The Plymouth Common Council has approved the addition of another staff member for the clerk-treasurer’s office, while renewing calls for an in-depth review of all the city’s jobs.
Clerk-Treasurer Jeanine Xaver told the council Monday the new employee will take care of the smaller jobs, like utility payments. She added that her highest-paid employee currently handles them, simply because none of the other staff members have time. Plans call for the new position to be funded out of the city’s existing budget, without the need for an additional appropriation.
While Xaver has put together a plan for her staff, council member Jeff Houin asked if any progress had been made on a city-wide review of job duties and salaries, something he requested back in October. City Attorney Sean Surrisi was somewhat vague with his answer. “There’s been some recent discussions coming out of some other personnel discussions that we’ve been having lately about that, but not any firm plans as far as finding somebody internally to do it or a consultant or anything like that,” he said. “But it’s in the process of the other discussions which we’ll be addressing here soon. It’s top of mind once some of those concerns are dealt with.” Meanwhile, Houin again encouraged the city to begin the review process as soon as possible.
Additionally, the Plymouth Fire Department is also looking for some new employees. The Plymouth Board of Works approved the hiring of a paramedic Monday, but Fire Chief Rod Miller says there are still a couple of openings. “I had an employee leave in December, which was his last day,” he explained. “He went to another city, to Valparaiso Fire Department. And then I’ve also been notified verbally that I’m going to be losing another paramedic. So I’m going to be potentially needing two more spots.”
The board authorized Miller to begin seeking applications.
