City will soon be missing four top employees

The city is going to be missing four employees with leadership experience and institutional knowledge.

Public Works Director William Kappel has announced he will retire at the end of November, followed by Fire Chief Dean Redman in January. The city has already lost Chief Building Official Dave Wheaton, who died of a heart attack in September. City Finance Director Ron Braier retired quickly and unexpectedly this month.

The city has retained a recruitment firm, Voorhees & Associates, to look for the next public works director and will likely do the same for the finance director. Administrators have recommended the recruiter to aid the Police and Fire Commission with its search for a chief. The firm was used when Wauwatosa was hiring its economic development director this spring.

As for Wheaton's position, his job and the building division will be reviewed to determine if some of the duties can be redistributed. Ultimately, someone will be hired but it likely won't be for the exact same position, City Administrator James Archambo said.

For more about the departures, see this week's Wauwatosa NOW.