By Debbie Robinson
news@joplinglobe.com
MIAMI, Okla. — Government in the city of Miami will be focused on leadership training and providing a succession plan for employees and department heads who retire or leave their current positions.
City Manager Huey Long recently implemented the plan at every level of the organization.
The plan began with the city manager’s office where Tim Wilson, former interim city manager and head of the public work’s department, was named assistant city manager.
Wilson also will be directly responsible for public works and public utilities.
Long said the plan also has provided for some consolidation of departments.
The city recently had a utility superintendent and an electric supervisor, he said.
Those positions will be consolidated.
The longtime utility superintendent, Dave Matthews, is retiring.
“We learned we didn’t have sufficient backup,” Long said. “My goal is to blend the utility and public works departments to eliminate duplication of efforts, thus creating an organization better able to serve its citizens.”
Another consolidation plan is to eliminate the separate sports coordinator position and bring the program under the umbrella of the parks department, he said.
The previous sports coordinator already has left his position, Long said.
Another position that will be eliminated is the cemetery director who is retiring.
“We’ve had one person who was responsible for the plotting of lots,” Long said.
A parks department employee is training for the cemetery duties, but will remain as a parks department employee, he said.
Jill Fitzgibbon, who has been serving the city in public works and as assistant to the city manager, has been named the new public services coordinator.
Fitzgibbon will provide Wilson support over the public works and public utility departments, Long said.
“On all of these positions, you have to carefully evaluate,” Long said. “Is (the position) a need to have or just nice to have.”
Long said another first step in succession planning is evaluating the skills of each employee and having a benefits package that will allow the city to retain those employees.
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