By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
The Village of Rochester’s Department of Public Works could receive an extra set of hands, but a decision to increase staffing in the warmer months is likely a year away.
Members of the Village Board’s Public Works Committee in June discussed the merits of hiring an assistant for Public Works Manager Christopher Birkett.
One or more seasonal part-timers could assist Birkett with some of the DPW’s more mundane tasks during the summer, including watering plants and park maintenance, so his focus can stay on some of the Village’s bigger scale projects.
Village board president and committee member Paul Beere said he believed an assistant could work between 10 and 15 hours per week and put in a few hours each weekday.
Local high school students could serve the role. Some do community service projects in part as a means of enhancing college eligibility.
“We can discuss this further and maybe do some investigation,” said Trustee Chris Johnson, who chairs the Public Works Committee.
Birkett said he’ll work with Clerk-Treasurer Betty Novy in creating a job description for the future assistant position.
After hearing from Birkett, committee members agreed the issue is not a pressing one. Birkett said he would rather go without an assistant this summer.
“I’m behind already,” he explained. “It would put me even further back to get someone up to speed.”
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