Philips named supervisor of New London?s public works

BY KARYN SPORY

Mt. Pleasant News

NEW LONDON ? It seemed to be an easy decision for the New London City Council to name Mike Philips Jr., as the Public Works Supervisor.

The council received a total of four applications, none of which had a grade II sewer operator?s license.

?Upon getting the draft of our sewer permit, we need a grade II (operator). We were advertising too low even though that?s what they (Iowa Department of Natural Resources) had told me when I emailed them about who we needed to hire,? said City Clerk Kasi Howard. Howard said she had originally been told the city would only need a grade I operator to check and maintain the city?s wastewater treatment plant.

Currently, the city is contracting the work though another individual.

?Does the public works supervisor need to be a grade II?? asked councilman Greg Malott. Malott wondered if the city could just continue to outsource the testing.

After a brief discussion, the council felt it would be best to have a grade II operator as the public works supervisor. Councilman Kirk Miller said he didn?t think the city would find anyone with a grade II license if they continued advertising for the job.

Councilman Dan Berner said he thought the council could hire a public works supervisor and give them a span of time, at least two years, to earn their grade II licensing. The council agreed.

?I don?t see where we?re going to find a better public works supervisor than what we?ve got right here,? said Miller of Philips, who took on more of a leadership role once the former supervisor was terminated.

?And he?s proved he knows every crevice of the building,? added Frank Staley.

The council approved Philips hiring unanimously.

The next item for discussion was Philips? wage and if he?d be a salary employee or hourly. With the council split on the decision, Miller suggested the city pay Philips an hourly wage of $25 for the rest of the fiscal year and then evaluate how much over-time he works and if it would be better to make him a salary worker. The council concurred.

The council also authorized Howard to begin advertising for a public works employee.

During the meeting, the council also discussed the upcoming storm sewer work through the school?s football field. City engineer Matt Walker said the first phase is almost ready to begin and has a completion date of Aug. 12.

As for phase II, which will be tearing up a large portion of the football field, Walker said he is preparing for the bidding process.

Walker said the project does not have a start date as ?you want them to fit your project into your schedule.? When pressed about the tight deadline for the project, Walker said he didn?t know if one could really put a start date of Oct. 17 on the project, but it could be strongly encouraged.

Representatives from the school board said they would like to have a meeting with Walker and their architect before project bidding is done to make sure the two projects ? the sewer and the school?s new track ? are done in as much coordination as possible.

In other business, the council:

? Approved Class C liquor license with outdoor service for Woobies.

? Authorized zoning permits for Bill and Jan Brown, 415 East McKinley St., shed; Gary Blanck, 204 South Walnut St., garage; Jeff and Ana Lair, 103 Cypress Circle, lofted garden shed; Kevin Bergman, 101 South Chestnut St., detached garage; Jack Waterman, 305 North Maple St., house; Chad Sovern Contracting, 108 Dover Circle, house and garage.

? Approved pump maintenance service agreement with Electric Pump.

? Approved employee health insurance policies with the utility trustees.

? Discussed possible policy to allow residents to fill pools without being charged for sewer.

? Authorized the removal of parking signs on West Jackson Street.

? Approved moving open forum back to the beginning of council meetings.

? Approved the purchase of an iPad mini and upgrading the city?s wifi and firewall to allow council meetings to be streamed with Facebook Live.

The next meeting of the New London City Council will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2016, at 5:30 p.m., at City Office.