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City reduces number of department heads

A reduction in the number of department heads within the city of Huntington received initial approval from the Huntington Common Council during its meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 10.

The ordinance doing away with superintendents of the city parks, landfill, water and sewer departments was given unanimous approval on its first reading and is expected to be presented to the council for final approval at its last meeting of the year, Dec. 31.

The ordinance "reflect(s) changes made in recent weeks to further streamline and consolidate service operations for the City of Huntington," Mayor Brooks Fetters explained in a letter to council members.

If the ordinance receives final approval, the water and sewer departments will become part of the city utilities department, headed by Annette Carroll.

The landfill and parks departments become part of the city services department, headed by Bob Caley, which also includes the street and sanitation departments and the city garage.

Other department heads are Ronda Smelser, human resources and compliance department; EJ Carroll, police department; Tim Albertson, fire department; and Anthony goodnight, director of public works and engineering.

The changes will save money and make day-to-day operations more efficient, Fetters said.

"It basically allows for greater flexibility for the workforce," Fetters said later, eliminating turf wars and making it easier for departments to share equipment and manpower.

Fetters noted that this is the latest in a series of consolidations for the city, which has gone from a high of 184 employees in 2009 to its current staffing level of 136; consolidated three fire stations into two; and combined emergency dispatch operations with Huntington County.

Also during the meeting:

• Council approved an $80,000 payment to Huntington County Economic Development for 2014. The payment is used by HCED in its efforts to keep and attract companies in Huntington County.
Over the past year, HCED Executive Director Mark Wickersham told council members, the organization has completed 12 industrial projects resulting in $38 million of new capital investment in Huntington County. Incentives provided to new business average out to about $6,200 for each job created, he said.

• An already budgeted contribution of $100,000 to the proposed Regional Workforce Training Center was approved.

The center, to be located in a building owned by the Huntington County Community Schools adjacent to Kriegbaum Field, will offer skills training programs to both students and adults so that they can be competitive in the jobs marketplace.

• The council approved a Main Street Huntington grant to Rollo, Harter & Poling, LLP, to cover half the cost of exterior repairs to the law firm's building at 532 Warren St. The total cost of the project is $8,200, and the grant is in the amount of $4,100.

The project includes replacing doors, windows and shutters as well as repairs to the front wall, curb, garage door, gutters, framing and masonry.

• In answer to a question from resident Jerry Hesting, Mayor Brooks Fetters said that Nature's Fuel continues to seek funding for a proposed waste-to-energy plant at the city landfill. The city still has a lease agreement with the company for use of the landfill, Fetters said.