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09-30-1983 - Special ~ r~' ..-~ \:. '" ~ CITY COUNCIL OF EDGEWATER SPECIAL MEETING SEPTEMBER 30,1983 MINUTES - j Mayor David Ledbetter called the Special Meeting to order at l:DO P.M. in the Community Center. ROLL CALL Mayor David Ledbetter Councilman Melbourne Wargo Councilwoman Gigi Bennington Councilman Neil Asting Present Present Present Present Councilman Jack Spencer City Attorney Jose' Alvarez City Clerk Connie Kinsey Police Chief Earl Baugh Present Present Present Present \ \\ I Hayor Ledbetter stated the purpose of the meeting was to pay the bills and accounts due to the close of this fiscal year. Councilman Spencer moved to pay the bills and accounts. Councilwoman Bennington seconded the motion. Motion CARRIED 5-0. City Clerk Kinsey said she had a supplement bill from Mr. Terry Wadsworth, Superintendent of the Utilities Department, with a memo regarding Davis Meter and Supply. She said Mr. Wadsworth had written a purchase order for one of each item and they received two of each item, which made the invoice total $1,262.30, and since he can use two of each of these items, he is requesting authorization to keep them. Councilman Asting moved to go ahead and authorize the additional payment. Councilwoman Bennington seconded the motion. Motion CARRIED 5-0. \ I I I Councilman Wargo said he was concerned about the newspaper articles and rumors regarding the Police Department. He said he has heard there are three or four more people in that department who are antiCipating resignation. He suggested Council have a special meeting to delve into this problem to see if they can find an answer. Councilman Asting asked Chief Baugh if there were four more planning to resign and Chief Daugh said he'd talked with Tod Garthwaite who had indicated he might go to New Smyrna Beach but he is reconsidering staying. He said he also talked with Greg Yackel who anticipated going to the Highway Patrol but that's all he knew about. " I I , I Councilman Wargo said it puts them in a bad position because a lot of overtime will have to be paid and there was over $18,000. in overtime this year so far. Chief Baugh said his top three people from the interviews held for the patrolmen vacancies were experienced, one for nine years and the other two as auxiliary, and if he could start them in training right after the first of the year it would eliminate some of the overtime. Councilman Asting asked the names of the three officers and Chief Baugh said it was Sandi Hansen, Chris Brown, and Robert Adams. Councilman Wargo said they would have a problem and would have to declare an emergency if many people would resign. Mayor Ledbetter said he'd been told there were five to seven people who are antiCipating leaving. Councilman Wargo said he was concerned that there was an ll-year veteran who was leaving and they had invited him to talk with them but he didn't do so. He said there was a lot of money tied up in training someone for that many years. Mayor Ledbetter said he was wondering if the people in the Police Department were afraid to talk to Council and suggested Council let them come with immunity, and asked City Attorney Alvarez if Council could grant them that immunity. City Attorney Alvarez said any employee who wishes to 1 expercise his Constitutional right to express views and opinions can do so and it ~/as the Council's and department head's duty to insure that the employee was not penalized for expressing views on an administrative matter. Chief Baugh said he had never told any employees they cannot talk. Councilman Spencer noted they just had a workShop with the Police Department and listened to complaints and he's Willing to do it again but asked what would be accomplished. I Councilman Wargo said that was a workshop which started as a labor management meeting and they thought Council should be aware of it but they didn't get enough people to get it squared away like it should have been. , G ! Jt V ~ L -.t~ .. . Councilman Asting suggested calling members of the Police Deparmtent and asking them if they have a problem and ask them to speak if so. City Attorney Alvarez noted that if it's a situation like the lady who complained about the police officer stopping her and going to her house or complaints against a police officer, these follow a different pro- cedure and these to be discussed would have to be purely administrative. Chief Baugh asked if he could call a departmental meeting and make it mandatory to come and invite Council to the meeting. Council members did not agree with this request. Councilman Spencer said the Police Chief should be present at the meeting and the employees should be advised that anything they say will not be held against them or their job by the Chief or the Council. Councilman Asting moved to have a Workshop to discuss Police inter-department affairs and activities with each member of the force. City Clerk Kinsey suggested Tuesday and Council agreed to that and agreed that City Attorney Alvarez should be present. City Attorney Alvarez suggested a special meeting since it's more formal and you could put someone under oath. Councilman Asting changed his motion to read a Special Meeting instead of a Workshop and to be on Tuesday at 10:00 A.M. Councilman Spencer seconded the motion. Council members expressed their concern about Bill Rickelman's leaving the force. There was a discussion about the scheduling of those that would want to speak, and the payment of overtime for those that are not on duty at that time. Motion CARRIED 5-0. Councilwoman Bennington moved to adjourn the meeting. Councilman Asting seconded the motion. Meeting was adjourned at 1:28 P.M. Minutes submitted by: Lura Sue Koser CDSbL fiPt~ rr~ '?7l;J/~~~ d. , fou~dL~N - ZONE ONE . -7' r 4~~~~ r/ )~f7 7;4.~ COUNCILMAN - N THREE I' n 0 -(f;f.~~~ ~ ~' COUNCI~- zOrfG'~OUR ~ ATTEST: ~. ~ ~L-~-: ;:: C!TY CLERK ~ ji.p~lroved th is L7:;t;i. da of ~r~~~ M YOR -2- Special Council Meeting Minutes September 30, 1983