Sisters Public Works Director resigns

Brad Grimm submitted his resignation from his position as Sisters Public Works Director last Friday. His last day on the job will be January 3. Paul Bertagna, the city's public works special projects coordinator, will step in as interim director.

"While I have been very satisfied at the City of Sisters, I have decided to make this move to advance my career," Grimm wrote in his letter of resignation to City Manager Eileen Stein.

Grimm, who has served Sisters since July 2007, will move to the Oregon Coast and return to work for the Oregon Department of Transportation as an assistant district manager in Region 2.

While Grimm has crossed swords occasionally with council members - most recently with Pat Thompson over the city's job costing for public projects - internal conflicts are apparently not a motivation for the move.

"There's nothing to that," said Thompson. "Nothing at all."

Stein confirmed that assessment.

"This has been something that has been in the works for him for a long time," she said.

Grimm said the move is about pursuing other opportunities.

"It just seems like the right time," he said. "And I'm jumping on it."

Grimm is proud of his work in Sisters.

"Under my direction the past three years, I feel the public works department has been successfully transformed into a professional department with numerous accomplishments," he wrote.

Grimm told The Nugget that if he was to single out one program he is most proud of it would be "starting the bike and pedestrian program in Sisters. This crew has numerous accomplishments every year; it's not really one thing."

Grimm said the major challenge facing the department going forward will be "doing more with less. Every maintenance office has to deal with that."

Stein believes Bertagna is well qualified to lead the department as interim director.

"Brad's done a wonderful job of mentoring and training Paul Bertagna," she said.

The city will advertise for candidates for the position after the first of the year, according to Stein. Bertagna would be a qualified contender for the position, should he decide to apply.

Stein said it is unclear whether the city would fill the project coordinator slot should Bertagna move into the director's position.

"We don't know yet," she said, indicating that the city council would have to look at a variety of considerations, including budget and other potential personnel needs within the department.