Algood City Council Tables Appointing Bradshaw As Public Works Director

Algood City Council postponed the approval of Walt Bradshaw as its new Public Works Director at its meeting Tuesday night.

Bradshaw was one of the final two candidates. The other candidate dropped out of consideration. Council Member Ron Graves said he feels the city had not pursued filling the position to the extent that he would like.

“I don’t know anything about the guy from Michigan, nothing, except for what I read,” Graves said. “He took the time to fill out an application very thoroughly. I’d like to know for sure that is his whole problem the fact that we said you’ve got to do it in two weeks. Or is this something we could wait three or four months if we had to?”

Graves said while Bradshaw has been doing a fine job in the interim, conversations should be had with the other candidate.

City Administrator Keith Morrison said he was instructed to fill the position as quickly as possible to stabilize the department. Morrison said Bradshaw has been filling in as the Interim Director since December.

Vice Mayor Luke Hill said the hiring recommendation from Morrison to hire Bradshaw speaks volumes as the position reports directly to the city manager. However, he said if his fellow council members were hesitant to move forward with the confirmation they should table it to the next meeting.

“My only comment would be that everyone had the same opportunity when we advertised it to apply,” Mayor Lisa Chapman Fowler said.”Then it was narrowed down to the top two, and we have someone here who I think by all the things the Council has said is doing the job who has been here. And that’s not against the great state of Michigan or anywhere else, but if we’ve got a man here whos doing the job, I kind of feel like that the position’s been open for almost four months now I guess. So it’s the pleasure of the council.”

Hill, Graves, and Council Member Bill Bilbrey voted to table. Fowler voted no. Council Member Ruby Hawkins abstained.