Cape County Commission OKs plan to eliminate park superintendent position

Purcell's plan is in the books.

The Cape Girardeau County Commission on Thursday unanimously approved Commissioner Jay Purcell's proposal to permanently eliminate the parks superintendent position, which has been vacant since Feb. 9, when Bruce Watkins left the post.

Following Watkins' departure, Purcell, the commissioner in charge of the county's parks system temporarily assumed many of the duties of the superintendent, while some of the responsibilities shifted to other park personnel. It was a pilot program aimed at saving the county money and improving the department, Purcell said.

He said the three-month trial has accomplished both.

"I feel good about the process," Purcell said. "I feel like we've developed a level of service that's equal to, if not better than, before."

Savings are expected to top $40,000 annually through the elimination of the superintendent's salary of $42,031.15, "which becomes a cost to the citizens of $57,582.68 once the estimated 37 percent in overhead is added in for benefits," according to a letter written by Purcell.

Some of that money will be plugged back into parks improvement projects, like the $22,000 park shelter at Cape County Park North that will replace the 36-year-old shelter No. 3.

The realignment promotes current park foreman Bryan Sander to assistant park superintendent, raising his salary from $25,536 to $30,000 a year. Sander's raise would actually be $3,825.60 annually because he was due for his normal raise in November. Full-time park laborer Jason Underwood would assume the park foreman role, with his salary rising from $20,558 to $23,400 a year. The department includes five part-time and two full-time employees.

Purcell, who will not receive an increase in his commissioner salary for his parks duties, said he has averaged about 50 hours a week since taking on the additional responsibilities.

The changes shift some of the park office responsibilities such as payroll and purchase orders to Pat Leech in the Road and Bridge office.

Thursday's vote completes one area of consolidation Purcell has been pushing for. He's called for combining the duties of the parks superintendent and public works director but has backed off on the public works idea of late.

In other business, the commission approved paying the county's fiscal year 2012 membership dues of $10,078.43 to SEMO Regional Planning and Economic Development Commission.

mkittle@semissourian.com

388-3627

Pertinent address:

2400 County Park Drive, Cape Girardeau, MO