BELLAIRE, Ohio – Employee accountability and a better system to handle work orders were items considered by village of Bellaire water board members at their Thursday morning meeting.
Jerry Olack, Bellaire village council member and chairman of the water board, told members that the water department must be run like a business and have a “hierarchy.” He said the department is disorganized and compared it to an “asylum.”
the inmates are running the asylum.
Jerry Olack, Village of Bellaire council member & water board chairman
Olack said employees reportedly offer only excuses when work orders are not completed, sometimes saying the orders were lost.
Board members agreed that ultimately the mayor is in charge of personnel matters, but emphasized that employees should be held accountable for their actions and be reprimanded if necessary.
He suggested common sense solutions to carrying out work orders by grouping them into one area of the village at a time instead of spreading them out and backtracking.
The board proposed that one solution to better managing the work orders is to fill the water distribution position. Olack said the last person in that job resigned.
The village had 200 work orders this month.
Another issue the board discussed was a contractor who has been waiting since July to be paid for water meter work. The bill was reportedly sent to the mayor’s secretary but not paid.
Olack also suggested that the public contact clerk Melanie Dyer at the water office about their water issues and concerns.
The water board meets as needed and publishes meeting times in newspapers, according to Olack.
