is a backlog in the planning department, and Boone and Rutherford suggested getting rid of the backlog by possibly hiring a full-time person for just one year, or hiring another part-time worker for a year instead of making the current planning assistant a full-time job.

Rutherford said once the city creates a full-time position it is difficult in future years to eliminate that position. Plus, since the city is near build-out she was skeptical how much the position would be needed in the short-term future.

The city planner reviews plats, conceptual site plans, landscape plans and has to make various inspections relating to those and other city ordinances.

During the meeting, McMullen explained why he didn’t recommend public works hiring another mechanic. He said with the city looking at contracting out some of its mowing services in the next few months, he felt the mechanics would be freed up more because they wouldn’t be conducting maintenance on that equipment.

Police Chief James Murray said the city’s mechanics do quality work and have a quick turnaround time for preventative maintenance. Acting Fire Chief Ed Eiswerth agreed. The city’s fleet management staff handle repairs on the full gamut of public safety equipment.

McMullen said he thought the city also could look at outsourcing some of the basic routine vehicle maintenance such as oil changes and the like.

login to post comments