Town Council Regular Meeting

Town of Tyrone Council Meeting Minutes December 4, 2014 Present: Mayor Eric Dial Mayor Pro Tem Gloria Furr Council Member Ken Matthews Council Member Ryan Housley Council Member Linda Howard Town Manager Kyle Hood Town Clerk Dee Baker Town Attorney Dennis Davenport Mayor Dial called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. The Invocation was given by Mayor Dial, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Susie Matthews who lives at 200 Shankhill Ridge stated that the Town’s Christmas decorations look wonderful and the Christmas Committee did a great job. The Town has never looked better. She shared her concern for the need of extra security for street crossing at Sunday’s Tree Lighting at Shamrock Park and asked for extra Police assistance. She also requested the use of the Police Department’s S.M.A.R.T Trailer (Speed Monitoring Awareness Radar Trailer). Chief Perkins stated that he is short-handed and it is short notice. He added that he will do his best to find someone. Council Member Matthews made a motion to approve overtime for an officer to assist with the pedestrian flow. Council Member Howard seconded the motion. Motion was approved 4-0. Approval of Agenda Council Member Matthews made a motion to approve the agenda with the change to table new business item number 1 to the December 18, 2014. Council Member Howard seconded the motion. Motion was approved 4-0. CONSENT AGENDA: All matters listed under this item are considered to be routine by the Town Council and will be enacted by one motion. There will not be separate discussion of these items. If discussion is desired, that item will be removed from the consent agenda and will be considered separately. Approval of Minutes, November 6, 2014 Page 1 of 5 Consideration and action on the appointment to the Fayette County Library Board. Eric Dial, Mayor Consideration and approval for appointment to the Tyrone Planning Commission. Eric Dial, Mayor Consideration of approval to hire Cayla Banks to fill an open police officer position. Brandon Perkins, Police Chief Council Member Housley made a motion to approve the consent agenda. Council Member Howard seconded the motion. Motion was approved 4-0. PRESENTATIONS/RECOGNITION: PUBLIC HEARING: OLD BUSINESS: NEW BUSINESS: 1. Consideration of approval for the renewal of the American Tower lease agreement. Dee Baker, Town Clerk This item was tabled to the December 18, 2014 Council Meeting. 2. Consideration and approval of the Town Manger contract. Eric Dial, Mayor Mr. Hood stated that there is a need for a small modification in section 2, page 2. Regarding the dollar amount, the words and number does not match. Please use the dollar figure, not the words. Council Member Howard made a motion to approve the Town Manager contract to reflect the actual dollar amount and not the written amount. Council Member Furr seconded the motion. Motion was approved 4-0. 3. Consideration and approval of updates to Town of Tyrone personnel policy. Kyle Hood, Town Manager Mr. Hood presented changes to the personnel policy. He added that it is his intention to continue working with legal staff, the Chief of Police and the Human Resources Director to bring back a completely new document that will be more user-friendly. In the past, there have been some questions regarding this particular section of the policy, which is section 5, pages 14-17. This section is entitled “Standards of Conduct and Disciplinary Actions.” He stated that the current version only has 8 disciplinary actions. Moving forward, it will be lengthened to18, along with an all-inclusive statement that should catch all other items. Additionally or in the future, should an employee be found to be in violation, we can now offer a full set of due process options. The previous process lead to the termination of employees in a public meeting. Mr. Hood Page 2 of 5 recommended that until a full policy manual could be adopted that Council approve the personnel policy with the submitted changes. He stated specifically to replace section 5, pages 14-17 in the March 2010 Town of Tyrone Employee Handbook. Mr. Davenport interjected that within the process of termination, there needs to be a statement within the document that states: after consultation, final action of termination will be made by the Police Chief or the Town Manager as appropriate. Discussion took place regarding placement and wording. Mayor Dial stated that under section VII, A. Notification, (line five) the statement should read: … all adverse actions, including termination, made by either the Police Chief or the Town Manager, may only be made after consultation with… Mr. Davenport suggested that the wording for VII, C. Notice of Final Action (line three), should read: If the final action made by the Police Chief and or the Town Manager is for termination, the employee… Mr. Hood stated that there is another minor insertion. Mr. Hood referenced that section VI, B, 2), a) is new. This section states that if a situation calls for immediate removal of an employee, they may be sent home with pay for further review of the situation. Mr. Davenport stated that if the employee is being sent home with pay, this should not be classified as an adverse action. It does not require an appeal. Discussion took place regarding this action to be taken with pay or without pay. Mr. Davenport suggested the wording to be: … suspension without pay, however, if the employee is suspended with pay this shall not be deemed an adverse action, and therefore, not subject to an appeal. Mr. Hood clarified that if an employee is sent home prior to the end of the shift, he or Ms. Beach can manually override the time clock to reflect an eight hour shift. Council Member Housley stated that the sentence should read: … however, administrative leave of absence with pay is deemed not to be an adverse action and not subject to appeal. Mr. Hood added that this could also be used in conjunction with other reprimands. Council Member Housley also asked should the violations be sectioned by severity. Mr. Hood stated that that would be in the next version. Council Member Housley made a motion to approve the updates to the Town of Tyrone personnel policy as submitted with revisions. Council Member Matthews seconded the motion. Motion was approved 4-0. Public Comments Staff Comments Mr. Hood stated that the Town offices will be closed on Wednesday, December 10th from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm for the employee luncheon that is being hosted and catered by Operation Mobilization. He thanked Operation Mobilization for their generosity. He added that the Town offices will also be closed for the Christmas Holiday on Thursday and Friday, December 25th and 26th. Mr. Hood made a request to Council that they consider allowing, in addition to the January 1st holiday closure, the 2nd as well to give Town employees an extended weekend. Council Member Matthews made a motion to approve the day off for all non-essential personnel on January 2, 2015. Council Member Howard seconded the motion. Motion was approved 4-0. Page 3 of 5 Mr. Hood stated that he met with our Town Engineer yesterday and we are getting closer to our major transportation infrastructure projects. The bid advertisement for the widening and paving of Castlewood and Senoia Roads should go out on Wednesday December 31st. Bid packages will be accepted in mid-January and prep work should start in March. The bidding process should be very competitive. The Department of Transportation has no major projects slated for that time frame. Most work will take place on nights and weekends, the noise and lights should be less intrusive. Mayor Dial requested that the dip in the road on Senoia Road, past the overpass be filled as a part of this project. Mr. Hood stated that it should be included. Costs are currently much lower and the Town will make an effort to pave through Powers Court. He announced that this will be the single largest in house managed project for Tyrone, in regards to length of road and dollars spent. Mr. Hood stated that he would be out of the office on December 9th at the Department of Natural Resources obtaining grant administration training for our soccer fields. He added that he hopes to have the soccer fields ready for the next Fall soccer season. Mr. Hood stated that he and Billy Campbell have been working on revising a much smaller version of the right of way maintenance Request for Proposal (RFP). He added that they have established great relationships with other local vendors and will try to have a proposal in January. Mr. Hood stated that several departments have asked to recognize Billy Campbell and his staff. The Town looks great; and they have spent a lot of time working on decorations, some of which is their own. The Library, Ms. Vaughn and Ms. Patton asked that we recognize them. Mr. Hood announced that the Tyrone Christmas Tree lighting will be held the Sunday at Shamrock Park from 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm, come out and meet Santa. Ms. Baker thanked Council for the new Town car that arrived that afternoon. Mayor Dial showed his appreciation for Beth Vaughn. He stated that she dropped what she was working on to write a letter assisting two realtors to save their buyers several thousands of dollars in flood plain insurance. Council Comments Council Member Matthews congratulated the 6U Sandy Creek Football Team on their championship this year. Council Member Furr stated that she had received dozens of phone calls regarding the Christmas banner at Veteran’s Park and the decorations. She thanked Billy Campbell and his crew for going over and beyond. Page 4 of 5 Council Member Furr thanked the Christmas Committee which she is also a part of. She thanked Susie Matthews, Kay Pate, Lynda Owens, Chip Young and Billy Campbell for their hard work. Executive Session Pursuant to O.C.G.A § 50-14-4 (b) of the Open and Public Meetings Act, Council will meet in Executive Session for one item of pending litigation and one item of threatened litigation. Council Member Furr made a motion to enter into executive session for one item of pending litigation and one item for threatened litigation. Council Member Howard seconded the motion. Motion was approved 4-0. No action was taken. Council Member Furr made a motion to reconvene. Council Member Howard seconded the motion. Motion was approved 4-0. Adjournment Council Member Furr made a motion to adjourn. Motion was approved 4-0. Meeting adjourned at 8:10 p.m. By: ________________________ Attest: ______________________ Eric Dial, Mayor Dee Baker, Town Clerk Page 5 of 5