Council prioritizes linemen positions

The Kimball City Council considered job vacancies at their latest meeting, on April 19 following a question asked by council member Christy Warner during the March meeting.

Vacancies have been reported in the linemen crew, the power plant and the water department, in addition to the Economic Development Director position that has not been filled since Wilson Bowling vacated the position in late May 2015.

At that time, according to City Administrator Daniel Ortiz, the city would begin open recruitment and move forward with the hiring process, though currently the position remains vacant.

“We are still in the early stages of coming up with a strategy on how to fill (the position),” Ortiz said at that time. “We are currently looking at the job description.”

During the most recent council meeting, Julie Schnell was hired as a special projects coordinator to bring certain long-term projects to completion, though the position is currently considered short-term.

Ortiz added that after discussing the vacancies with supervisors the top priority would be an additional lineman for the electricity department.

“The one area that would probably be key would be the linemen position, just ensuring that we have at least three readily available operators,” he said. “The power plant is another one where we are going to have to figure out a long-term plan. We have three authorized positions and two are frozen. Lance (Terrill) is the one that currently handles it all. We have to have someone who can serve as a back-up.”

Timing is difficult, according to Ortiz, as is finding someone with the qualifications needed to serve as a lineman.

“I would say we need to lift the freeze on the lineman (position) and get that advertisement going,” Ortiz said.

Mayor Keith Prunty added that any candidate could be trained in the power plant as well to back Terrill up when needed.

The council then heard a recommendation from the compensation committee, which met previously in the week.

“We have certainly gone a long time without a wage increase, not since October of 2014 I believe. The board had thought that it would be prudent to do something. They’re recommendation was to do a split between a three and a two percent, with three percent going to the lower tier employees and two percent to the upper tier employees,” Ortiz reported. “I will honestly tell you that after looking at some of the financial information and seeing the declines in the utility revenues I would strongly encourage you to hold off on that.”

Ortiz explained that sales taxes are declining as well though it defies the compensation committee’s recommendation.

Currently the sales tax trend is closer to 2010/2011, according to Ortiz, and if that trend holds true, the City is looking at a difference of nearly $90,000.

The revenue from local sales tax directly affects the street department, swimming pool, library, cemetery, parks and the event center, as well as economic development and the general fund.

“With where things are at with the oil field industry, I don’t see that rebounding this summer,” he added. “I would even start looking at some additional modifications to budget, reductions to some of the projects and other avenues to reserve some of the costs.”

Council chose to hold off on a decision until next month, once they receive additional sales tax and utility information.