Although many members expressed support for the measure, Mayor Bob Diebold has indicated he intends to expand the plan.

The current plan, created by former Mayor Bruce Bain and then-Service Director David Calhoun, would abolish the cemetery superintendent, the parks and recreation superintendent, and the special-events supervisor. The department would add an administrator of parks and facility management services, a parks and cemetery coordinator, and a secretary.

The reorganization is an attempt to allow more individuals in the field by eliminating supervisors while simultaneously saving money.

“The reorganization, there are a lot of pieces to it,” Diebold said. “We need to rewrite job descriptions. We want to look at what (employees) actually do. Some things that they do we don’t think are needed anymore.”

Service Director Kathleen Barch said although the administration wasn’t prepared to present the final reorganization to the council, parts of the department already are being reorganized.

Already, litter prevention has been eliminated after the elimination of grant dollars. Several other grants are being closed out and the compost facility has been privatized.

“At the same time we are closing out the compost facility, closing out grants and reorganizing the health department, we need time,” she said. “Do I believe the reorganization has to go forward? Yes.”

Source: Newark (Ohio) Advocate