(KNZA)--The Hiawatha City Commission has approved the appointment of Brad Scott to the newly created position of Director of Public Works.

City Administrator Becky Berger requested the promotion of Scott to the position and the commission was in unanimous agreement with the appointment when they met last week.

“I appreciate that Brad is willing to take on the challenges of being the Director of Public Works, he is the perfect person for the job,” said Mayor Becky Shamburg.

Prior to last week's appointment, the Water & Lights Superintendent, Sewer Superintendent, and Streets Superintendent reported directly to the City Administrator, with operations among the department- being somewhat siloed. As Public Works Director, Berger, in a release said Scott will be able to better align the City- resources and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of City operations.

“When I met Brad during my interview, I was immediately impressed with his breadth of knowledge and experience," she said. "I felt his skills were underutilized, and a couple months on the job has confirmed that for me."

Scott has been serving as Superintendent of Water & Lights since early 2018 and has overseen upgrades to the Water Treatment Plant and system improvements. He began his career with the City in 2005 and was an employee of the previous Public Works Department.

“He has great insights on what worked well and what didn’t back then, I’m looking forward to seeing Brad implement his ideas to improve services,” Berger said.

When asked about his new role, Scott said he is excited.

“Hiawatha is the town that I grew up in, the town where my wife and I chose to raise our family," he said. "I look forward to finding the most effective and efficient way to serve the citizens of the town I love and call home.