City government reorganizes

A reorganization of city government that will create one more layer of management and cost the city about $118,000 in salary increases per year received approval Thursday from the Tucumcari City Commission.

City manager Jared Langenegger proposed reorganizing the city government at the commission’s Aug. 24 meeting, saying it was too much for him to manage all 18 city departments on a day-to-day basis.

The plan he presented to the commission at its public workshop session before Thursday’s commission meeting differed from the one presented Aug. 24.

Instead of hiring an assistant city manager, he proposed promoting several current department heads to manage several departments. These department heads would report directly to Langenegger, adding a layer of management to the organization.

That is the plan the commission approved Thursday.

Langenegger said 18 direct reports is too great a “span of control” for one manager to undertake.

Under the new plan, Langenegger will have five direct reports, Police Chief David Lathrom; Fire Chief Douglas Hogan; a new administrative services director, new water and wastewater director, and public works director who have not been named; and Housing Authority Director Viki Riddle.

With Finance Director Dennis Dysart and Water Superintendent Charlie Sandoval retiring at the end of the year, Langenegger said, their replacements are likely to take on the duties of administrative services director and water/wastewater director.

Langenegger said he anticipates the new positions will be paid in the neighborhood of $70,000 per year in a pay band in which pay ranges from $66,890 per year to $91,250 per year.

In addition, Chris Gries, who has been the city facilities manager, will add oversight of the convention center and the airport to his duties. He will be bumped up from a pay band ranging from 13.83 per hour to $18.95 per hour, midpoint $18.95 per hour, to one in which the range is from $21.53 per hour to $37.46 per hour, midpoint $29.50 per hour, Langenegger said.