The restructuring of positions in the parks department will go before the Newton city council during its regular meeting on Monday. The potential changes in the department will align it with the other divisions in public works.
The proposed resolution eliminates the portions of park administration superintendent, parks operations superintendent and cemetery superintendent. It also creates two new positions, parks superintendent and parks assistant superintendent.
The changes are proposed to improve the organizational structure of the division where there is a need for less supervisors and more worker positions. With the recent retirement of two park superintendents, city staff found this to be an optimal time to make organization changes.
Currently, the superintendent positions in the department is working supervisors who spend a large amount of time working alongside supervised workers. The change will have the superintendent positions spending more time directing work, scheduling projects, meeting recreational program needs and corroding improvements in the parks.
The council will also look to continue the job of addressing uncontrolled intersections in the city. In an area bound on the west by First Street North, on the east and north by the city limits and on the south by First Avenue East, the traffic safety committee found eight uncontrolled intersections. It is recommended by the committee to place stop signs at the intersections.
Two public hearings are also scheduled to amend the North Central Urban Renewal Area Plan and the Southwest Economic Development Area Urban Renewal Plan. The actions are a preliminary step in the renewal process.
Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com