City hall has gone through a major reorganization, with public works and engineering combining into one to form a “super department” that better allows them to share resources and efficiencies.
The public works, infrastructure and environment advisory committee met in early October, with city council receiving the group’s minutes during the Nov. 14 regular meeting. In those minutes, members learned about the new operations department, the new managers within it and overviews of their positions.
Bevan Harlton, who was the director of engineering services, is now the director of operations.
Under him are Staci Dobrescu, manager of public works and utilities; Krysti Johre, manager of transportation and procurement; Travis LeBlanc, manager of design and projects; and Tyler Erickson, manager of engineering.
City manager Maryse Carmichael told the Moose Jaw Express that she has been with the city for six months and is still reviewing the municipality’s operations. She made this change in the summer because there was a major vacancy in one department after Darrin Stephanson resigned as director of public works and utilities in late April.
The directorship of that department was then shared between Harlton and Fire Chief Rod Montgomery.
Carmichael — who started in mid-May — said she didn’t fill the position immediately because she wanted to review how that department was operating. She realized there were many “synergies” between public works and engineering because the former handles day-to-day operations while the latter handles long-term capital planning.
Moreover, there was a gap in leadership in public works since there were six supervisors and no managers. So, instead of adding a director, she created two managerial positions because mid-level management was required to lead the department’s over 100 employees.
“It’s (the changes) working out well. I like it because it brings all those managers together with Bevan in leading this entire group,” said Carmichael. “… it’s a really great combination for them to all work together (and) all learn from each other. And just so the city can be as efficient as we can.”
Harlton will represent the department at all council meetings, while the four managers can also fill in and answer council inquiries. Meanwhile, Montgomery has returned full-time to being the fire chief.
Carmichael says she is still reviewing the composition of all other departments and re-reading her notes of the tours she took during her first three months on the job. She will decide where to go in the future after she has finished her analysis; similar to the “super department” of public works and engineering, she is considering combining corporate services and customer services.
The city manager pointed out that her background is different from that of a regular municipal administrator.
“So, what I’m trying to do here is bring the best of all those different worlds, whether it’s the military, whether it’s the corporate world and the municipal world,” she added. “And, I’m just trying to take the best out of all those worlds and put it together.”
The next regular council meeting is Monday, Nov. 27.
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