SPRINGDALE — The number of candidates for executive director of Springdale Water Utilities has been cut to five.
The Springdale Water and Sewer Commission trimmed the list of applications from 13 to five whom they will interview. Chris Weiser, commission chairman, asked Loyd Price, city human resources director, to contact applicants. Price will start setting up interviews with the five finalists and let other applicants know they were eliminated.
“We will set up a time for the interviews later,” Weiser said. “Only one is from outside of this area, so it shouldn’t be too difficult.”
By the Numbers
Springdale Water Utilities
Growth for the utility in the last 30 years. Utility coverage extends outside the city, including areas that have septic systems instead of city sewers.
City Water Sewer
Year Population Customers Customers
1980 23,458 9,336 7,577
1990 29,941 12,412 10,434
2000 45,798 22,938 17,886
2010 67,709 32,263 25,954
Source: Springdale Water Utilities
The final list included two in-house candidates, Terry Phillips and Rick Pulvirenti. Phillips is serving as the interim executive director. He is the assistant executive director of the utility.
“I’m confident the commission will make the best decision for the department,” Phillips said. “Whoever is selected will have a great staff working for him.”
Pulvirenti is the chief engineer for the department.
“I’m confident the commission will make the right decision for the utility and its customers,” Pulvirenti said.
Also on the short list is Heath Ward, complex engineering manager for Cargill in Springdale. Other finalists are Valentine Belfiglio of Fayetteville and Joshua Grabowski of West Memphis.
Belfiglio formerly operated a wastewater treatment plant near Oklahoma City. Grabowski is the water superintendent for West Memphis.
The base salary range for the position is $82,104 to $123,132 per year. Rene Langston, who retired Nov. 1, was making $95,400 in base salary, according to the utility budget.
Langston announced his retirement on Oct. 3. He held the executive director position for 32 years.
The job description calls for a bachelor’s degree and management experience in water and sewer systems. The applicant should have a wastewater treatment operator’s license and a water distribution operator’s license, or obtain one in a reasonable time after employment.
The commission eliminated all candidates that did not have either a water distribution or a wastewater treatment license, according to a list of the applicants.
The commission’s goal is to have a new director by April 1, Weiser said.