MONROE - The plan to merge the city's water and wastewater departments is moving along quickly.
Members of the Salary and Personnel Committee are scheduled to meet Tuesday to review and recommend to the city council a job description for Director of Water and Wastewater, and to recommend the appointment of Wastewater Utility Superintendent George Thompson to the position.
Thompson and Mike Kennison, the water utility supervisor, prepared the plan, which passed through an ad hoc committee for restructuring city government in July. The Salary and Personnel Committee authorized them to proceed with the plan in August.
A major aspect of the re-structuring is cross-training many, if not all, employees to work in either of the utilities.
Cross-training would allow the utility directors to draw workers from both departments and create an on-call rotations from a bigger pool, and would facilitate employee work and vacation schedules, as well as accommodate for sick leaves.
The department are separate utilities and would retain separate billing and accounting procedures.
Combining administration, operation and maintenance staff is expected to reduce overhead expenses.
City Administrator Phil Rath said the city would save money without cutting employees. Some of that savings would come from better coordinating project planning, according to Thompson.
Kennison plans to cross-train immediately, preparing to handle some wastewater supervisory responsibilities. Thompson, with an engineering degree, is expected to take the lead on the merged utilities, in addition to covering wastewater supervisor tasks.
Thompson estimates the plan could be fully implemented in two to five years.
Mayor Bill Ross said the Public Service Commission would approve such a merger, as long as the utilities keep separate accounts.
If the committee passes the job description and appointment, the Common Council is scheduled to vote on them at its meeting 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Members of the Salary and Personnel Committee are scheduled to meet Tuesday to review and recommend to the city council a job description for Director of Water and Wastewater, and to recommend the appointment of Wastewater Utility Superintendent George Thompson to the position.
Thompson and Mike Kennison, the water utility supervisor, prepared the plan, which passed through an ad hoc committee for restructuring city government in July. The Salary and Personnel Committee authorized them to proceed with the plan in August.
A major aspect of the re-structuring is cross-training many, if not all, employees to work in either of the utilities.
Cross-training would allow the utility directors to draw workers from both departments and create an on-call rotations from a bigger pool, and would facilitate employee work and vacation schedules, as well as accommodate for sick leaves.
The department are separate utilities and would retain separate billing and accounting procedures.
Combining administration, operation and maintenance staff is expected to reduce overhead expenses.
City Administrator Phil Rath said the city would save money without cutting employees. Some of that savings would come from better coordinating project planning, according to Thompson.
Kennison plans to cross-train immediately, preparing to handle some wastewater supervisory responsibilities. Thompson, with an engineering degree, is expected to take the lead on the merged utilities, in addition to covering wastewater supervisor tasks.
Thompson estimates the plan could be fully implemented in two to five years.
Mayor Bill Ross said the Public Service Commission would approve such a merger, as long as the utilities keep separate accounts.
If the committee passes the job description and appointment, the Common Council is scheduled to vote on them at its meeting 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.