New type of director sought for Wayne County building, grounds
By Matthew Whittle
Published in News on January 28, 2008 1:46 PM
Knowing they would be faced with multiple county capital projects over the next several years, Wayne County officials didn't want to simply plug in a replacement after Brandt Brown vacated the building and grounds director position in August.
So, explained County Manager Lee Smith, after working with a consultant over the last few months to examine how the county's facilities could be operated more efficiently, they have decided to upgrade.
"We think we can do better, and when you have people leave positions, that's a real good time to evaluate what you're doing and how you're doing business," Smith said. "You can have a lot of waste in how you operate facilities.
"We need someone in the position who has a lot more technical skill in facility operations."
They are, added county personnel director Sue Guy, looking for somebody, preferably with a degree and background in engineering, as well as experience in facility operations. Specifically, they are asking that this person be able to read and understand construction plans and have the ability to serve as project manager on multi-million dollar efforts.
"With all the capital projects we have coming up over the next couple of years, we're looking for someone on more of a high level," Ms. Guy said.
The salary for the position is expected to be slightly more than $60,000. The county began advertising for it last week.
Then, once a new facilities director is hired, there are several other vacant positions that need to be filled as well.
Smith explained that the new hierarchy in the building and grounds department will likely have the facilities director at the top, with areas such as housekeeping and maintenance having their own direct supervisors.
"It's just to have a smoother operation," he said.