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Another top official leaving Hamilton city government

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By Ed Richter, Staff Writer 10:07 PM Wednesday, February 8, 2012

HAMILTON — Another top official will be leaving city government in the next two weeks.

Mark Brandenburger notified City Manager Joshua Smith Wednesday of his desire to retire as director of special utility projects.

“Mark’s retirement will create a large hole organizationally for Hamilton,” Smith said. “He was the primary architect behind the city’s utility department resurgence in the early 2000s. Without his leadership and guidance in the last decade, it is hard to imagine what Hamilton would be suffering today.”

Smith said he tried to get Brandenburger to reconsider his decision.

Brandenburger, 60, is the second top official in the city’s Utilities Department to depart in two days. He did not return a phone message Wednesday seeking comment.

On Tuesday, the city terminated Charles Young, general manager of utilities, after 19 years of service.

Smith said that decision was part of a reorganization of the utilities department and was not because of a disciplinary action. Young declined to comment except to extend best wishes to the city.

Brandenburger has been with the city for nearly 38 years. In 1994 he worked as deputy city manager in Hamilton’s gas and electric operations.

He served as city manager from 2007 to February 2010. At that time, he resigned at the request of City Council to become the director of special utility projects.

In that position, he oversaw work on the $500 million Meldahl Hydroelectric Plant project. Brandenburger also served as interim city manager prior to Smith’s appointment.

Brandenburger salary for 2011 was $148,877.

Smith said the other utility directors - Jim Collins, Tony Pochard and Rich Engle - will assume more of a leadership role and provide more strategic input into the organization.

Smith has also tasked Doug Childs with preparing ideas on how to restructure our Energy Management Team and to identify ways to further better the city utilities.

Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4504 or at Ed.Richter@coxinc.com.

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