Redkey cop quits, changes mind (3/8/04)

REDKEY — According to an old saying, "History repeats itself," and that was certainly the case in this community Saturday morning.

For the second time in less than a month, a Redkey town employee announced plans to resign, and then tried to rescind them.

Redkey police Sgt. John Hankins waited for the end of an hour and a half town council executive session, called to discuss a police personnel matter, and then addressed the council members in a brief open meeting, telling them that he had changed his mind about wanting to resign.

However, the council voted 4-1 to accept Hankins' resignation. It is scheduled to become effective Thursday, March 11. Hankins will continue his full duties as a Redkey police officer until that date.

The only vote against accepting Hankins' resignation was cast by Redkey Marshal Brenda Collett, who also serves as a member of the town council. While she made no statements during the open session of the meeting, afterward Collett said, “(Hankins) is a good police officer. I think (the other council members) are going to be sorry. He does his job. I never had to worry about that. I think the town's going to suffer for this.”

Hankins reportedly became upset with the council and decided to resign shortly after last month's regular council session when council members decided to lock a taser weapon, which had been donated to the department, in the clerk-treasurer's vault rather than let the police start using it.

Hankins has been a member of the Redkey Police Department for a little over a year. He graduated from the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy last year while employed with the Redkey department.

Saturday morning, council members gathered at 9 a.m. for a closed-door session in town hall. At about 10:30 a.m., clerk-treasurer Brenda Adkins opened the doors for the public session. Waiting outside in the parking lot were Hankins and about five local residents.

Council president Violet Erlenbush opened the meeting by saying the only items on the agenda would be a police personnel matter and discussion about the acceptance of applications for a vacant town employee position. That is the job formerly held by 20-year employee Charles Conn, who unexpectedly announced his resignation plans effective immediately in the middle of last month's town council session. The next day, however, he said he wanted to rescind his resignation.

Conn had worked with the water and street departments, serving as street department superintendent for many years.

As Erlenbush concluded her opening statements, Hankins asked if he could say something.

“You'll have to wait until we get to you,” she replied.

Next she discussed the water and street department opening, pointing out that several people had applied for the spot, and interviews with five finalists would be scheduled for Thursday, March 18 at town hall. That meeting is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m., with an executive session to interview applicants and review their qualifications first. A public town council meeting is scheduled to follow at 6 p.m., and a new town employee may be hired at that time, Adkins said.

Meanwhile, town council members said Saturday that there were potholes all over town which needed to be patched as quickly as possible. A motion was unanimously approved to have Redkey police Sgt. Mike Daniels and town resident Dave Cook — employed on a part-time basis — patch the potholes, as a stopgap measure until a new full-time employee is hired. The council agreed to pay Cook and Daniels minimum federal wage on an hourly basis.

The next topic of discussion was Hankins' resignation, which he had submitted after the last regular council session on Feb. 16.

However, Redkey resident Joe Anderson attempted to ask a few questions first. Erlenbush responded by banging her gavel down several times, and telling Anderson, “You're out of order.”

Next Hankins asked if he could say a few words, noting that he had a letter which he wanted to submit to the council and have the clerk-treasurer read aloud for the record.

“I rescind my letter of resignation that was to be in effect March 11,” Hankins stated in his letter.

However, Erlenbush asked for a motion to accept Hankins’ resignation as previously submitted. That motion was made, seconded, and then approved by a 4-1 margin.

“At this time, we have accepted John Hankins’ resignation,” Erlenbush said, noting that she had called the town's attorney previously, and "He said it was OK to accept it, effective March 11.”

Obviously dismayed with the outcome of the meeting, Hankins said afterward that he planned to continue his duties until March 11. He declined to issue any statements Saturday morning, but indicated he might have something to say later this week.

Also prior to the end of Saturday's meeting, Hankins asked if Collett had submitted her resignation as well.

Following the meeting, Collett talked privately with Hankins, but declined to make any additional statements to the press.

Meanwhile, Anderson said that he was upset that he was not allowed to ask any of his questions, which he said primarily dealt with the hiring of a new town employee for the street department.

Also Anderson talked with Collett briefly after the meeting, and she told him, “You heard my vote. I was out-voted.”[[In-content Ad]]