City rejects ordinance change

The city’s clerk-treasurer will not get reimbursed for personal and sick days she accumulated prior to taking office.
Council voted 4-3 Monday to reject a change to the payroll ordinance, which Portland Mayor Randy Geesaman brought to council as clerk-treasurer Mickey Scott is preparing to leave office at the end of the year.
The payroll ordinance says elected officials who accumulated personal and sick days will be reimbursed once that individual retires from the position. The change would have allowed a former city employee who became an elected official to also receive those benefits.
The ordinance would have allowed Scott, who lost her bid for re-election to Lori Aker-Ferguson, to be paid for personal and sick days from when she was a city employee, Geesaman said. She worked in the water office from 2004 until becoming clerk-treasurer in 2012.
Council members Judy Aker, Kent McClung and Michael Brewster voiced their concerns about the proposal.
“I have a feeling if we approve this tonight, we are asking to open up a can of worms,” said Aker. “How many other employees in the past are going to come forward and say, ‘I want my money?’ We did it for one person, we need to do it for all.”
Geesaman argued if there is something built up or earned beforehand, it shouldn’t be taken away, but McClung said that is the choice one makes when he or she decides to run for office.
Brewster asked why the ordinance was brought up now and if the change covers all 60 municipal employees or just Scott. Geesaman responded saying it would be for any employee. Brewster argued the ordinance wouldn’t have been brought to council’s attention had Scott won the election, and Geesaman agreed.
Hedges joined Aker, McClung and Brewster in voting against the ordinance change.
In other business, council — Kip Robinette, Bill Gibson, Don Gillespie, Hedges, Aker, McClung and Brewster:
•Approved sending a tax abatement request from Larry Holmes of Fort Recovery Industries to the tax abatement advisory committee. The company plans to invest about $2.75 million for new machinery. Holmes said the investment would create eight jobs with an average annual salaries of $32,400. This abatement would save the company $104,000 over five years.
•Voted 6-1, with Hedges dissenting, to award an Economic Development Income Tax grant of $75,000 for Brad and Pat Daniels, a local couple trying to purchase Jay County Antique Mall, 500 S. Meridian St. The couple will provide monthly reports and their home as collateral for the grant, otherwise they must pay it back as a loan. They plan to turn the property into an event hall.
Hedges was concerned with the request and asked the couple what they would do with the money. Brad Daniels said he would use up to $20,000 to get the hall up and running and use the rest for additional renovations.
•Heard from Portland City Court Judge Donald Gillespie, who thanked Robinette and Brewster for their service on city council. Gibson, Aker and Gillespie then thanked Robinette and Brewster for their service on council.  Robinette noted he enjoyed being on council for 16 years. Brewster and Robinette chose not to run for reelection. Brewster will be replaced by his wife, Michele Brewster, in District 3, and the at-large seat Robinette held will be filled by Janet Powers.
•Learned from Geesaman of the possibility of detention ponds in areas where Millers Branch comes into the city, such as Jay County Fairgrounds, Tri-State Gas Engine and Tractor Association Grounds or Portland Industrial Park, to alleviate potential flooding downtown. He noted he had meetings with downtown business owners about the feasibility of such a project.