Published: November 05, 2009 11:32 pm      

City hires 16; majority will be new

Employees to fill four separate departments

ASHLAND — City officials approved hiring a slate of new city workers on Thursday.

City Clerk Debra Musser said the city feels fortunate to be able to hire so many new employees when other municipalities across the state are preparing to or already have laid off workers.

Sixteen positions will be filled in four city departments.

They include:

—Six solid waste worker 1, public works department

—Five wastewater collection operator 1, engineering and utilities department

—Custodian, public works department

—Distribution operator in the water/sewer distribution division; engineering and utilities department

—Maintenance worker, parks and recreation department

—Maintenance worker, finance department

—Relief bus driver, finance department

The names of the individuals hired were not available as of press time Thursday because the new employees had not been notified.

All the positions, with one exception, will be filled by new employees and only position is part-time, according to City Clerk Debbie Musser.

She said the majority of the positions were vacant. Only two positions — the mass transit maintenance worker and the custodian — are new to the city.

She said the city created a second custodian position for the new police station.

Most of the vacant positions became open through transfers, promotions and attrition, according to Musser. She said workers, particularly those in the solid waste positions, frequently transfer to other higher grade positions within the city.

Musser said the city is pleased to have hired five new waste water collection operator 1 workers, which is an entry level licensed position.

She said the city has been waiting for years for state regulators to create a four-level licensing system for sewer plant. The city’s hope is that the new operators will remain with the city long enough to reach the highest level.

“That is a career path that they can go through. We’re hoping that people will stay within that instead of transferring to other places,” she said.

The city had an ample amount of applicants apply for most positions and was able to direct some individuals to jobs they had not applied for based on their skill level and past history.

The battered economy, combined with the top-notch benefits and job security the city offers, is what attracted a sizable number of applicants despite wages often lower than what individuals expect.

Musser believes several of the new employees are currently unemployed. “Some were thrilled to be able to even come in for an interview,” she said.

Musser said all employees hired Thursday must complete physicals before beginning to work and must complete a year-long probationary period.

The city will maintain a list of applicants who were not hired for six months to be used if other positions open, she said.

Ashland is in the midst of hiring four new police officers and filling an accounting job in the department of finance.

Seven new firefighters were hired last month and began work Monday.