Council votes again to hire utility worker

REDKEY — Council decided to re-vote on hiring a second utility worker.

The outcome was the same.

Redkey Town Council voted again to hire Todd Miller as a utility worker during its meeting Thursday.

Council members voted on the decision Sept. 12 at a special meeting, with “Watermellon” Jim Phillips and Brenda Beaty in favor and Floyd Life in disagreement. Clerk-treasurer Gloria May also tossed in a vote in favor of the measure. (Per Indiana Code, “the clerk-treasurer is an ex officio member for the purpose of casting the deciding vote to break a tie.”) Council members Gavin Grady and Dave Dudelston were absent.

Beaty reached out to The Commercial Review on Sept. 14. After looking at procedure regarding quorum for town councils, she said council would need to revisit the decision at its next meeting Thursday.

Town officials have been looking to fill utility roles for months following longtime town employee Randy Young’s resignation. Ted Kolodka has been handling utility operations since June 20. Council agreed in July to hire Mike Carlin as a second utility worker, but Carlin later refused the offer.

Kolodka explained Thursday the town needs another utility worker. He noted Bill Tressler also does work for the town but talked about a need for more help and divvying out responsibilities. He advocated for hiring Miller.

“We do need somebody who has (the) background. He’s a person who already has experience from water treatment … he knows utility work, he knows Redkey. It’s really a match that’s kind of like dropped out of heaven,” said Kolodka.

Miller previously served as Redkey town marshal for seven years. Prior to his time at the department, he served as a park ranger at Tennessee State Parks for six years and had a water distribution license through the state. 

Miller resigned as town marshal in May 2022, leaving the town with no officers at its police department at that time. He left Redkey Police Department to pursue a position with Jay County Probation Office, serving in the role for about two years. 

Beaty noted the town has sought applications for the position for months and received two. The other applicant, Matt Gore, intended to seek weekend work only.

Phillips, Beaty and Life voted Thursday in favor of hiring Miller. Council members Gavin Grady and Dave Dudelston were not present for the vote.

Also Thursday, Dudelston — he was present for the first 24 minutes of the meeting — asked police officer John Cave about a conversation between himself and Beaty earlier this week outside Redkey Elementary School. 

Cave said he was handling traffic duty until Moser arrived. He noted Moser picks up his children from the school and takes them home. While they waited for Moser that day, Cave let the children get into his police vehicle. Cave said the discussion that followed with Beaty was heated.

Beaty said she told Cave he wasn’t allowed to have civilians in his vehicle and denied “screaming” at Cave. (Moser has argued in recent meetings that town policy allows civilians in vehicles, specifically in cases when providing short-distance transportation.)

Beaty advocated for moving to the next order of business, and Dudelston demanded Beaty apologize. She refused, telling Dudelston he was “out of line.” He subsequently left the meeting. A few members of the crowd followed, with some criticizing the council and its members before walking out of the building.

Also Thursday, council agreed to terminate its animal control contract with Jay County Humane Society.

Council member Floyd Life and former council members Chance Retter, Hammers and Gardner approved the $7,500 contract in December for animal control in 2024.

Council president Brenda Beaty said Redkey officials have called Jay County Humane Society to pick up animals several times and it has not done so, instead referring calls to town marshal Zach Moser.

She noted the town has not paid for the service yet this year. 

The agreement included a 90-day out clause, which means the contract would be up in December. 

Council also reviewed the 2025 budget, which is estimated at $791,822, an approximately $283,000 increase from the current year. (Federal American Rescue Plan Act funding contributes to $157,836 of that amount.) May noted she created the budget with help from consulting agency Local Government Services — the company has been providing assistance to the clerk’s office since April — and told council members they should plan for a special meeting to discuss the budget before their regularly scheduled Oct. 17 meeting.

Also, council agreed to hire attorney Maura Hoff as the town’s legal counsel. Beaty noted former attorney John Brooke — he was hired in May — recently resigned from the role. Plans are for Hoff to attend council’s next meeting.

In other business, Life, Phillips and Beaty, absent Dudelston and Gavin Grady:

•Heard a backup pumper on one of Redkey Fire Department’s firetrucks barely passed its annual test. Firefighter Mark Leavell noted the department will be seeking grants to replace the pumper or make other engine repairs. 

•OK’d renewing membership with Jay County Chamber of Commerce.

•Tabled a maintenance agreement with Perry ProTech.