MONROE - The city's Salary and Personnel Committee will hold a special meeting next week to begin procedures to hire a water and wastewater utilities director, a position now held by George Thompson, according to Charles Schuringa, the committee chairman.
Thompson submitted his resignation Monday. His last day will be June 1.
Thompson is taking a position in Dane County as a biogas digest plant manager with Clear Horizons, a private developer of biogas energy systems.
The decision to leave Monroe was a tough one, but the new position is good career opportunity, Thompson said Tuesday.
"I am happy here. I like working for the city and I liked the people I worked with," he added.
Schuringa has no candidates in mind for the opening; however, he believes the committee may look for a person with qualifications similar to Thompson's, including an engineering degree. Schuringa was a member of the Salary and Personnel Committee that recommended hiring Thompson in the early 2010.
With the loss of Thompson, the city also wants someone to pick up the $20-million expansion project for its wastewater treatment plant, a two-year construction project slated to begin in 2013.
The final design phase needs to be completed by the end of June to qualify for funding. The utility will apply for funds through the Clean Water Fund Program (CWFP), one of the state's subsidized loan programs included in the Environmental Improvement Fund (EIF). The CWFP provides loans to municipalities for wastewater treatment and urban storm water runoff projects.
"The plant expansion will continue and move forward," Thompson said. "Everyone, AECOM (an engineering firm hired for the project) and all the operators out at the plant have played a key role in developing and designing."
Final DNR approval of the plans and specifications is expected in September, in time for the city to advertise for bids on the project. Final funding details will be completed and the construction contract awarded in January. Monroe plans to start up its new wastewater facilities in September 2014.
Thompson was hired to fill the position of superintendent of the wastewater treatment plant in May 2010, following the December 2009 retirement of Jerry Ellefson, who had worked for the department for 40 years. Thompson was appointed to head up the merged water and wastewater utilities in the fall of 2011. A major aspect of the merge was to cross-train many, if not all, employees to work in either utility.
Thompson was an engineer at Town and County Engineering, Madison, before being hired by the City of Monroe. He had been a project engineer at RMT in Madison, where he consulted clients to meet environmental operations and compliance needs. Thompson also served as waste treatment superintendent of Wausau Paper in Brokaw.
Thompson is a licensed engineer and has a degree in environmental engineering. He is certified by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for wastewater operations.
Thompson submitted his resignation Monday. His last day will be June 1.
Thompson is taking a position in Dane County as a biogas digest plant manager with Clear Horizons, a private developer of biogas energy systems.
The decision to leave Monroe was a tough one, but the new position is good career opportunity, Thompson said Tuesday.
"I am happy here. I like working for the city and I liked the people I worked with," he added.
Schuringa has no candidates in mind for the opening; however, he believes the committee may look for a person with qualifications similar to Thompson's, including an engineering degree. Schuringa was a member of the Salary and Personnel Committee that recommended hiring Thompson in the early 2010.
With the loss of Thompson, the city also wants someone to pick up the $20-million expansion project for its wastewater treatment plant, a two-year construction project slated to begin in 2013.
The final design phase needs to be completed by the end of June to qualify for funding. The utility will apply for funds through the Clean Water Fund Program (CWFP), one of the state's subsidized loan programs included in the Environmental Improvement Fund (EIF). The CWFP provides loans to municipalities for wastewater treatment and urban storm water runoff projects.
"The plant expansion will continue and move forward," Thompson said. "Everyone, AECOM (an engineering firm hired for the project) and all the operators out at the plant have played a key role in developing and designing."
Final DNR approval of the plans and specifications is expected in September, in time for the city to advertise for bids on the project. Final funding details will be completed and the construction contract awarded in January. Monroe plans to start up its new wastewater facilities in September 2014.
Thompson was hired to fill the position of superintendent of the wastewater treatment plant in May 2010, following the December 2009 retirement of Jerry Ellefson, who had worked for the department for 40 years. Thompson was appointed to head up the merged water and wastewater utilities in the fall of 2011. A major aspect of the merge was to cross-train many, if not all, employees to work in either utility.
Thompson was an engineer at Town and County Engineering, Madison, before being hired by the City of Monroe. He had been a project engineer at RMT in Madison, where he consulted clients to meet environmental operations and compliance needs. Thompson also served as waste treatment superintendent of Wausau Paper in Brokaw.
Thompson is a licensed engineer and has a degree in environmental engineering. He is certified by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for wastewater operations.