PRESS RELEASE

Contact Person(s):                 Monty Pagenhardt, County Administrator

Date:                                       September 10, 2013

The Board of County  Commissioners has taken official action to establish the Garrett County Department of Public Works.   This new County department will consolidate the Department of Public Utilities and Roads Department.   

Director of the Department of Public Utilities Linda Lindsey informed County Administrator Monty Pagenhardt of her retirement on October 31 as Director of the Department of Public Utilities.  Ms. Lindsey has 32 years of public service beginning with supervision of all administrative requirements with the Garrett County Sanitary District, starting the County Government Risk Management Office, and serving as Director of Public Utilities since 2006.   Her value and dedication to public service all these years should be acknowledged and appreciated. 

At that time Mr. Pagenhardt initiated an organizational restructure proposal of the Department of Public Utilities and County Roads Department and a draft of the plan was presented to the Board of County Commissioners.   After an extensive review the Board approved a final reorganizational plan that established the Department of Public Works .  This Department will be comprised of 2 Divisions – Roads and Utilities.   Jay Moyer, formally General Superintendent with the County Roads Department has been appointed to the position of Director of the Department of Public Works and he will oversee all operations and administrative requirements.   Paul Harvey, formally General Roads Foreman will assume the position of Division Chief – Roads, Rick Shoemaker, formally Superintendent with the Department of Public Utilities will be Division Chief – Utilities Division – Operations and Maintenance, and Jeff Broadwater, who previously was Assistant Director with the Department of Public Utilities  has been appointed as Division Chief – Utilities – Administration and Environmental.   Other personnel staffing changes have been final and others are pending at this time.   This restructure plan when complete will result in an estimated savings of $170,000