Weed/Drainage Maintenance Foreman

Description

Under general supervision, performs daily work assignments for the Weed/Drainage Maintenance Division of the Public Works Department, in accordance with the Employee Manual, Department Policies and Procedures, City of Alamogordo Ordinances, and any applicable State or Federal authority.

Recruitment Qualifications

Required:

• High School Diploma or GED equivalent;
• Three (3) years of industry experience with drainage maintenance and the operation of related equipment;
• One (1) year of experience supervising employees;
• Valid pesticide license for public applicators issued by the New Mexico Department of Agriculture (NMDA);
• Valid Traffic Control Supervisor (TCS) certification;
• Valid OSHA-compliant Forklift certification;
• Valid New Mexico Class A Commercial Driver’s License with a minimum endorsement of (N) and a driving record acceptable to the City of Alamogordo;
• Or any equivalent combination of education, experience, and training which provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Desired:

• More than three (3) years of industry experience.
• Experience in road construction, concrete work and use of related equipment and tools.

Essential Duties

• Supervises direct-report staff by coordinating, assigning, and reviewing work to ensure compliance with policies and procedures;
• Conducts employee evaluations, introductory and annual; makes recommendations for hiring, promoting, and releasing employees; 
• Initiates and administers corrective action, as necessary, according to the Employee Manual;
• Mentors employees to full potential and ensures appropriate training is given to meet the standards of the position held;
• Ensures self and employees attend training necessary to meet City required safety training hours, State and Federal regulations, and continued education requirements to maintain certifications and licenses required of positions;  
• Assists with the development and maintenance of the division budget;
• Assists the Division Manager with short- and long-range planning related to division responsibilities;
• Maintains current knowledge of safety related regulations and new technology and methods; conducts weekly safety meetings and maintains a record of the meeting subjects and those in attendance as outlined in the City of Alamogordo Safety Manual;
• Assists the Division Manager in developing and implementing training plans for equipment operation;
• Responsible for proper traffic control compliance using the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (M.U.T.C.D.) standards that ensures employee safety with equal considerations for public safety and convenience;
• Responsible for supervising the daily maintenance activities of the Division, including but not limited to cleaning streets, alleys, and drainage ditches, trimming brush, mowing rights-of-way, removing debris, and spraying pesticides and herbicides; ensures appropriate methods, materials, and techniques are used to complete tasks;
• Work involves supervising, guiding, and training other employees while also handling the more complex/difficult projects as a working Foreman;
• Oversees and/or performs duties safely by following industry safety standards for, and PPE including hearing and eye protection;
• Calls in requests for line locates, as needed;
• Operates mowers, chainsaws, weed eaters, dump trucks, water trucks, herbicide spray trucks, woodchippers, and hand tools in the repair and maintenance of drainage systems; operates a forklift;
• Removes silt, trees, and stumps impeding flood control;
• Mows, clears, burns, and sprays overgrown vegetation from ditches, roads, sidewalks, and alleys;
• Builds and maintains gabions and ripraps;
• Removes trash and loose debris from drainage systems and hauls to landfill;
• Stabilizes banks and levels ground;
• Performs general equipment maintenance by routinely checking oil, water, fuel, tires, and hydraulic system on vehicles and equipment and makes appropriate adjustments to ensure vehicles are in proper and safe operating condition;
• Ensures that the transport of various types of equipment and supplies to and from work sites are correctly and safely loaded, tied down, and unloaded;
• Oversees the loading, unloading, securing, and transporting various types of equipment and supplies to and from work sites;
• Ensures that work orders are properly executed and documented; uses a computer to enter and manage daily workorders;
• Inspects work in progress for compliance with policies, procedures, safety guidelines, schedules, and required specifications;
• Ensures the availability, and assists the Division Manager, in the acquisition of adequate and properly working tools, materials and equipment and make sure they are properly maintained, and meet any scheduled maintenance requirements;
• Ensures work areas and vehicles are organized and clean;
• Assists with concrete work, including mixing, pouring, and setting;
• May be asked to support other departments with personnel, equipment, or training as part of the City "team" effort;
• Establishes procedures to assure the highest standards of risk management, employee safety, and risk avoidance;
• In partnership with the Safety Coordinator, responsible for thoroughly investigating, reviewing, and addressing department or division accidents to prevent future occurrences and control risk management related costs;
• Contributes to a high-quality work culture through participation in training and mentoring to develop skills, including safety related training and skills;
• Interacts professionally and provides excellent customer service to all levels of City staff and citizens, to ensure high operational and service standards; and
• Performs duties in accordance with the Employee Manual, Department Policies and Procedures, City of Alamogordo Ordinances, and any applicable State or Federal authority.

OTHER IMPORTANT DUTIES

• Must obtain and maintain required license(s) and/or certification(s);
• Required to perform on-call rotation duties outside of normal work hours including evenings, weekends, and holidays;
• Occasional non-traditional work hours may be necessary during evenings, weekends, and on holidays for emergency calls;
• Maintains the confidentiality of information obtained during performance of duties; and
• Performs such other duties as may be assigned.

The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed.  The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position. 

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Knowledge of:  

• Safe operation of vehicles and equipment;
• Methods, materials, and techniques used in the maintenance of the City’s drainage systems including the control and/or removal of unwanted vegetation;
• Methods, materials, and techniques used in concrete related projects;
• Safety practices used when working around electrical, gas, water, sewer systems, and wildlife;
• Proper traffic control compliance using the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (M.U.T.C.D.) standards that ensures employee safety with equal considerations for public safety and convenience;
• Job related O.S.H.A requirements;
• D.O.T. Regulations for Rights of Way;
• New Mexico Motor Vehicle Code; and
• City of Alamogordo Ordinances, City-wide and Departmental Policies and Procedures, and any other applicable laws regulated by an outside authority.

Skill/Ability to: 

• Demonstrate proficiency in both oral and written communication; understand and follow instructions;
• Perform tasks and other daily activities in a positive and professional manner alongside employees of varied backgrounds and personalities;
• Attend work, as scheduled and on a regular basis, to effectively perform the position’s essential duties and responsibilities;
• Exercise common sense and good judgment in the performance of essential duties;
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work;
• Demonstrate professionalism and tact with the public; respond quickly and positively to customer complaints;
• Maintain accurate legible records, prepare technical reports and diagrams, status reports, and completion of work requests as required; 
• Operate a computer using standard City software (MS Word/Excel), and enter data into those and other City computer programs; 
• Motivate, develop, and direct people as they work, identifying the best persons for each job;
• Follow principles and practices of employment supervision, including employee development, labor contract relations and requirements, disciplinary practices;
• Identify employee training needs and activities to improve employees' performance;
• Analyze problems; identify, recommend, and implement solutions;
• Manage simultaneous tasks and projects, and meet multiple deadlines;
• Tolerate outside working conditions, including exposure to adverse weather conditions; 
• Perform heavy manual labor;
• Perform and oversee the safe operation of various light and heavy equipment used in the daily activities of the Division;
• Service and make minor repairs on equipment applying safety standards to prevent hazards;
• Maintain professionalism under pressure; and
• Provide excellent customer service to ensure high operational and service standards are met and maintained for the citizens of Alamogordo.

Work Environment

• Work is typically performed in the outdoors and may be subject to inclement weather conditions;
• Daily physical labor that includes extended periods of sitting, standing, walking, kneeling, bending, reaching, climbing ladders, lifting heavy objects, swinging heavy hammers;
• May be subject to repetitive motion such as painting, digging, driving;
• Lift and/or move items weighing up to fifty (50) pounds; the lifting of any object greater than fifty (50) pounds by a single individual is prohibited. Lifting objects, materials, or equipment weighing more than fifty (50) pounds require the buddy system or the use of devices designed to assist with lifting or moving. Proper lifting techniques shall be used when lifting items of any weight;
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud;
• May be exposed to hazardous traffic conditions as well as hazardous chemicals, contaminants, toxins, pollutants or allergens which can adversely affect the skin and/or the respiratory system such as gases, smoke, odors, mists, fumes, dust, pollen, oils, solvents, pesticides and/or herbicides;
• Hazards include exposure to insects, rodents, snakes, and other wildlife typical of the southwest;
• Will work near gas lines, meters, and other utilities including electric;
• Work will be performed near moving mechanical parts; and possibly in high or precarious places;
• Terrain may be uneven or undeveloped; and
• Required to wear hard hat and safety vest while working outside the service truck and any other personal protective equipment (PPE) appropriate for job assignments including protective footwear marked by the manufacturer, with a minimum standard of M/F I/75/C75, 6" ankle height work boots, per ASTM F2413-11.