The City Water superintendent of Red Boiling Springs, Brian Long, announced his resignation last week, and replacement solutions were discussed during the City Council meeting on Thursday night.

Long has given a two week notice, and will make himself available to train and assist his replacement until September 1. “I want to make this transition as easy on the City as it can be without affecting our water supply,” Long said.

Eric Sadler is a city employee who has already completed one of several certification tests required to qualify him for the permanent position. He will be in special training with Long for the next few weeks, in an attempt to prepare him for unfamiliar problems that will inevitably arise. City employees often have to call Long for troubleshooting. “I get calls every weekend,” said Long. “Even me, I’ve been [in the position] for years,” said Long, “and sometimes things will come up where I just have to send everybody out and sit in the room and think about it.”

RBS Mayor Bobby Etheridge wanted city residents to be aware that this change will bring a bit of a bumpy period for city water: “Let’s just be clear that we’re going to be shorthanded—so no fussing, no complaining.”

A city must legally have a licensed operator in order to run city water—so the city will be advertising to install such an individual on contract basis to fill in until probably the new year—when Sadler’s certification results will be in after November testing.

Long says he will be glad to bid for this position, and it was observed by several members of the council that Long may well be the only man capable of filling in, as so much of the job is specific to Red Boiling Springs and the quirks of RBS water lines. A special called meeting will be held on Monday, August 27, to discuss the hire of a certified contract operator.