Raises OK in Redkey

REDKEY — Employees here received some good news Thursday night.
Three percent pay raises for town employees and elected officials and larger amounts for the town’s three full-time police officers were approved by town council members as they passed the second and final reading of Redkey’s 2011 budget.
Clerk-treasurer Sandy Kirby said that all town employees as well as elected officials will receive a 3 percent pay raise in January.
Police officers will receive a larger increase. The breakdown on those increases include: Marshal Donnie James — 8.8 percent ($2,629); 12.6 percent ($3,420) for chief deputy Tracy Layman, and 4.9 percent ($1,329) for deputy Joe Hibbard.
With the raises the salaries for the three officers for 2011 will be $32,548 (marshal), $30,591 (chief deputy) and $28,500 (deputy).
Marshal James had previously recommended these increases to the town council.
The total budget for the police department is $129,438.
Budget amounts for town funds include $315,665 for the general fund which includes police, fire and other departments; $18,132 for the Rainy Day fund, $70,970 for the motor vehicle highway (street department) fund; and $10,000 for the park fund.
The 2011 estimated maximum property tax levy is $182,400 with the current tax levy set at $176,500, Kirby said.
The budget document now must be reviewed by county and state officials, Kirby said.
In other business Thursday night town council members:
•Discussed the idea of reorganizing the town’s park board. Councilman Doug Stanley said he wanted to call a special meeting between council members and representatives who had served on the park board, Redkey community center (park cabin) board and Redkey Junior League to iron out some new procedures and policies. This will be an open meeting, Stanley said.
Stanley said his proposal called for having one park board with representatives from different local groups.
Stanley took the initiative on this proposal as a carryover from when he served as town council president. Charles Noble, the councilman who oversees the parks department, and new town council president Terri Taylor were not in attendance at Thursday’s meeting.
•Noted that hydrant flushing throughout the community is scheduled for the week of Oct. 25–29, and residents should be careful about washing clothes as the water might be temporarily discolored.
•Scheduled a special meeting for Thursday, Oct. 28 at 6 p.m. to review various town contracts, especially the one with its legal firm, Brooke-Mawhorr, Muncie.
The council approved a special fund transfer to keep pace with its expenses for legal services. Kirby said the town council originally budgeted $12,000 for attorney’s fees in 2010, but bills have been exceeding the anticipated $1,000 a month.
A resolution was approved Thursday night to transfer $5,000 from the repair and maintenance of buildings fund to the town attorney fund.
However, council members also approved the payment of $4,203 in attorney’s fees in the claims presented at Thursday night’s meeting, leading Stanley to remark: “That $5,000 won’t last very long.”
Council members said the special meeting will be open to the public, and the attorney’s office will be invited to send a representative.  However, council members pointed out that they did not plan on paying the attorney’s representative to attend that special meeting.
The town attorney’s office did not send a representative to Thursday night’s meeting in accordance with the council’s recently adopted policy of only having the attorney present when specifically requested by the council.
•Noted that Redkey town hall will be closed Nov. 3 so Kirby and her assistant may attend a computer training class. Kirby said she planned to keep the clerk-treasurer’s office open on Nov. 2, Election Day, even though the meeting room area of the town hall will be used as a polling place.
•Listened to a report about the fire department’s 1965 tanker truck needing welding repairs to fix a major leak. Council members asked that cost estimates be obtained.  
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