(Spirit Lake)– The Spirit Lake city council Tuesday approved several recommendations from City Administrator Mark Stevens designed to increase efficiency at city hall and within various departments.
They include having the superintendent of the Water Department report to Stevens instead of the Public Works Director, who would still be involved in any projects related to the Water Department.
Another is to hire part-time inspectors to assist in code enforcement inspections for electrical and plumbing.
The council also approved a recommendation from Stevens to hire a part-time office assistant in city hall to work 30 hours a week to help relieve an increasing work load. Two vacant full-time positions in the Street and Sanitation Departments won’t be filled…resulting in a net savings to the city of some 57-thousand dollars.
Another recommendation that was approved will result in the hiring of up to two part-time workers in the Parks Department to assist with mowing and other duties during the summer.
When it comes to fees and permits, Stevens didn’t have a recommendation yet, adding he’s looking at the possibility of having a consultant review them.
With council members Clyde Ihrke and Sarah Frerichs absent, the vote to approve Stevens’ recommendations was unanimous.
