WARNER ROBINS -- Warner Robins City Council made changes to the city’s purchasing office at a called meeting Tuesday.
According to the ordinance council unanimously approved, the purchasing agent position was abolished, the assistant purchasing agent position was renamed “procurement manager” and an assistant procurement manager position was created.
City Council has spent the past two months hashing out how to fill the void created when Mark Baker, purchasing agent for more than 20 years, retired early. Baker accumulated several responsibilities, including managing city projects, in his tenure with the city. He is now purchasing agent for Houston County.
Mayor Chuck Shaheen and Councilman Daron Lee attempted to separate the project managing responsibilities last week by creating a project manager position. The motion failed to receive a second, and no vote was taken.
Councilman Mike Brashear said Tuesday council will revisit the possibility of creating such a position after reviewing a prioritized projects list. He said council has requested a list of incomplete projects, including those listed in the 2012 special purpose local option sales tax.
“We have not gotten that,” Brashear said. “Until we do that, I don’t think it’s necessary to create a position. It’s kind of like putting the cart before the horse.”
As part of the approved measure, council effectively promoted Kim DeMoonie, who held the assistant purchasing agent position. As the new procurement manager, her pay grade was bumped from a 17 to a 21. The ordinance also dictated she receive a 10 percent raise.
DeMoonie has worked for the city of Warner Robins since December 1987. As of April, her salary was $41,000. She did not receive a salary adjustment as part of the citywide payroll study City Council passed in April.
According to the study, the salary range for a pay grade of 21 is $41,300 to $62,000. The abolished purchasing agent position was a pay grade 21.
City Clerk Alton Mattox said human resources will create a job description for the assistant procurement manager position and post it as soon as possible.
Shaheen refused to answer questions about the logistics of enacting council’s decision.
“We’re going to go forward,” he said.
During the meeting, Shaheen told council he didn’t understand how they could promote someone “at the drop of a hat” but not approve a raise earlier this year for Redevelopment Agency Executive Director Gary Lee for his work on major city projects.
Brashear said he didn’t know the relevance of that.
Council members forced Shaheen to remove a raise for Lee from the fiscal 2013 budget.
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, Shaheen allowed Dublin Mayor Phil Best to give a short explanation of his government project management company. Shaheen said Best happened to be at City Hall Tuesday to meet with the mayor about Premier Construction Associates.
The company, which does not contract with the city of Dublin, helps cities select and oversee contractors on major projects. The company saves cities the overhead costs associated with a full-time employee, Best said.
Council members listened, asked a couple of questions and told Best they would keep the company in mind for future decisions.
“I really don’t think, at this time, we’ve searched within to say we don’t have what we need (in-house),” Lee said.
To contact writer Christina M. Wright, call 256-9685.
