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Today, I was contacted by a City of Middletown colleague. The following was shared regarding the recent announcement of Community Revitalization Department staff layoffs plus the proposed increased usage of out-of-town consultants:
Buidling Inspection Division
Two current Building Inspectors, Dennis Rose and Tom Huiett, will see their positions end on 12/31. In additon, an unfilled Building Inspector position will be deleted.
Mr. Rose recently spoke before the City Council about his job ending during a citizens Comments session. His sincerity and non-inflamatory comments seriously displeased senior City administrative staff. As a result, he will not be considered to fill the Section 8 Property Inspector position. Instead, the City will spend up to twice as much ($140,000) for a Westerville consultant rather than the $70,000 (salary and fringe benefits) it would cost to save the job of Mr. Rose.
Since senior City management staff have said that certain Building Inspection duties will be outsourced to a consultant, will there be an open, competitive RFP/Q process?
Neighborhood Services Division
A Neighborhood Services Assistant, Debbi Fish, will see her position end on 12/31. In additon, an unfilled Neighborhood Services Inspector position will be deleted.
With the increased emphasis placed on housing code enforcement, how will Annette Accurso, Mary Jane Adams and Roger Mahaffey handle their jobs plus secretarial duties? I'm told that special laptop computers will be purchased for them so that they can perform some (but not all) of the data entry functions from the field.
Community Development Division
A Neighborhood Improvement Advisor, Skip Batten, will see his position end on 12/31. The only other employee in this division is Kyle Fuchs, Neighborhood Improvement Advisor, who has been with the City for a little over one year. His background is in high-risk, sub-prime mortgage lending.
Given the large amounts of HUD funds received (CDBG, HOME and NSP) who is qualified to provide new and rehabilitated construction expertise for the City with the departure of Mr. Batten? Who is qualified to undertake mandatory lead-based paint duties? Isn't the City supposed to use NSP-1 funds to acquire, rehabilitate and resell 20 vacant, foreclosed homes. If the pending $19,000,000 Neighborhood Stabilization Program - Round Two grant is approved, the situation becomes even more precarious.
Other Developments
I'm told that no decision has yet been made by senior City management staff regarding the request of one targeted employee to have their layoff extended four months so that they will be vested in the OPERS medical insurance plan.
I'm also told that a newly created Construction/Inspector position is being created with the idea that one employee targeted for layoff could apply.
As for my position as Senior Planner (Community Development Administrator), senior City management will seek a replacement. My question is, will the City undertake a nationwide search again and keep current educational plus work experience requirements? Will the groundrules change again? Stay tuned!
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Nelson Self
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