The recently created utilities director finally has a department to run, as City Council approved creating the utilities division within the Public Works department.
Council approved the ordinance 6-2, which effectively creates the final piece of City Manager Gary King’s vision of reorganizing the department.
Although the Public Works Department would technically “survive,” according to King, the department will ultimately be completely restructured into three “functional units,” one of which is the utilities division, which he says will eliminate costly senior-level management positions.
King said Monday he’s already saved $600,000 by eliminating some of those positions, including a storm water manager and the public works director.
Along with a panel that includes interim Public Works Director Steve Neff, former Lee County Public Works Director Doug Muir and Finance Services Director Victoria Bateman, King is reviewing the 74 applicants for the utilities director position and is expected to make a decision in the coming weeks.
Councilmembers Marty McClain and Derrick Donnell voted against the ordinance.
In other news, City Council did not vote to allow retractable boat canopies, as Councilmember Chris Chulakes-Leetz withdrew his motion after he failed to gain support on the dais. Chulakes-Leetz sponsored the ordinance.
The city has not allowed those kinds of structures.
“There’s so many moving parts to this we should leave it as it is,” said Councilmember Derrick Donnell.
City Council also approved the funding mechanism to widen Pine Island Road between Chiquita Boulevard and Burnt Store Road.
The mechanism — a State Infrastructure Bank Loan — calls for funding the right of way acquisition portion of the project. Construction funding is still pending.