By Susan Redden
sredden@joplinglobe.com
CARTHAGE, Mo. — Plans are being made to fill the vacancy created by the death of Chad Wampler, Carthage public works director, who died Sept. 28.
The city is pulling together materials that will be used in the search, but has not set a timetable for the effort, according to Tom Short, city administrator.
Efforts to select a new director were outlined Tuesday night in a meeting of the Carthage City Council, which included several tributes to Wampler from Mayor Jim Woestman, city officials and those in the audience. Wampler, 36, had held the post since October 2004.
Short said Zeb Carney will serve as acting director in the department.
In other action, Short said officials are working on a memo of understanding that will govern the transfer of the former McCune-Brooks Hospital building to ownership by the Carthage Water & Electric Plant. The memo will be reviewed by the CW&EP; board when it meets at 4 p.m. today before it comes back to the council for final approval.
The huge building in central Carthage was emptied when the hospital moved to a new building at the south edge of the city. After other commitments for the building fell through, CW&EP; officials have proposed using part of the structure as administrative and customer service offices. Roof work and other building repairs were approved by the board.
Also Tuesday, the council advanced on first reading an ordinance that will adopt standard specifications for sanitary sewer extensions and other work in the city.
Susan Wendleton, on behalf of CW&EP;, said the new specifications bring city requirements into line with changes in Missouri Department of Natural Resources policies and industry standards. She said copies of the new specifications are on file in the city clerk’s office and in the public works department, which inspects sewer line installations.
“This streamlines the permit process and lets everyone know what the requirements are,” she said.
In other action, the council approved, on final reading, measures to authorize amendments to the city budget, adopt changes to city solid waste codes, and to amend a section of the city’s public health fee schedule to establish a fee of $30 for monitors taken for disposal at the city recycling center.
New officer
Eli Bruton was sworn in during the meeting as a new member of the Carthage Police Department. Chief Greg Dagnan said Bruton is a former part-time dispatcher for the department who recently had completed work at the law enforcement academy at Missouri Southern State University.
