Amid a flurry of crucial city vacancies, another high-level position could be left without a leader in the coming days. The Department of Public Works (DPW) Director Jason Mitchell is set to make his exit this Friday, but so far, the city has yet to announce his replacement.

The agency plays a fundamental role in our daily lives. From the water we drink to our trash and recycling, some say leaving DPW without a permanent leader could cause more issues for a department already plagued with problems.

“We’ve just had one situation after another and so it’s been a very challenging time for DPW,” said Councilman Yitzy Schleifer.

Mitchell’s two-year tenure has been fraught with criticism and controversy. Among the many issues; unreliable recycling services, inconsistent trash collections, soaring water bills, the state take-over of a wastewater treatment plant, and a dangerous E.coli water contamination that wasn’t properly communicated to the public.

“I’m looking forward to seeing who the next person will be,” said Schleifer.

Schleifer, an outspoken critic of DPW’s struggles to deliver on basic city services, says he’s eager to see a new Director turn the embattled department around.

However, Mitchell announced his resignation back in January. And yet, there’s been no word on a possible replacement, despite Mitchell’s last day, now just days away.

“I got some serious health issues with someone in my family that I need to attend to,” Mitchell said at the time. An explanation that was followed by leaked audio recordings of Mitchell voicing frustrations behind closed doors, “This city began to compromise who I was as a man and as a professional,” said Mitchell in a meeting after he submitted his resignation, according to an audio recording obtained exclusively by FOX45 News, “I don’t feel oppressed any longer, I don’t feel enslaved.”

“This is an agency that really affects the most basic quality of life functions in our city,” said Schleifer.

“It’s really inexcusable that they don’t have someone lined up to take over starting July 1,” said Taxpayer advocate, David Williams.

Pointing to DPW’s more than $600 million budget and the DPW Director’s $245,000 salary, Williams questions how a lack of leadership might impact not only your city services, but your hard-earned tax dollars as well.

“This could potentially lead to the waste of millions of dollars in the city if there’s not someone at the top of this agency making sure that the money is spent wisely,” said Williams, “Now it’s crunch time for the city and they may have to pay the next person a lot of money to come in and take over this agency.”

FOX45 sent questions to the mayor’s office and DPW asking for their plans following Mitchell’s departure. As of the time this article was published, we have not heard back.