Authorization to Hire Utilities Maintenance Workers

The purpose of this case is to authorize hiring two replacement Utilities Maintenance Workers and one new Utilities Maintenance Worker.

The current vacancies are a result of Mr. Jerry Dube's retirement, Mr. Mario Cavallaro's resignation and the new position that has been discussed as part of the 2023 budget. Staff conducted two internal/external recruitment processes and interviewed several candidates.  The City extended  contingent  job offers, which are pending City Council approval, to the following three candidates: 

1)  Mr Jordan Evans (2022 Replacement)
2)  Mr. Roger Duax (2022 Replacement) and 
3)  Mr. Cameron Erickson (2023 added position)

If hired, all employees will be subject to a 6-month probationary period, the Personnel Policy and the AFSCME labor agreement. 

The primary objective of Utilities Maintenance Workers is to provide general and skilled maintenance of public water and sewer utilities.  This includes annual maintenance and troubleshooting of hardware, building and ground maintenance in and around utility structures and equipment and responding to utility emergencies as necessary, as well as  snow plowing of public streets, trails and walks.  In addition, Utilities Maintenance Worker are required to be a member of the Public Works on-call team and work a rotating on-call schedule 8 weeks per year. This requires employees to be available to respond during evenings, weekends and holidays.
 

The funding required for the two replacement positions is included in the 2023 budget.  The funding required for the new position is contingent upon the anticipated approval of the 2023 budget (Enterprise Fund).  

To hire Utilities Maintenance Workers, as follows:

1)  Mr Jordan Evans (2022 Replacement) as a Utilities Maintenance Worker, effective on or near January 3, 2023, at $27.036, which is step 2 of the  2023 wage scale, and
2)  Mr. Roger Duax (2022 Replacement) as a Utilities Maintenance Worker, effective on or near January 5, 2023, at $27.036, which is step 2 of the 2023 wage scale, and 
3)  Mr. Cameron Erickson (2023 added position) as a Utilities Maintenance Worker, effective on or near January 9, 2023, at $25.749, which is step 1 of the 2023 wage scale.
 

Motion to do the following: 
1)  Hire Mr Jordan Evans (2022 Replacement) as a Utilities Maintenance Worker, effective on or near January 3, 2023, at $27.036, which is step 2 of the  2023 wage scale, and
2)  Hire Mr. Roger Duax (2022 Replacement) as a Utilities Maintenance Worker, effective on or near January 5, 2023, at $27.036, which is step 2 of the 2023 wage scale, and 
3)  Hire Mr. Cameron Erickson (2023 added position) as a Utilities Maintenance Worker, effective on or near January 9, 2023, at $25.749, which is step 1 of the 2023 wage scale.