City public works director resigns

In the midst of a busy summer of road and utility work, the City of Rhinelander now has a vacancy at the top of the public works department.

Randy Myrum, who held the position of public works director for approximately one year, tendered his resignation in a letter dated Aug. 8. 

His last day was Aug. 17, according to the letter.

According to Mayor Kris Hanus, Myrum has accepted new employment outside of this area.

“He wasn’t fired. He wasn’t pushed out,” Hanus stressed.

With several major projects underway, city administration has had to act quickly to ensure proper supervision and oversight. To that end, the common council was asked Monday to approve a payment of $15,000 to Town and Country Engineering, Inc. as compensation for taking over management/oversight of the Timber Drive project. 

The city, through the public works department, was serving as the primary manager of that project. 

Town and Country was already involved in the project, in terms of providing engineering services, and will now take over all management aspects. 

Town and Country is also the primary manager of the Oneida Avenue project. 

With a background in retail management, Hanus said he is used to responding to employee comings and goings.

“You’re never fully staffed,” he noted, adding that Reagan, who has been on the job for approximately six months, will have to take up some of the burden in terms of facilitating some of the larger pending projects like the proposed new city well and the skate park and splash pad to be added to Pioneer Park.

“This could slow some of the projects that haven’t gotten off the ground yet,” he said, noting that the highest priority has to be essentials like ensuring water comes on, trash gets picked up and roads get blacktopped.

“Unless council is willing to borrow some money for these two projects, I think one of them is going to have to get postponed,” Hanus said, referring to the skate park and splash pad. At the end of Monday’s meeting during discussion of future agenda items, alderman Tom Barnett expressed concern that the skate park project could get lost in the shuffle in the wake of Myrum’s departure.

“I’m not going to let the skate park drift off into forgetfulness with the city,” he said. “I will be here champing about it every single meeting if I need to, so I want to see it on the agenda.”

In response, Reagan noted engineering proposals for the skate park have been received but there “seems to be a bit of a disconnect” among interested parties as to how to proceed. 

A meeting has been scheduled to allow the parties to further discuss the matter, he added. To watch the full council meeting, visit www.hodagtvcom.

Heather Schaefer may be reached at [email protected].