The beat goes on

“The council can do whatever this council wants to do,” town attorney Stan Glasscox retorted at Cleveland Town Council’s special meeting last month.

Glasscox was responding to utilities supervisor Steve Pass’s challenge that the council couldn’t reduce the hours of Michael Walker, the water board’s full-time operator, nor do away with overtime for the position, actions called for in motions before the council.

Pass referred to regulations of ADEM (Alabama Department of Environmental Management) requiring that for the number of customers served by Cleveland Water Board – along with the sewer service provided – the utility is required to have two full-time certified operators.

Pass also said one controller should never be left alone. “What happens in an emergency?” he asked. “What if a water main breaks and we have 400 people without water? After eight hours, do we say, ‘Well, we’re going to the house’?” he continued. “Who are we going to call then?”

After much discussion, councilor Kandy Little motioned that Walker’s position be changed from hourly to salary, which would alleviate any overtime. Councilor Mike Evans agreed. Questioning protocol, Little turned to Glasscox, who replied, “Y’all can do whatever y’all want to. Y’all are the council.”

The attorney then recommended tabling the discussion until a salary was agreed upon and until he determined whether the proposal be in the form of an amendment or an ordinance. Little and Evans withdrew their motions until that time.

The special meeting had opened with the council’s unanimous decison not to approve the minutes of the April 13 meeting, during which the resignation of Mayor Larry Longshore was accepted. Two weeks later the mayor rescinded his resignation and resumed the mayoral position with the council’s approval. Evans stated the resignation had been handled inappropriately, thus allowing Longshore back in office. Conflicts concerning the mayor’s resignation have been ongoing ever since.

Approval was made to purchase a new police vehicle. The 2009 Ford Crown Victoria, purchased for $23,000, will be ordered this week and is fully equipped for police use, with the exception of a radio, which will need to be installed.

Moving the discussion to address the budget, Little reported a negative balance of $38,681. Pass interjected that the last budget numbers given him showed a negative balance of only $12,000 and questioned the difference. Little said she “had reworked the numbers” and had also made allowances for future water and material purchases.

With budget in hand, the next item for discussion was dismissal of part-time office help at town hall, which was agreed upon by all present.

The discussion about operator Walker followed.

Glasscox then recommended the council move into executive session regarding pending litigation of “the open meeting act.”

Returning from executive session, council voted not to buy an ad in the football program from the JV cheerleaders and to change dates for council meetings. Several holidays throughout the year are observed on Mondays, and there was also a conflict with Evans’s schedule. The council voted to change meeting dates to the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 7 p.m.

The meeting concluded with Longshore conceding to Jerry Wayne Thomas that a settlement paid to Wayne Owens was not voted on during regular council sessions. After reviewing pages of minutes, Thomas listened to the audio tape of the meeting in question, and no mention of the settlement was found. Dismayed, Thomas asked, “What’s going on? No one has yet to tell me.”

“It was a mistake,” the mayor stated. “We agreed in executive session what we were going to do,” he said, apparently assuming it must have been presented again during open council.

On March 23, 2009, Councilman Glenn Puckett had been quoted as saying “the settlement amount was never discussed,” referencing the $4000 payment to Owens. Owens, who is now superintendent of parks and recreation, threatened legal action when his previous employment with the water board was not reinstated following defeat in last year’s mayoral election.

Councilman David Grigsby was present at the meeting along with the mayor, Little, and Evans. The seats of councilmen Doug Hill and Glenn Puckett remained vacant.