HERMANN – The Help Wanted sign is still in the window at City Hall.

After a lengthy effort to find a maintenance worker for the Parks Department, city officials are having to step up their work to find a new foreman for the Street Department.

The Hermann Board of Aldermen last week approved the hiring of Nathan Staas as the Parks Department’s new maintenance worker. That position had been vacant since January, noted City Administrator Patricia Heaney. She told the aldermen that Public Works Director Jesse Geltz and the Parks Department foreman were recommending the hiring of Staas.

In her memo to the board, Heaney noted that Staas is an Air Force veteran and worked in various fields including security and construction.

The position of Street Department foreman isn’t yet open. Todd Lensing is scheduled to retire from the post early next year, giving plenty of advance notice for finding his replacement. So far, Heaney told the board, there’s been “not much interest”expressed by potential successors despite what she said has been “lots of advertising.” She said recruitment efforts will continue to find the next Street Department foreman.

On another front, the aldermen confirmed the reappointment of Susan Lenger as the city’s representative on the Board of Directors of the Greater Montgomery County Port Authority District. A former Hermann alderman, Lenger is beginning her second term on the Port Authority panel.

The city of Hermann is within the boundaries of the Port Authority District. The creation of the district was approved in October 2023 by the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission and is designed to help facilitate the movement of goods that might be coming out of the proposed industrial megasite in Montgomery County.

Since its creation there has been little activity by the Port Authority District board; the panel has met only two or three times.

In her capacity as Mayor Pro Tem, Alderman Dolores Grannemann used the Mayor’s Report time to applaud the support of the community earlier this month during the Day of Healing events at Casey’s in Hermann. The Day of Healing was held to raise funds for the giant mural honoring first responders to be painted on Casey’s retaining wall. The day also was held in remembrance for the late Det. Sgt. Mason Griffith and Patrolman Adam Sullentrup.

As an aside, Sullentrup’s family recently received a new home, courtesy of the Lt. Dan Foundation, the creation of actor Gary Sinese, who starred as Lt. Dan in Forrest Gump. Sinese is a veteran actor, performs in his own band and supports wounded veterans and first responders, such as Sullentrup.