5.7.
| CC Regular Session |
| Meeting Date: | 11/10/2026 |
| Primary Strategic Plan Initiative: | Strive for high organizational morale and employee retention |
Title:
Authorization to Reorganize Public Works
Purpose/Background:
The purpose of the case is to seek formal approval to reorganize a portion of the Public Works Department and modify staffing, which is necessary due to the nearing impactful retirement of the City's Parks and Assistant Public Works Director.
At this time, the request is to approve the promotion of Ms. Abby Proulx to Parks and Recreation Manager and to reclassify Mr. John Nelson to Utilities Superintendent.
Note: The recruitment to backfill the soon-to-be vacant Recreational Coordinator is underway.
The draft works session minutes from October 27, 2026, are attached.
At this time, the request is to approve the promotion of Ms. Abby Proulx to Parks and Recreation Manager and to reclassify Mr. John Nelson to Utilities Superintendent.
Note: The recruitment to backfill the soon-to-be vacant Recreational Coordinator is underway.
Background as presented during the October 27, 2026, work session: The City's Parks and Assistant Public Works Director, Mr. Mark Riverblood, announced his retirement after more than 43 years of service with the City. Mr. Riverblood’s last day will be March 1, 2027. With a retirement from a longstanding tenured employee, staff reviewed the duties currently being completed and evaluated different scenarios to maintain the work being completed. Subsequently, staff recommends eliminating the Parks and Assistant Public Works Director position and redistributing the related tasks as described below.
As would be expected, this change will create a vast loss of institutional knowledge. As a result, staff proposes looking at internal ways to transfer and retain as much of this knowledge as possible. Staff proposes expanding the roles of three existing employees to address current needs, align the department for expected future staff turnover, and to help retain these three employees, who also have vast amounts of institutional knowledge, by recognizing their achievements and experience and providing new opportunities for growth.
First, the current Recreation Coordinator, Ms. Abby Proulx, has worked under Mr. Riverblood for a combined time of 5.5 years. Additionally, she recently received her Masters of Public Administration and underwent an extensive leadership assessment with the City’s consulting psychologists, both of which indicate she is well suited for advancing her role with the City and carrying the park programming and administration into the future. Ms. Proulx is eager to advance her role with the City and put her degree to work. It is staff’s commendation to reclassify Ms. Proulx to a newly created position, the Parks and Recreation Manager. The proposed draft job description and pay scale is attached. If approved by consensus with the City Council to reclassify Ms. Proulx, staff proposes immediately recruiting for a replacement Recreation Coordinator. This is not an addition to staffing, but rather maintaining the status quo of our current recreational programming, and redistributing long-term park and trail planning from Mr. Riverblood's role to the newly created Parks and Recreation Manager role. If approved, the new Park and Recreation Manger will continue to train under Mr. Riverblood in preparation for his departure. The Park and Recreation Manager will oversee the Recreation Coordinator and the Parks Administrative Assistant, along with working collaboratively with the Public Works Director, the Parks Maintenance Supervisor and others.
Second, the current Utilities Supervisor, Mr. John Nelson, has been with the City’s Public Works Department for 28 years, and concurrently, the Fire Department for 27 years. Mr. Nelson has been instrumental in many aspects of the City’s growth, especially with the water treatment plant, working with the Public Works Director to see it through to what it is today. Mr. Nelson’s colleagues in many of the metro cities, including Anoka, Champlin, Andover and others hold titles such as Utilities Superintendent or similar, along with compensation levels that exceed Mr. Nelson’s. Mr. Nelson’s title and compensation have needed addressing for some time now. It should be noted that the budget from Mr. Nelson’s role is expensed to Enterprise Funds, not the general fund. This restructure is an opportunity to make the needed correction based on the expansion of our utilities services in recent years. Two additional responsibilities would come with this change as well; 1) Act as second in command in Public Works during the Public Works Director’s absence and 2) to become involved with the administration of the City’s safety program. It is anticipated, if approved, that Mr. Nelson will be able to provide some relief to the Building Maintenance Supervisor’s safety-related tasks which have been difficult to manage within an eight-hour day. It is staff’s recommendation to reclassify Mr. John Nelson to Utilities Superintendent, effective January 1, 2027.
Lastly, the City has three employees who are considered resident experts on landscaping and tree care and other natural resources knowledge. This includes Mr. Riverblood, the Parks Maintenance Supervisor and Mr. Chris Anderson, who is an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist. Mr. Anderson, as the Council is aware, is the City’s current Senior Planner. In addition to his planning and forestry duties, Mr. Anderson also oversees the recycling program. A number of aspects of the recycling program, such as the spring and fall recycling events, the organics drop-off recycling program, cardboard recycling around the holidays, and even the occasional compost bin and rain barrel sales/distribution events, are operated out of the Public Works Campus. In most communities, forestry and recycling roles are typically housed in the Public Works Department, due to the nature of the work. If approved, it is proposed that these duties will continue to be performed by Mr. Anderson, from a new office space at Public Works. Additionally, there are items in the current strategic plan regarding future expansion of the city's recycling program and other amenities that could be added to enhance services to the public related to recycling organic and non-organic materials. Although Mr. Anderson, as a 24+ year City employee, will remain an excellent staff resource, his role as Senior Planner would need to be backfilled due to the continued growth Ramsey is experiencing, and the workload currently distributed in the Planning Division. This portion of the reorganizational request would involve additional staffing and could potentially be implemented in steps if needed. Staff will be prepared to discuss the timing and funding of this and the entire proposal at the work session. It should be noted that Mr. Anderson does have his Bachelor of Science degree in Urban Forestry, with a minor in Forest Resources, and his passion is closely aligned with the role of an Environmental Manager, which is the proposed title, if approved. Mr. Anderson’s compensation would not change as compared to the suggested 2027 wage previously presented at the last work session.
As would be expected, this change will create a vast loss of institutional knowledge. As a result, staff proposes looking at internal ways to transfer and retain as much of this knowledge as possible. Staff proposes expanding the roles of three existing employees to address current needs, align the department for expected future staff turnover, and to help retain these three employees, who also have vast amounts of institutional knowledge, by recognizing their achievements and experience and providing new opportunities for growth.
First, the current Recreation Coordinator, Ms. Abby Proulx, has worked under Mr. Riverblood for a combined time of 5.5 years. Additionally, she recently received her Masters of Public Administration and underwent an extensive leadership assessment with the City’s consulting psychologists, both of which indicate she is well suited for advancing her role with the City and carrying the park programming and administration into the future. Ms. Proulx is eager to advance her role with the City and put her degree to work. It is staff’s commendation to reclassify Ms. Proulx to a newly created position, the Parks and Recreation Manager. The proposed draft job description and pay scale is attached. If approved by consensus with the City Council to reclassify Ms. Proulx, staff proposes immediately recruiting for a replacement Recreation Coordinator. This is not an addition to staffing, but rather maintaining the status quo of our current recreational programming, and redistributing long-term park and trail planning from Mr. Riverblood's role to the newly created Parks and Recreation Manager role. If approved, the new Park and Recreation Manger will continue to train under Mr. Riverblood in preparation for his departure. The Park and Recreation Manager will oversee the Recreation Coordinator and the Parks Administrative Assistant, along with working collaboratively with the Public Works Director, the Parks Maintenance Supervisor and others.
Second, the current Utilities Supervisor, Mr. John Nelson, has been with the City’s Public Works Department for 28 years, and concurrently, the Fire Department for 27 years. Mr. Nelson has been instrumental in many aspects of the City’s growth, especially with the water treatment plant, working with the Public Works Director to see it through to what it is today. Mr. Nelson’s colleagues in many of the metro cities, including Anoka, Champlin, Andover and others hold titles such as Utilities Superintendent or similar, along with compensation levels that exceed Mr. Nelson’s. Mr. Nelson’s title and compensation have needed addressing for some time now. It should be noted that the budget from Mr. Nelson’s role is expensed to Enterprise Funds, not the general fund. This restructure is an opportunity to make the needed correction based on the expansion of our utilities services in recent years. Two additional responsibilities would come with this change as well; 1) Act as second in command in Public Works during the Public Works Director’s absence and 2) to become involved with the administration of the City’s safety program. It is anticipated, if approved, that Mr. Nelson will be able to provide some relief to the Building Maintenance Supervisor’s safety-related tasks which have been difficult to manage within an eight-hour day. It is staff’s recommendation to reclassify Mr. John Nelson to Utilities Superintendent, effective January 1, 2027.
Lastly, the City has three employees who are considered resident experts on landscaping and tree care and other natural resources knowledge. This includes Mr. Riverblood, the Parks Maintenance Supervisor and Mr. Chris Anderson, who is an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist. Mr. Anderson, as the Council is aware, is the City’s current Senior Planner. In addition to his planning and forestry duties, Mr. Anderson also oversees the recycling program. A number of aspects of the recycling program, such as the spring and fall recycling events, the organics drop-off recycling program, cardboard recycling around the holidays, and even the occasional compost bin and rain barrel sales/distribution events, are operated out of the Public Works Campus. In most communities, forestry and recycling roles are typically housed in the Public Works Department, due to the nature of the work. If approved, it is proposed that these duties will continue to be performed by Mr. Anderson, from a new office space at Public Works. Additionally, there are items in the current strategic plan regarding future expansion of the city's recycling program and other amenities that could be added to enhance services to the public related to recycling organic and non-organic materials. Although Mr. Anderson, as a 24+ year City employee, will remain an excellent staff resource, his role as Senior Planner would need to be backfilled due to the continued growth Ramsey is experiencing, and the workload currently distributed in the Planning Division. This portion of the reorganizational request would involve additional staffing and could potentially be implemented in steps if needed. Staff will be prepared to discuss the timing and funding of this and the entire proposal at the work session. It should be noted that Mr. Anderson does have his Bachelor of Science degree in Urban Forestry, with a minor in Forest Resources, and his passion is closely aligned with the role of an Environmental Manager, which is the proposed title, if approved. Mr. Anderson’s compensation would not change as compared to the suggested 2027 wage previously presented at the last work session.
With regard to the last portion of the original request, which was to begin steps to move Mr. Chris Anderson from Senior Planner to Environmental Manager, this is pending additional discussion with the City Council, funding and formal approval, which has not been granted at this time.
The draft works session minutes from October 27, 2026, are attached.
Funding Source:
The funding required for this action is included in the 2027 preliminary budget.
Recommendation:
To promote Ms. Abby Proulx to Park and Recreation Manager, effective January 1, 2027, at step one of the wage scale, which is $51.01 per hour and to reclassify Mr. John Nelson to Utilities Superintendent, effective January 1, 2027, at step six of the wage scale, which is $67.51 per hour.
Outcome/Action:
Motion to Promote Ms. Abby Proulx to Park and Recreation Manager, effective January 1, 2027, at step one of the wage scale, which is $51.01 per hour and to reclassify Mr. John Nelson to Utilities Superintendent, effective January 1, 2027, at step six of the wage scale, which is $67.51 per hour.
Attachments
Form Review
| Inbox | Reviewed By | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Brian Hagen | Brian Hagen | 11/05/2026 12:37 PM |
- Form Started By:
- Colleen Lasher
- Started On:
- 11/02/2026 10:24 AM
- Final Approval Date:
- 11/05/2026