Patton gets nod as city’s new landscape manager

From the Country Club to the city, Hank Patton will be McMinnville’s first landscape manager. He is scheduled to begin work Aug. 13.

As most will remember, this isn’t the first time Patton has applied for the top position in the Urban Forestry Department.

‘I’m glad we are where we are at now,’ Patton said. ‘I’m pretty excited. I’m looking forward to getting started and trying to help make McMinnville prettier.’

He was chosen for the position by Parks and Recreation director Carlene Brown after a panel of five city employees, herself included, individually scored each applicant. When the scores were tabulated, all were unanimous and in favor of one person, Patton.

Although the decision seemed to take no time at all and only one round of interviews, it wasn’t an easy one.

‘It was a hard decision,’ said Brown. ‘We had three well-qualified individuals. You could tell from the interviews they all wanted the job. In the end, Patton was chosen unanimously.’

Putting Patton ahead of the pack was the 21 years spent maintaining country clubs, 10 of those at McMinnville Country Club, and the change in the job description from an urban forester to landscape manager.

‘Since we re-designed the department and put all the landscaping responsibilities in our department we had to find someone who had actual experience managing landscapes, managing personnel, application of design and installation and maintenance of landscapes and Hank had the most experience of our applicants,’ said Brown.

Not only is Patton’s experience in line with what the city is looking for, his education is directly related to the position of landscape manager. He has a bachelor of science degree in turf grass management and horticulture from Mississippi State University.

City administrator David Rutherford has given his approval of Brown’s recommendation. Now the only thing standing between Patton and the position is a physical. According to Brown, the physical is routine and she doesn’t foresee any complications.

For the first few days Patton will be accessing the different areas the job currently involves while beginning on areas that need his attention the most.