BROWN NAMED JACKSON PUBLIC WORKS CHIEF

JACKSON -- A West Tennessee man will become Jackson's first public works director.

Mark F. Brown, 35, of Covington, Tenn., will assume his duties on Jan. 3, 1994, according to Mayor Paul Sander, who announced the appointment Wednesday morning.

Said Sander: "Mark comes to us highly recommended by people we talked to in the West Tennessee area. He comes with the highest recommendation from within the city of Covington, and from construction firms that have worked with him in that area. The basic comment we heard from everyone was, `Covington's loss will be Jackson's gain.'"

Since August 1990, Brown, who graduated from Memphis State University in 1982 with a degree in civil engineering, has been deputy director of Covington's public works and utilities department.

Covington, with a population of around 8,000, is located in Tipton County, about 50 miles northeast of Memphis.

Prior to August 1990, Brown was employed with an architectural-engineering firm as a project manager and computer-aided-design manager.

As deputy public works and utilities director, Brown managed the public works operation, including natural gas, water, sewer, streets, sanitation, and maintenance; he also coordinated public works and utility operations.

In addition, Brown performed traffic studies for the Tennessee Department of Transportation, handled all city contacts with various state and federal agencies, wrote or proofed specifications for wastewater treatment plant upgrades, and elevated tank repair and painting, gas, water, and sewer installations and maintenance.

Brown has extensive experience in developmental services. He created and ran the city's first full-service building and code enforcement department; coordinated and advised the planning commission, board of zoning appeals and the historic zoning commission. He is a certified building inspector and plans reviewer.

"His experience as deputy director of the public works department is very valuable to us. Mark has direct experience in areas we need," said the mayor. "He is looking forward to making a career move to Jackson. Mark and his father were in the area last month and were very impressed with the Jackson-Cape Girardeau area."

During a telephone interview at his home in Covington, Brown said he's looking forward to making use of his experience in public works to help in the orderly growth of Jackson.

Said Brown: "We tend to take public works for granted. You turn on the light switch, or the water tap, or flush the toilet, and they work. But there is a lot of effort on the part of a lot of people to make this happen every day of the year."

Brown said the city of Covington has state-of-the-art computers and equipment to assist in the operation of the public works department. "We've been able to accomplish a lot of things that only the towns of 15,000 or more are able to do."

Sander said Brown will report directly to the board of aldermen. He will be responsible for the water treatment and distribution, and wastewater collection and treatment operations; street and storm sewer maintenance, solid waste management, fleet management, landfill operation, and other public works projects.

The public works director will also deal with planning and zoning matters and work with the board of aldermen and the planning and zoning commission.

Sander said Brown's salary will be $35,000, plus the standard city employee benefit package.

Brown was selected from a list of eight finalists by the Jackson Board of Aldermen, which approved his appointment in closed session following Tuesday's board meeting. "The board had a very difficult decision to make because of the number of high-quality applicants. All of the finalists were good candidates," said Sander.

The mayor said over 125 applications were received and reviewed by the public works director selection committee and the board of aldermen.

Sander said Brown will move to Jackson in December with his wife and three-year-old daughter. "I hope to be able to introduce Mark to the city staff and employees at our annual Christmas dinner on Dec. 13," he said.

The appointment of the new public works director will relieve acting Public Works Director Rich Bowen of his duties at the end of this year, allowing Bowen to devote more time to his private business as a consulting engineer.

Bowen agreed to fill in as acting city engineer in August 1990, following the retirement of City Engineer Jack Weith.

After discussing the issue with Bowen, however, Sander said the board felt it would be more beneficial and cost-effective to hire a public works director instead of a professional city engineer. Bowen will continue to provide his professional engineering services to the city on an as-needed basis.