 |
Jun 3, 2006
|
||
 |
|||
 |
|||
|
Jun 3, 2006
|
||
|
|||
|
|||
| Online Phonebook | Sandhills Guide | Business News | National News |
 |
|
|
BY JOHN CHAPPELL: Staff Writer Robbins will save $46,000 a year with a stroke of the pen. On July 1, the present contract with Hydro Management expires. As of that date, the man who has been operating the town wastewater treatment plant will leave that firm to take a new job working for Robbins. Brant Sykes, the current plant operator, will become public works director for the town. He will continue to supervise the plant, but as a town employee instead of a contract company worker. The difference between his salary as director of public works and the cost of contract services accounts for the savings. "For many reasons, this is an important move," said Mayor Mickey Brown. "In Sykes our town will have a Grade IV wastewater plant operator with many other certifications who stands ready to be examined for others. This will also result in net savings to us of at least $46,000 on an annual basis over the current contract with Hydro Management. His assistant also will begin working directly for Robbins on July 1, when the Hydro contract expires." The idea had been discussed frequently over the past several months as the contract approached its expiration date, according to Police Chief Danny Brown. Brown has been sharing administrative duties with Town Clerk Debra Cockman since the dismissal of the previous town administrator. Commissioners are taking steps to effect a charter change from mayor-council form of government to manager-council. In the meantime, the town police chief has been doing a lot of extra jobs. Some of them will soon be done by Sykes, who will report to Brown until such a change can take place. "Right now, I am trying to get a lady out of town some water for a swimming pool," Brown said. "This will certainly relieve me of some day-to-day administrative details that he will take over. I will be there to help and offer what little expertise I do have. Obviously, with a town manager, he would be under the manager's direction." In a closed personnel session at the last board meeting, commissioners created the post of public works director. "I feel it sets Robbins on the course that we need, to have things as streamlined as possible and with the most cost savings to the town," Mickey Brown said. "After discussions with Brant, I feel that he is someone who can lead those departments in the manner to best assist Robbins and its citizens. The most important thing is that Robbins will immediately realize the cost savings of the $46,000." Sykes' appointment was announced late Wednesday. |
|
|
||
|
|
