Portsmouth— After the retirement of City Service Director Jack Tackett, who had a 43-year history at the City of Portsmouth and three as director, George James has been named the new director by City Manager Sam Sutherland.

In fact, the appointment of James was a rapid response by Sutherland, who made the decision with ease.

“George has a lot of years in and has worked in many departments and divisions,” Sutherland explained. “I think he will be a good fit for leading that department in the future.”

James has a 33-year tenure with the city, where he started as a seasonal worker. Climbing the ranks and departments, James has worked in sanitation, heavy equipment, maintenance, traffic, and waterworks. He was elevated to crew leader in the water works department before taking on the role of pipe yard supervisor, which he held for 13 years.

“I feel good about it. I think it is going to work out,” James said of his new position. “It is just getting used to things down there; I’ve been so used to the waterworks side of things and now we’re looking at a broader picture. I’m still learning. I knew some of it, but I am focusing on learning everything extra so we can continue to offer the services the public expect.”

Sutherland wasn’t the only vocal supporter of James. Previous Director Jack Tackett also discussed the decision with the Portsmouth Daily Times. Tackett is proud of James and thinks he is well-suited for the job.

“George has been there for a long time. He was with me for a while, in traffic. He knows everybody and how things need to be run. I think he will be a good fit,” Tackett explained. “You know, it can take two years to really learn how things function, and, well, the city made a smart move with George, because he is already familiarized and won’t take as long to start making an impact.”

James had some history of working with Tackett, however, as well as a multitude of departments. He is focused on getting the whole job done and says there are some things that stand out, but he is confident they will work out with the crew he has.

“I’d like to focus on being more efficient. Getting a lot of the little things that need addressed first,” James said. “Working on signage and improving that stuff. Keeping up with all of the maintenance of the city, including the roadways and potholes. As most can guess, it is hard to do, because you can address ten and there will be 30 more.”

James feels good about his time as a city employee and says he will carry these years of experience with him as he directs the department.

“I feel good about my tenure. I’ve been treated fairly, and I put care into my work, because it is important to the public,” James said. “Nobody wants to wake up to their trash not being collected, signs down, or being without water. I feel like I’ve done my best that I can do to keep everything going.”

Some hurdles do stand out to James, however.

“I think getting roadways addressed will be the biggest hurdle, because of the shape of our roads,” James said. “As well as ensuring all garbage is collected efficiently.”

James says that he knows it takes a massive department of employees to make the work possible and is leaning on tenured employees and new employees to continue services.

“The crews we have are good and they’re getting their jobs done,” James said. “They’re young, though, and they still have to learn how some things work at the city, the procedures and all of that, but the guys I’ve taken over are good and Jack has done a good job at getting them working in their roles. Sometimes, with the younger guys, it takes time to get them into the routine, but we’re on track.”

One worry James says that he doesn’t have is the future of the pipe yard, which is now under the supervision of 31-year employee Dave Scott, who is a close friend of James after decades of working together.

“The pipe yard is in good hands with Dave Scott,” James claimed. “He knows what he is doing. All of the other guys there know what they are doing. They were great guys to work with and picked up on things quickly. We just need the public to be patient with them when they’re working on water and have roads blocked. I’m still with the city and I’m just a call away. Scott knows what he is doing, however, and is more than capable.”

After discussing Scott, James once again commented on other city staff that he worked with along the way.

“I thank everyone I’ve worked with. It has taken many crews of guys, working with them over the years, to get all our work done to keep things functioning. I have only accepted this position because of them and all of the hours we’ve spent to keep things functioning for the taxpayers of Portsmouth.”

Reach Joseph Pratt at (740) 353-3101, by email at [email protected], © 2024 Portsmouth Daily Times, all rights reserved.