FLASHBACK: No Horses, But Detroit Water Department Employs 'Horseshoer'

Michigan Capitol Confidential ^ | 11/4/2015 | Jarrett Skorup

[MichCapCon]

Despite having no horses, the water and sewerage department for the city of Detroit employs a horseshoer.

Yet even with a department so bloated that it has a horseshoer and no horses, the local union president said it is "not possible" to eliminate positions.

Union rules have turned the department into a government jobs program, some critics say.

The horseshoer’s job description is "to shoe horses and to do general blacksmith work … and to perform related work as required." The description was last updated in 1967.

The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) has a large debt, rising water prices and inefficient services — using almost twice the number of employees per gallon as other cities like Chicago.

A recent independent report about the DWSD recommends that the city trim more than 80 percent of the department’s workforce.

[trebb]

The proper term is farrier.

Yep - but in today's PC world some may think it as a slur calling someone "fairier" than them other fairies....

[dangerdoc]

I was picturing myself as Joe Average. I think you are right, looking around this strange new world, I’m not average anymore.

[Thibodeaux]

now that’s funny, I don’t care who you are

Whore shooer........ chortle

[gogeo]

(Groan)

[PLMerite]

“At least give him a useful job of chasing prostitute off street corners as a whoreshooer.”

Or ‘ho-shooer. Rolls off the tongue better. :)

[PLMerite]

“DWSD has a blacksmith shop in our Central Services Facility,” Edwards said. The shop “also ... repairs equipment and works with various metals and welding for the department when needed.” The horseshoer now works at the Central Services Facility.

The city pays $29,245 in salary and about $27,000 in benefits for the horseshoer position.

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I knew there was more to it than the headline.