Redkey updates employee policies

REDKEY — Employee policies are changing.

One police officer has been terminated.

And a local resident is joining the town’s staff.

Redkey Town Council formally amended the town’s personnel policies, fired officer Chris Boggs and hired Ted Kolodka as a utility worker Thursday.

Updates to the policies and procedures stem back to a dispute between council and Redkey Police Department regarding whether Boggs could take home the town’s police car. 

Council decided in May not to allow Boggs to drive the vehicle to his home in Muncie. Following council’s decision, Boggs continued to take the vehicle home after getting permission from town marshal Zach Moser.

Council members met May 28 to discuss the issue with Boggs and Moser, with Moser saying his department’s standard operating procedure allowed him to make the call on the take-home vehicle.

The policy as updated Thursday says each employee is expected to follow rules set forth by the town council and their respective department. In the event a department’s policies conflict with the town’s policies and procedures, the latter takes precedence.

It clarifies that all town employees, including town marshal, “shall comply with all directives given, or directives voted into effect by Council members, and may not amend such directives without the Council’s approval prior.”

The policy also clarifies council members have “final authority in resolving conflicts related to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) or other personnel policies,” including oversight of town equipment, expending town funds and enforcing rules and regulations set by the board.

“There was conflict, so it’s just a way to say that the council members, whatever they vote, it needs to stand,” said board president Brenda Beaty.

Among other additions, the amended policy:

•Lays out performance expectations for the street superintendent, water and wastewater superintendent and utility workers as well as Redkey Police Department employees

•Notes employees will be given minor infractions for violations, including for failing to promptly notify the clerk-treasurer and department head when leaving and returning town for official duties and for accruing more than three unexcused absences per calendar year or during their probationary period

•Clarifies more than five unexcused absences per calendar year or during the probationary period counts as a major infraction

•States any suspended employee may not be on town property unless accompanied by a town employee or police officer and any terminated employee must be accompanied from town property by a police officer

•Stipulates town police must report to the council member overseeing their department — currently Floyd Life serves in the role — at the beginning of their shift. 

•Requires town employees to participate in a rotating on-call schedule on the weekends with colleagues

•Stipulates town employees taking vacation must give a minimum two-week notice and have detailed notes or standard operating procedure for the employees covering their work in the interim

•Requires town employees to attend all council meetings

•Stipulates all employees receive a copy of the policy and any revisions made to it and includes an acknowledgment form for employees to review and sign

Council members “Watermellon” Jim Phillips, Gavin Grady, Life and Beaty, absent Dave Dudelston, approved the amended policy.

 Also Monday, council terminated Boggs’ employment as a police officer. Council hired Boggs at its April 25 meeting, although he had been working for the town prior to the formal approval. Boggs informed board members May 29 he would be unavailable to work for several days because of a family emergency, according to Beaty. He was suspended with pay on June 1 and suspended without pay following an executive session June 8.

Beaty noted town marshal Zach Moser finished his eight-week training at Indiana Law Enforcement Academy on Friday.

Council also formally hired Kolodka as a utility worker Thursday.

Beaty explained town employee Randy Young — he oversees the town’s utilities and various other responsibilities — has taken vacation for medical reasons.

Kolodka has been volunteering with town utility work in his free time, noted Beaty, and he applied for the utility worker position. He’ll take care of testing and other Indiana Department of Environmental Management requirements alongside certified water operator Matt Corwin of Services By Stouder.

“I’m happy to be on board,” said Kolodka, who has lived in Redkey for nine years. “I’m more than happy to help out in any way I can.”

Grady made a motion to hire Kolodka as a full-time employee and shift Young to a part-time role, but his motion died for lack of a second. Beaty noted council should speak to legal counsel — it approved a contract with John Brooke of Muncie last month — before making such a decision.

In other business, council:

•Hosted a special session following its regular meeting to learn about elected officials’ responsibilities and government meeting decorum with field services manager Joe Thallemer of Accelerate Indiana Municipalities, formerly known as Indiana Association of Cities and Towns. Thallamer previously served three terms on Warsaw City Council and another three terms as mayor of Warsaw.

•Noted resurfacing streets this year has been postponed until August or September while work is completed with gas line replacements. Streets scheduled to be resurfaced include: Union Street between Main to Lake streets and between High to Mitchell streets, Mitchell Street between Union Street to Meridian Avenue, Oak Street between Main to Railroad streets, Delaware Avenue between Meridian to Washington streets and Washington Street from Delaware Street to Bell Avenue.

•Learned Independence Day fireworks will be at dusk July 6 at Redkey Morgan Park. Redkey Junior League’s annual firecracker tournament is also slated for July 4, 5 and 6 at the park.

•OK’d paying $5,000 for repairing equipment at the wastewater plant and $1,500 for Toric Engineering of Danville to train officials and employees on the plant’s computer system.

•Heard a request from Beaty to purchase a laptop and printer for council members to use for town business at Redkey Town Hall.

•OK’d paying Gary Fraley — he’s the town’s contracted mowing service provider this year — an additional $400 to complete trimming and other work around Redkey Town Hall.

•Announced plans for officials to begin uploading ordinances to the town’s website, townofredkey.org, as they are updated.

•Made $5,265.68 in water bill adjustments.