St. John administrator Julien Harley is out beating the bushes looking for candidates for two jobs available right now at the Motor Vehicles Bureau on the island.
The small bureau has openings for a temporary motor vehicles inspector and a clerk.
The subject of vacancies within the police and firefighter ranks came up at Monday's public hearing before the Senate Committee on Government Operations on St. Thomas. A police administrator told committee chair Gregory Bennerson that despite the territory-wide financial crunch, it was possible to add personnel on St. Thomas and St. John because of federal funding in place.
Motor Vehicles officials say they've been successful in filling a temporary position for inspector on St. Thomas but couldn't find even an applicant for the same job on St. John.
Harley said he started putting out feelers when he heard about both vacancies a couple of weeks ago. "What I've been doing is asking people to call me and send me their resumes, because I don't want them to send someone from St. Thomas when someone on St. John might need a job," he said.
Veteran inspector Ralph Powell remains on duty, Harley said, but a second inspector is kept on staff so that one will always be available during vacations, sick days and other leave periods. The clerk position became available when one bureau administrator transferred to a job with Territorial Court, he said.
Harley said the vacancies have had little effect on St. John operations because the bureau is so small and has so few demands compared to those on St. Thomas and St. Croix.
