Freeport considers creating borough manager position

Freeport Mayor Zachary Gent said in his 37 years in the borough Freeport has never had a borough manager. He’s hoping that’s about to change because he believes one is needed.

Why now?

“So we can have somebody that’s dedicated to handling borough business rather than having council and the mayor pick up responsibilities that wouldn’t traditionally be the responsibilities of council or the mayor,” Gent said. “I strongly believe that it would bring structure and to help with grant writing, and to help capture any kind of opportunity that we can get for funding, whether it be on the state level, or the federal level, or the county level.

“We want to have someone that is dedicated to doing that administrative work.”

Council will vote on whether to create a borough manager position Monday .

Both Gent and Council President Clint Warnick would like to have a borough manager who has certification in sewage treatment plant management.

“With the (proposed) sewage treatment plant, we also wanted to have somebody that is trained in that,” Gent said. “So that if somebody were to get sick or injured, or go on long-term leave, we would have somebody trained that could step in without having to hire an outside company.

“We’re learning from our past mistakes.”

Warnick said the salary range will be between $50,000 and $70,000 a year.

He believes creation of the position is necessary to improve consistency and “to have one person in charge of all the employees within the borough.

Warnick said council is making the move now because the superintendent of public works is retiring. He said the borough manager will take on those responsibilities.

“I think it will improve the efficiency of our people and the council,” Warnick said.