By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
Plans are in motion to fill two positions at city hall. One has been vacant since July, while the other will be in a state of transition at the beginning of 2017.
City Manager Cameron Clapper discussed with the Common Council his plans for filling the media services manager and finance director positions at a meeting Sept. 20. Although few changes are planned to the position descriptions, Clapper indicated he plans a few minor tweaks.
Alan Luckett, who has served as Whitewater’s media services manager since 2000, resigned this summer to become the manager of the City of Janesville’s community TV operation. In the months since his departure, Clapper said several cameramen and other staffers have pitched in and assumed some of Luckett’s duties.
But Clapper said he would like to move forward and fill the position, which will have a new title: public relations and communications manager.
“The emphasis is more broad than the administration of the cable television channel,” Clapper said. “This says that the person will handle all media, not just cable television.”
Luckett had been working on communications efforts outside Whitewater Community TV, as the organization is known, and Clapper said the new title and revised job description formalizes the broadening of the position.
Based on a preliminary timeline, Clapper said he intends to post the position imminently. Applications will be reviewed Oct. 12, and interviews will occur Oct. 17-24. The goal, Clapper said, is to have the candidate start Nov. 14.
The other position on officials’ radars is the finance director position. Doug Saubert, who currently fills the role, has indicated he will retire Jan. 6. Clapper said he envisions the job description remaining the same, although there could be a few changes.
Plans were in motion to post the position this week with a closing date of Oct. 25. Applications will be reviewed beginning Oct. 27, and interviews will be conducted in early November. Clapper said his goal is to extend an offer the first half of December.
