Naming of deputy clerk delayed (12/31/03)

GENEVA — Following discussion over a town employee’s residency requirements, council members here delayed making an appointment for that position on Tuesday.

“It’s my opinion that the deputy clerk (treasurer) should be a resident of Adams County,” town council member Mike Schwartz said adding that it is not defined in the deputy clerk’s job description that the clerk is required to live in the county.

The town’s current deputy clerk-treasurer Rhonda Moser, a town employee for approximately four years, is planning to move by early February to a new home located approximately a half mile into Wells County.

Council members Jim Timmons, Lew Wingler and Schwartz were also not sure if they or clerk-treasurer Doug Milligan appoint the deputy clerk-treasurer and said they plan to talk to town attorney Chris Harvey before making the appointment. Harvey was absent from Tuesday’s meeting and attempts to reach him this morning were unsuccessful.

In related business, John Kleinknight will remain Geneva’s fire chief, and John Patch will share assistant fire chief duties with newly-appointed Ivan Nevil. Nevil will replace Curt Chaffins, who told members Tuesday he wanted to take a break from the position for a year. Patch was re-appointed as assistant chief.

Other re-appointments include: Rob Johnson as town marshal; Harvey as town attorney; and Russ Flueckiger, Randy Lehman, Skeeter Shephard, Jason Wilkie and Rob Johnson to the park board.

Geneva Planning Commission members for next year are Richard Clutter, Donald Graber, Terry Koons, William Warren, Timmons, Schwartz and Wingler.

The town’s board of zoning appeals for 2004 will include Lynn Burry, Eleanor Morris, William Warren, Terry Koons and newly appointed member Kenny Schwartz, who will replaced Steve Hreha. Hreha has moved out of the area.

Milligan also was named to the Adams County Economic Development Committee, replacing town manager Steve Hampshire.

Also Tuesday, Milligan, council president Timmons, vice president Schwartz and Wingler, were sworn in by Adams Circuit Court clerk Nan Nidlinger.

All appointments take effect on Jan. 1.

In other business, the council learned from Nidlinger that it must wait until 2006 to make suggested changes to the town’s voting districts or begin to stagger council member’s terms.

The council discussed Tuesday reducing the number of voting districts from three to two with one member as an at-large nominee. The districts would be split by U.S. 27, creating a districts of residents living west of U.S. 27 and a district of residents living east of U.S. 27.

Council members also talked about beginning to stagger the terms of council members to prevent the possibility of three new members elected to the council in the same year.

The council members said they plan to continue discussing these changes and encourage comments from community members.

Also Tuesday, the council approved its 2004 meeting schedule. The council is set to meet on the first Tuesday of each month except in November, when the meeting is scheduled for Nov. 9 instead of Nov. 2, which is Election Day.

Council members also heard Timmons announce that State Sen. David Ford, R-Hartford City (District 19), and State Rep. Mike Ripley, R-Monroe (District 79) will be available for questions following the dedication of the Pyle Building, 411 E. Line St., Geneva. Ford and Ripley are scheduled to attend the dedication set for Saturday, Jan. 10, at 1 p.m.

The council’s first meeting in 2004 will be held Tuesday, Jan. 6, at 6:30 p.m. in the Pyle Building.[[In-content Ad]]