Plum Borough Administration Undergoing Restructuring

Plum Borough Council voted unanimously for the creation of two new borough positions at Monday’s meeting.

The positions came as a result of restructuring within the borough’s offices, and current borough employees Greg Bachy and Mona Costanza will fill the positions.

Some positions were left vacant due to retirements and the firing of former assistant public works director Alan Lyons.

Borough Manager Mike Thomas said that now is a good time to restructure some of the departments at the borough building, including administration, finance and public works.

The restructuring is necessary because department employee roles and responsibilities haven’t changed with the borough’s growth over the last fifty years, nor have they adjusted to the borough's new responsibilities added over the last few years, Thomas said.

There will be no changes in expenditures, and the restructuring will save the borough about $10,000 per year, he said.

“Who’s doing what needed to change,” Thomas said. “As a borough, we have so many more responsibilities that have been placed on us as city budgets shrink and city governments move more responsibilities to local governments, like certain regulations and trash collection.”

According to Thomas, the administration staff worked with the borough’s personnel committee on the restructuring, which Thomas said will create a more efficient and cost-effective borough administration.

The restructuring, Thomas said, will save money on salary and benefits since some positions are being combined with others and the need for higher-level employees won’t be necessary.

Bachy, Plum’s planning director, will serve as the new assistant borough manager and is responsible for the more policy-level decisions in the public works department that were previously handled by Lyons.

He also manages the information technology department, as well as parks and recreation.

Bachy will perform his new responsibilities in addition to the majority of his responsibilities with Plum planning and zoning, Thomas said.

According to Thomas, the public works department has been “turned upside down” and is a good example of the restructuring.

Public Works Director Bill Berchick wil perform most of the same day-to-day activities management, like site visits and inspection, for which Lyons was responsible.

“It just makes sense for the high-level management to fall to the new position [of assistant to the borough manager] so the director of public works can perform more of the actual day-to-day work,” Thomas said.

Eventually, Bachy will become the director of public works when Berchick retires in a few years and Jason Straley, Plum’s current assistant planning director, will become Plum’s planning director, according to Thomas.

Costanza, the department’s current administrative assistant, will be responsible for supporting Thomas and the administration department in her new role as assistant to the borough manager.

"[Bachy and Costanza] were chosen because of their dedication and attitudes toward their jobs," Thomas said. "They're qualified, hard working and intelligent. They are what we want to promote within the administration."

Thomas said no one will be laid off due to restructuring, which will take place in phases over the next few years. The appointment of Bachy and Costanza to their new roles was the first phase.

“The goal of this whole thing is to become more efficient and utilize people to their potential,” Thomas said. “Things were rearranged for the best use of borough tax money and so borough residents receive the best from the borough.”