During this month’s "Ask the Mayor" program on WSJD, Mayor Joe Judge confirmed that Public Works Director Mike Gidcumb remains on track to retire next month after serving the city in a variety of roles over the years.
Judge praised Gidcumb's contributions to the community and said he has enjoyed working alongside him. While acknowledging Gidcumb will be missed, the mayor joked that city officials know where he lives and still have his phone number if they need advice after his retirement.
Rather than appointing a new Public Works Director, Judge said the city will move to a leadership structure that was intentionally designed several years ago in anticipation of Gidcumb's retirement.
Under the new arrangement, Mike Hannah will oversee parks, streets, cemeteries, levees, equipment maintenance, and daily operations. Dave Easter will serve as special projects coordinator, focusing on major infrastructure improvements and projects that can be completed in-house to save taxpayer dollars. Easter will have access to city laborers and equipment to tackle projects that might otherwise be contracted out.
Meanwhile, Brian Cropper will oversee the city's water and sewer systems, including maintenance operations.
Judge said all three department leaders will report directly to City Administrative Assistant Ryan Turner.
The mayor said the reorganization is designed to maintain efficiency while allowing the city to continue completing major projects internally and controlling costs for residents.