Council Addresses Personnel Issue
During the City Council’s regular monthly meeting Tuesday evening attention was brought to one of the city’s personnel policies during the Citizen’s Comments section of the agenda when Roger Minter addressed the council.
Mr. Minter, a city employee for the past 13 years, complained that after receiving a letter of termination from the city manager on June 13, his appeal hearing scheduled for tomorrow, Friday, July 13, would also be presided over by the city manager.
Currently, according to the city charter, this responsibility is stipulated to be performed by the city manager, Bob Schwartz. Mr. Minter expressed his feeling that this was unjust and requested an appeal hearing before the council.
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Several citizens spoke up for Mr. Minter’s case, one of them being former council person Martha Pompey, who said the only recourse for an has been terminated was to appeal to the city manager, and not the council, and that the policy needed to be changed.
During the discussion Councilperson Randy Strozier said the governing body needed to deal with this personnel policy immediately.
Mayor Bryan Standifer said he would like to seek the advise of the city attorney before proceeding on the matter, and that he would do that immediately and advise council of the results. He then scheduled a called meeting for July 24, to consider the issue.
During a called meeting, as apposed to a work session, the council can vote and take action. However, it was brought to his attention that Mr. Minter’s appeal was scheduled with the city manager on July 13. Mr. Standifer then rescheduled the called meeting for Tuesday, July 17 at 7 p.m., and also rescheduled the appeal hearing for July 19. In view of the above, it appears the fired employee will get his day in court, depending on the action the council takes on July 17.
Downtown Development Authority Director Dave Dammann wasn’t present, however, Mr. Schwartz reported on his behalf that the authority continued to make payments on their bank loans, and that the authority still had openings for three members.
Mr. Schwartz also provided information that City Engineer Robert Jordan is currently preparing the bid specifications for several sewer service line repairs as part of the last phase of the sewer project.
After Mr. Schwartz distributed copies of the final adopted budget for the FY2013 (July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013) the council continued with their agenda with only three council members being present. Mayor Pro Tem Bobby Jacobs and Councilperson Katherine Alexander were not present, however, the council discussed and took action on the following items with the votes of Mr. Stroizer and Councilpersons Cornell Williams and Larry Thurman:
•Unanimously approved the promotion of two senior Monticello Police Officers to the rank of corporal with an annual salary increase of $714 each.
•Unanimously approved the purchase of six portable radios for the Monticello Police Department (MPD) at a total cost of $3,540.
•After the second reading, unanimously approved two ordinances: The rules of the road ordinance which adopted the misdemeanor sections of the Georgia rules of the road as part of the city code to facilitate handling these cases in city court. The prohibiting public consumption of alcoholic beverages ordinance, which will change the definition of public consumption of alcoholic beverages.
•Approved the update of the capital spending plan, which was passed at a prior meeting and stipulates that no capital expenditures can be made unless the funds are available to pay for them.
•Unanimously approved awarding the contract to design a railroad spur line in the county to the engineering firm of Carter and Sloop. The Development Authority of Jasper County is working through the city to apply for a grant from the state to construct a railroad spur line for a potential industry in the industrial park.
None of this work will go forward until the industrial prospect makes a firm commitment to locate in the park. The contract is part of the preliminary work to get ready to move rapidly once the commitment from an industry is made.
•Unanimously approved a slight change in the sidewalk project. This is a project that extends from the hospital to Westview Park, and then to Funderburg Park, which is funded by a federal grant and was put into motion approximately four years ago, and is currently waiting on the approval of the Department of Transportation.
A work session is scheduled for City Council on Tuesday, July 30, and the next regular monthly meeting for Tuesday, August 14, both beginning at 7 pm.
