Position Opening: City Horticulturist
NOTICE OF POSITION & JOB DESCRIPTION FOR HORTICULTURIST
CITY OF BUCKHANNON, WEST VIRGINIA
(1) The City of Buckhannon seeks a trained and experienced individual to oversee the City’s expansive horticulture and landscape program. Buckhannon is renowned for its landscape program having been recognized statewide and regionally for both our outstanding flower and sustainability programs. Candidates with a bachelor’s degree in horticulture, landscape architecture, biology, botany, environmental science, or a related degree will be given first consideration. This position is a fulltime, competitively salaried one with benefits that include health insurance coverage and state retirement. The successful candidate must possess a valid driver’s license. Our horticulturist will be an effective oral and written communicator, and adept with technology.
(2) Buckhannon’s horticulturist works closely with and as an employee of our City Streets and Parks Department, and under the supervision of both the Public Works Director and the Streets and Parks superintendent. The horticulturist supervises and schedules the work for a crew of mostly part-time, seasonal workers whose work is more intense during the spring and summer seasons.
(3) The horticulturist shall be responsible for establishing and maintaining a current, comprehensive map of all flower & landscape installations that will be shared on our City website. The horticulturist will work closely with the City’s Information Coordinator to make this map shareable. As our City develops new flower and tree locations, our plan will be updated and shared by the horticulturist.
(4) The horticulturist will assemble and maintain an operational manual that will include such things as to how our City composts and fertilizes; our natural herbicide plan; our watering and weeding schedule; how our programs under the horticulturist’s oversight are green and sustainable; touting our wildflower program; identifying the fall and winter greenhouse program, etc.
(5) The horticulturist will attend at a minimum, quarterly, meaning at least four meetings annually, and on an alternating meeting basis, Consolidated Public Works Board meetings which are scheduled for the fourth Thursday of every month at 4:00 p.m., & Council meetings which are scheduled for the first and third Thursdays of every month at 7:00 p.m. to report on the current or previous year’s successes, and the plans for the upcoming year. It is anticipated that these meetings would involve January and July presentations to CPWB, and April and October presentations to City Council. The Information Coordinator may help coordinate the preparation of appropriate slide show and powerpoint presentations.
(6) The horticulturist will establish a sub-website as part of our City’s main website highlighting the past, current, and future plans for our horticulture and landscape program, essentially a memorializing and celebration of our landscape crew’s accomplishments, and particularly touting new tree plantings, flower beds, trail extensions, etc. This website will be interactive with residents being able to share their favorite photos of our many flower and landscape beds and projects.
(7) The horticulturist will work closely with our City Grant Writer to pursue grant opportunities to enhance our horticulture and landscape programs. The horticulturist will work closely with appropriate City budgetary personnel to establish the projected, annual cost to effectively administer our City’s horticulture and landscape programs.
(8) The City shall consider all application materials without regard to any applicant’s race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, religion, age, handicap, familial status, sexual orientation, or any other protected class status in the appointment of our City horticulturist.
(9) The successful applicant will be subject to a Criminal Identification Bureau (CIB) check, along with a drug test prior to assuming employment, and the horticulturist thereafter will be subject to random drug testing as part of the City’s workplace safety and drug-free programs.
(10) Letters of interest and supporting materials shall be submitted by hand delivery to City Hall by Friday, August 23, 2019, or by mail, but postmarked by no later than Saturday, August 24, 2019, addressed to: Mayor of The City of Buckhannon, 70 East Main Street, Buckhannon, WV 26201. The City Council anticipates interviewing select applicants before or during the first week of September 2019. It is anticipated that the appointment of the new City horticulturist will be announced during the regularly scheduled City Council meeting on Thursday, September 5, 2019, with duties of the horticulturist to commence on October 1, 2019. Any requests for further information about this position should be directed either to Mayor David McCauley or Assistant City Recorder and Director of Finance and Administration, Amberle Jenkins via the mail or by phone at Buckhannon City Hall at (304) 472-1651, during regular business hours.
Equal Employment Opportunity
The City provides equal opportunity to all applicants for employment and administers hiring, conditions and privileges of employment, compensation, training, promotions, transfer, and discipline without discrimination regardless as to race, sex, age, national origin, creed, disability, familial status, sexual orientation or political affiliation. The City also prohibits retaliation against employees who have alleged discriminatory conduct. Any employee who believes that they have been discriminated against in violation of this policy should report the matter immediately to their Department Supervisor. Our City fully subscribes to the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Act and the West Virginia Human Rights Act.