AUGUSTA — City officials plan to sponsor a new administrative position at Hatch Hill landfill.
Public Works Director Lesley Jones said the workload was growing to be cumbersome with her other duties. She addressed councilors during Thursday night’s informational meeting.
A plastic shopping bag blows in the wind Jan. 4 at the Hatch Hill Solid Waste Facility in Augusta. There has not been a full-time landfill manager since 2011, but the city’s public works director says it is time to hire someone to take on the role as their main responsibility. Kennebec Journal file photo by Joe Phelan
At the end of the 15-minute conversation, no action was taken, but Mayor Dave Rollins, with nods of approval from City Councilors, said the position would be sponsored. He indicated the landfill’s revenues would likely cover the cost of the position.
At the meeting, City Manager William Bridgeo said the position would have a salary range of $60,000 to $70,000, plus a benefits package. He said the landfill’s operating revenues would be able to cover the total cost of the position. Bridgeo added that projections show that the landfill revenues will continue to cover its operation “for the foreseeable future.”
Good candidates for the job would have held management positions at another landfill, Bridgeo said, adding that he would search “New England-wide” for the correct candidate. Jones said the environmental field is currently popular with young professionals and the position could be a “stepping stone for someone who wants to come in and get some management experience.”
Ward 4 Councilor Eric Lind asked if it was possible to use an internship to get a young, college-aged candidate training in the position, but Bridgeo said it would be better to have someone who can immediately take over the post.
The director’s position at the landfill has remained vacant since Jones was promoted to public works director in 2011. She maintained that role at the landfill as part of additional responsibilities as the public works director, but she said the workload was too large to maintain a high quality of work. While the landfill has been able to keep up with environmental regulations and meet deadlines, Jones said it was time to hire someone to take on the role as their main responsibility.
“It is to the point where I am not able to keep up and am not producing the quality work that I want to (and should) provide for you,” Jones wrote in a memo to William Bridgeo, city manager.
Overseeing the landfill has gotten more complex in recent years, Jones said, citing a new system that converts methane gas to electricity.
A Sept. 24 Kennebec Journal report said Jones projected the landfill to reach capacity in 2030, which means the city should begin looking at expansion projects.
“Our next solid waste solution will require an analysis of available options for solid waste disposal including building an expansion at Hatch Hill,” Jones said. “The process of looking at options and then going through an approval process if we build a new transfer station or landfill will take several years so we need to start thinking about what that process will look like soon.”
The next City Council meeting is at 7 p.m. Oct. 3.
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