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09-07-1984 - Special . -/ -I" ' I , / Q Q CITY COUNCIL OF EDGEWATER SPECIAL MEETING SEPTEMBER 7, 1984 MINUTES Mayor Ledbetter called the Special Meeting to order at 11 :04 A.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 Pol ice Chief Douglas Betts Present Excused Present Arrived Later Mayor Ledbetter stated the purpose of the meeting, on an emergency basis, was to dis- cuss the letter received the previous day from the Pol ice Benevolent Association. Councilman Asting moved to have a brief recess at 11 :05 A.M. Chief Betts arrived at the meeting during the recess, at 11 :07 A.M. Mayor Ledbetter called the meeting back to order. City Clerk Kinsey read the September 4th letter from Mr. Harry Haeseker, President of Central Florida Pol ice Benevolent Association, which stated that he considered some of Chief Betts' actions to be harrassment of the Association and its representatives which constitutes an unfair labor practice. The letter also stated that threats and intimi- dation of Pol ice officers are unlawful and will not be tolerated and if the actions continue by the Chief, the Association will be forced to take legal action against the City and the Chief. Mayor Ledbetter said held spoken to the City Attorney the day before regarding this letter and the City Clerk was present during the conversation. He asked the City Clerk to state what the City Attorney had advised. City Clerk Kinsey said the City Attorney advised the Council due to possible 1 itigation that the matter be immediately turned over to him for handl ing. Councilman Asting stated that he's a representative of the people and he wanted to direct some questions to the Chief. Councilman Wargo called a point of order and said theylre putting the cart before the horse. Councilman Wargo noted that about ten months ago they had a labor management meeting due to complaints from people in the Pol ice Department and they came out of that meeting with the conclusion that it was a matter to be processed through the procedures in the union contract. He added that he feels this grievance should go according to the union contract and he read from the contract on page 10 and page 34. He said if anyone in the Pol ice Department has a grievance, he should follow the procedures as outl ined and the Council shouldn't interfere. Councilman Spencer said he was surprised that itls an emergency meeting called because of receipt of a letter and he feels it isn't an urgent emergency and it would be appropriate to turn it over to the City Attorney as suggested. Councilman Asting said he wanted to ask the Chief some questions. Councilman Wargo stated that he'd called a point of order and it might jeopardize their position. Mayor Ledbetter stated that Councilman Asting can ask his questions. Councilman Asting said he understands there were written reprimands of Pol ice officers and asked if these were placed in the personnel files of the Personnel Officer, and if not, are they maintaining two separate personnel files on Pol ice officers. Chief Betts said the two written reprimands are at one patrol officer. Councilman Asting asked if they're in his personnel file or not. Chief Betts repl ied that they'll be put in his personnel file and he has them with him. Councilman Asting asked if these were written in regard to contract violations. Chief Betts said he didn't know, they have to do with professional conduct, criticism of the departments, and professional conduct and responsibil ities, standard conduct and a violation of the rules and regulations manual that all Pol ice officers are aware of. Chief Betts said the officer violated the rules and regulations manual and professional conduct by crossing 1 ines. Mayor Ledbetter asked if he's going by the old guidel ines or the new ones. Chief Betts repl ied they're the ones in effect now and his have not been presented to Council for study. . A ~ ,,~ r ./ o (,,) Councilman Asting agreed they should leave the letter from the PBA in the hands of the City Attorney, but wanted to ask more questions. Mayor Ledbetter stated that if the letter is going to be directed to the City Attorney, there's no use going into a lot of questions now. Councilwoman Bennington said she didn't know of any grievance filed and this letter isn't a grievance but the union violated their own contract by issuing this letter and sending it to the City Clerk. She said she didn't know who decided it was an emergency when they had other grievances filed with the City and no emergency was called then but whoever's behind this seems to have an objective to embarrass the Pol ice Department and the citizens. Councilman Asting said he disagreed with her, but has other questions. Councilman Asting stated that the day before at 12:30PM he went to the Pol ice Station to look at the room that EVER is vacating, and he was told that the Chief was on a lunch break. He said at 2:30 that afternoon he got a call from the City Clerk advising him of the letter from PBA and he came to City Hall to receive a copy and after reading it, he felt he should talk to the Chief about it. He continued that he had the City Clerk call over to the Pol ice station and the Chief wasn't available and still on a lunch break at 2:30. He said he stayed at City Hall until about 3:45PM and the Chief was still on a lunch break and nobody knew where he was. He said they finally got a call from his assistant from Daytona Beach asking for a purchase order to buy office furniture and the chair cost $549. and the desk was $269., and he felt $549. for a chair is a lot of money and isn't warranted. Mayor Ledbetter noted that the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the letter. Councilman Asting pointed out that the notice states it's to review Pol ice matters. Mayor Ledbetter said the Council can call a Special Meeting or Workshop on other items. Councilman Asting stated that the Chief hired a patrolman and nobody knew about it on payroll day, including the Personnel Officer, and that situation needs to be corrected. Mayor Ledbetter said he signed a check and found a problem with signing it for someone he didn't know existed and the City Clerk advised him the man had been hired. Councilman Asting stated that payroll for the Pol ice Department is late every time and it arrived at 11 :55 AM and this causes concern to the payroll personnel. He added that he's not happy with these conditions existing in the Pol ice Department. Councilman Spencer noted that this was an emergency meeting to discuss the letter and Councilman Asting pointed out that it was to be Police matters. Councilman Wargo asked the emergency of what he's discussing. Mayor Ledbetter asked if they're going to turn it into a witch hunt. Councilman Asting said he's concerned about the $549. for a chair. Councilwoman Bennington said the Chief saved them over $2,500. in a radio purchase they were told would cost $6,500. and they're spl itting hairs. Mayor Ledbetter said he's also heard rumors he'd 1 ike answered. Councilman Wargo said this is ridiculous to get into and he moved to adjourn. Mr. Robert Christy, from the audience, called a point of information, and said the attorney said not to discuss it because of possible 1 itigation and this is open to the publ ic and they're entitled to know what's going on and he demands his rights to hear this if something is going on in the Pol ice Department. Councilman Asting stated that the Chief is making personal calls to Perry and Bradenton and they shouldn't be charged to the City's telephone bills. Minutes submitted by: Lura Sue Koser I' -2- Council Special Meeting Minutes September 7, 1984 audience, things run the ~s-- (j ~ ~ t/ ~ F ~