Council reviews employee issues

Personnel topics flooded Redkey Town Council’s meeting Tuesday.

The council tabled decision on firing a town employee and discussed switching titles between the town’s police officers.

It also introduced its newest council member, Byron Daugherty, during a more than two-hour meeting.

Council member Jenny Staver noted the town board held an executive session June 18 to discuss alleged misconduct by the clerk-treasurer’s assistant, Billie Hammond. Pointing to the town’s personnel policies, Daugherty said Hammond appeared to have made major and minor infractions. (Council president Brenda Beaty later said some of Hammond’s comments could have been interpreted as sexual harassment, although no specific details of the alleged infractions were shared.)

Redkey clerk-treasurer Gloria May noted she selected her assistant when she took office. She said the choice on Hammond’s future in the office should be up to her, referencing the town’s ordinance. Others on council and some in attendance pointed to Hammond’s status as a town employee and said the council has final decision on whether to terminate her.

May then told the board Hammond will remain in her office regardless and threatened to fight the issue in court. Town attorney Maura Hoff suggested hosting another executive session, pointing to threats of litigation.

May said Hammond did nothing wrong and said worse infractions have been made by town personnel and ignored. She refused to write a disciplinary referral for Hammond and, after more discussion, threatened to leave before the meeting adjourned.

Staver made a motion to terminate Hammond’s employment but died for lack of a second. Ultimately, council tabled the issue, with discussion circling around readdressing the issue in an executive session.

Also Tuesday, council talked about but took no action on making police officer Alex Heath town marshal and demoting town marshal Chris Jack to an officer position.

Currently, Redkey Police Department doesn’t have access to the county’s police software system through Spillman Technologies, which police have attributed to a lack of permission from Jay County Sheriff Ray Newton. Officials and police have said Redkey does not have permission to use it for a few reasons, with the largest being that Jack does not have the necessary credentials. Heath now has those credentials, according to the council.

A few council members said they didn’t want to punish Jack but pointed to the need to be able to do police work.

“This situation sucks and it’s not their fault,” said Staver, who like other council members also questioned whether the sheriff’s office will allow access to the system if Heath becomes marshal.

Heath and Jack shared conflicting perspectives. Heath said Newton has told him that once he and Jack complete their training at Indiana Police Academy, they will be allowed to use what they need. Jack argued otherwise, saying the sheriff can choose not to allow them to use the system, which would cost the town several thousand dollars to purchase on its own.

After more discussion, council didn’t vote on the matter, leaving Jack as marshal and Heath as an officer. Hoff suggested the town receive Newton’s perspective in writing and said she would attempt to reach out and look into a new contract with the county for the software system.

Relatedly, council approved contracts with Jack and Heath for them to both attend the Indiana Police Academy, with their graduation date set for Sept. 26.

Also, council introduced Daugherty, who was appointed to the council seat vacated by Dave Dudelston in May.

In other business, council:

•Heard from utility worker Ted Kolodka that officials will be creating a new long-term control plan after advice from Indiana Department of Environmental Management suggested the plan — it was drafted using guidance from a $90,000 master utility study completed last year — would not address flooding problems at the wastewater plant. He said he is working on creating a new plan that would come at no cost for the town.

•Were reminded from Redkey Fire Department firefighter Mark Leavell about a request to purchase another used firetruck for the department. He noted the department nearly failed the department’s second “pumper” nearly failed inspection last year and, if the department doesn’t get a new truck, will fail inspection this year, saying that will lead to higher interest rates. Questions cropped up about how to fund the cost, with Leavell suggesting a loan through Indiana Bond Bank. Beaty also pointed to a pending contract between the town and fire department, suggesting each groups’ lawyers meet to hash out details.

•OK’d the following: paying $1,350 for concrete repairs to the intersection of Daugherty and Burr streets; a ordering $650 replacement check valve from Utility Supply for the water plant, a requirement after a recent Indiana Department of Environmental Management inspection; Jack to have repairs made to the police department’s Dodge Durango and pay for equipment to be used while he and Heath are at the police academy.

•Heard police have been issuing citations for ordinance violations, including unkept yards and abandoned vehicles. Redkey resident Roger Clay asked if the town ordinance addressed abandoned houses, with Beaty saying she and Hoff would look into the matter.

•Learned the town received $10,800 from Miller Pipeline in compensation for dumping  in town. Moving forward, the company will pay the town $5 per dump.

•Heard Redkey Lions Club has donated $1,000 to help pay for installing a handicap-accessible swing at the park. Staver is looking into cost estimates for the playground equipment.

•Made $500.08 in water bill adjustments.