CLEARFIELD – After months of consideration, Clearfield Borough Council took steps in hiring a borough operations manager.
The decision to advertise for the operations manager came after the borough voted to approve the position’s job description. That vote passed, though council members Barry Reddinger and Rodger Baumgardner voted no on approving the job description. The description was released to council members on Thursday night. Baumgardner indicated that he would like more time to review the description.
When it came time to vote to advertise for the position, all members of council were on board.
According to Clearfield Borough Council’s wishes, the applicant should live either in Clearfield Borough or Lawrence Township. While the current ordinance on a borough manager states that the manager be a resident of the borough, F. Cortez “Chip” Bell III will be drafting a new ordinance to include the new language.
The salary for the position will be based upon the applicant’s experience and qualifications.
Council president Jim Leitzinger asked whether the borough could afford an operations manager. Council member Susan Reed indicated that the borough may need to raise taxes a mil to cover the expense.
“It will be a challenge,” said Reed.
According to the job description, the applicant will perform high-level administrative, technical and professional work in directing and supervising the administration of the borough’s government. The operations manager will also exercise supervision over all municipal employees either directly or through subordinate supervisors.
Functions of the manager include, but are not limited to:
-Being the chief administrative officer of the borough and will be responsible to the council as a whole for the proper and efficient administration of the affairs of the borough;
-The powers and duties of administration of all borough employees will be vested in the manager unless expressly imposed or conferred by statute upon other borough officers;
-Hire or when necessary for the good of service suspend or discharge employees under the manager’s supervision, except those covered by the civil service provisions of the Borough code;
-Manages, supervises and is responsible for the activities of all municipal departments except for the police department, which may be granted to the manager by the mayor;
-Keep council informed of borough affairs, and more.
The applicant must be knowledgeable in modern policies and practices of public administration, have working knowledge of municipal of finance, human resources, public works, public safety, community development, economic development and recreation, have skill in preparing and administering budgets, and other areas.
For a full list of functions, knowledge requirements, education and training, licenses and certifications, contact the Clearfield Borough Office.
