POULSBO — One of the last few temporary pieces to the city hall reorganization puzzle may soon be in place.
The form it takes, however, is still up in the air.
At its July 7 meeting, the Poulsbo City Council Finance/ Administration Committee began consideration of the future function of former Central Services Manager Dennis Bouffiou’s job. During the March reorganization of city staff, Bouffiou was among those whose jobs were changed and relocated. At the time, he was given a temporary assignment under Public Works Department Utilities Planning, Engineering and Management Division Director Bill Duffy.
Prior to the changeover, Duffy was the Public Works superintendent.
Bouffiou told finance/administration committee members this week that he was extremely frustrated by the overall reorganization, which was initiated by results from the September 2003 city-wide process study. He said he felt staff weren’t adequately briefed on the potential changes and also that the report’s recommendations went against much of the steering committee members’ input.
“It was like something that was written and I was in a different meeting,” Bouffiou, who had served as a process study steering committee member, said of the document.
Now, the process study is recommending that Bouffiou’s temporary assignment be changed to a half-time purchasing agent position. Human Resources is in agreement with the change, however, Bouffiou said he respectfully disagreed with the idea. He claims he was promised that neither his employment status nor salary would change due to the city hall reorganization. A transfer from full- to half-time would most certainly go against that.
Instead, Bouffiou suggested three alternatives that might allow him to retain his full-time status:•The city could create an additional half-time schedule maintenance position, for which the public works committee has been pushing. This could be added to the half-time purchasing agent duties
•The engineering department could reduce a recent half-time position due to a slow down in projects, which would allow him another half-time position
•The council could choose to reinstate him as the full-time Central Services Manager
After holding an executive decision on personnel qualifications, committee members decided they did not have enough information to make a recommendation to the full council Wednesday. Bouffiou was asked to draft a report on the situation to the council and Human Resources and the committee will again address the issue at its July 21 meeting. Also at the July 7 city council meeting:
•It was reported that screening of Public Works Director applicants was planned to take place July 8-9. Interviews are expected to take place sometime next week. The council also unanimously approved a job description for the new position.
•Council unanimously agreed to allow a sign at the new landscaping feature near the Poulsbo Compounding Pharmacy to remain in place until Dec. 31. The landscaping at the south end of Front Street was added in June along with a waterfall that was paid for by Craig and Sally Kvam. The project was paid for by community contributions and project manager Bill Austin erected the sign to thank those who donated. The Poulsbo Municipal Code usually only allows such signs to be in place for 14 days but Austin argued that because it was meant to thank local business people, it should stay up longer.
•The following public hearings were set: 7 p.m. July 21, on the City of Poulsbo’s six-year Transportation Improvement Project (TIP) list; 7:15 p.m. Aug. 4, over a concomitant agreement for 19793 Hamilton Court; 7:15 p.m. Aug. 11, over the proposed North Viking Avenue Urban Growth Area (UGA) Annexation; 7:15 p.m. Aug. 18, on the proposed Eisses Annexation. All public hearings take place in council chambers off Jensen Way.
