NEW ULM — Kris Manderfeld was officially appointed to the position of utilities director by the Public Utility Commission, Tuesday.

Manderfeld previously served as the assistant finance director. In February, she was appointed interim utility director to fill the vacant director position after former director Rod Marshall was let go.

In April, the PUC decided not to appoint a recruiting service to find a new utility director. It was decided to look at internal candidates and candidates from the previous search.

The recommendation included an initial compensation of $107,723.20 for this position. After six months the salary would be adjusted to $112,028.80

The city will also begin advertising for Manderfeld’s previous position, which is now called the financial manager position.

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The PUC authorized awarding a $56,246.75 for breaker maintenance services for the existing 69 kV breakers at the North Side Substation.

Dan Pirsig said these breakers had latching issues and the original plan was to replace them. Instead, an overhaul kit and maintenance plan were found to refurbish the breakers for less than half the cost of a new breaker.

This project was unbudgeted, but Electrical Distribution has chosen to delay another project freeing up $112,000 in the budget.

Pirsig said this overhaul will make the breakers close to new. The useful life of the breakers would be extended to the equivalent of a new breaker.

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The purchase of a 55-foot Freightliner bucket truck and boom through a cooperative purchasing agency was approved. The bid is $251,528 which includes a $6,378 option for blue metallic paint. The cost of a white body is $245,150.

Manderfeld said with smaller trucks, there is no extra cost for paint, but for larger vehicles, there is.

Traditionally, the electric department has blue vehicles, but the commission decided to order the larger vehicles in white to lower the cost.