By Ashley McCarty-
The West Union Village Council had a vivacious meeting Monday night as they discussed the hiring of new employees and employee raises.
The opening of the meeting was proceeded by councilman Steve Rothwell presenting two potential maintenance applicants.
“One of them is Christy [Hayslip], she’s a subcontractor right now, but she’s been going down to the other building and mowing, hauling mowers around, mowing other yards — and what she’s doing is she’s pulling our trailer and our mower behind her truck,” said Steve Rothwell.
Rothwell said that if Hayslip is hired full-time, she will need to go on their insurance.
“We need to make sure to waive any liability,” said Village Solicitor Lisa Rothwell.
Councilman Mark Brewer said Hayslip would be the first female they had ever hired in maintenance. Lisa Rothwell said that Hayslip had been working for them for a long time and commended her on the good job she’s always done.
“She’s maintenance here, she doesn’t even change the furnace filters, I mean — there’s certain things that — yeah, everything’s clean, don’t get me wrong, but when you say ‘maintenance’ there are certain other things that need to be done, too,” said Village Clerk Tanya Johnson.
Steve Rothwell said it needed to be brought to her attention. Councilman Jason Francis suggested presenting her with a cleaning schedule.
“I mean I’m not saying anything bad about her, but, I mean, there are — I mean, I don’t know who’s supposed to be her “supervisor” or what, but I mean you need to ask people. I have known her to sit around for an hour and not do anything, too, I mean — but nobody asked me,” said Johnson.
Lisa Rothwell said that if there are any concerns about anything that needs to be done, it should be directed to Vilage Administrator Jerry Kirker. Francis suggested her job duties be “spelled out for her so she knows exactly what she’s doing, when she’s expected to be here, and vice versa to all the other ones.”
“Yeah, I see what you’re saying, and it should — basically what she’s going to be doing, she’s going to be doing what she’s doing now, but she’s going to go on full-time, she’s going to get retirement and benefits,” said Steve Rothwell.
Steve Rothwell made a motion to hire Hayslip as full-time maintenance at the Municipal Building and Water, Sewer and Street Department laborer.
“She’s making what, $10/hr now?” said Steve Rothwell. Johnson said yes. Johnson said they had people starting out at $9.50.
“We’re doing away with this starting thing where you start at exact — we’re going to do away with that tonight. I think. But I think go ahead and leave her at $10 for right now, and then see how it all works out, and if she needs a raise we’ll talk about that,” said Steve Rothwell.
Councilman John R. Lafferty said he remembered in the past there had been mention of a $10/hr minimum. Steve Rothwell said he thought the police started out at $10.50/$10.75.
“That’s what we was talking about — and I guess this is in personnel — that this rate of, this thing staying at, ‘you’re new, you’re going to start at $9/hr,’ we’re going to have to get away from that, because we’re not going to be able to hire anybody for $9/hr. We’re not going to be able to hire a policeman for $10.50/hr.,” said Steve Rothwell.
Steve Rothwell said they are down a policeman who is off for a month with a broken wrist. Councilman Ted Grooms said that was two, they had lost another policeman last week.
“Yeah, so we only got two policemen now, so, but I think [Police Chief Tim Sanderson] was going to put an ad in the paper,” said Steve Rothwell.
Steve Rothwell said they need to talk about starting pay for them.
“But it’s going to be based on experience, that’s what we talked about, it’s going to be based on experience, not just starting time. Raises on merit,” said Steve Rothwell.
Mark Brewer said that Peebles was starting their officers out at $13/hr.
“As big as West Union is, I don’t see how we can’t start our police officers out on more than $13/hr.,” said Mark Brewer.
Steve Rothwell said he didn’t have a problem with that.
“I think they’re worth it, starting out, but we’ve got one policeman making $11/hr. and another making $13 something,” said Steve Rothwell.
Brewer said they were going to have to raise the bar.
“We’re going to have to raise probably all the ones that we have left,” said Steve Rothwell.
Mayor Jason Buda said there is one full-time employee [Kaitlynn Welch] who works downstairs that is under $10/hr.
“Cory [Tolle] is at $10/hr. I know they both just started, but they’re the lowest two we have on the payscale,” said Buda.
After discussing Tolle and other employees, Steve Rothwell said they needed to give “a lot of raises to everybody.”
Councilman Brewer asked if there were still two employees out with hospitalizations at the Water, Sewer and Street Dept. Steve Rothwell said yes, and that he doesn’t see how either will make it back.
“I just can’t see it — neither one of them will be able to do the work they’re doing now. I mean, Tommy [Hackworth] tried to mow the other day and ended up going back to the hospital. Gary [Knox], he’s at home with an open wound in his stomach from his surgery. I don’t look for them to come back, and there’s nothing you can actually call light duty,” said Steve Rothwell.
With the motion to hire Hayslip still on the floor, Brewer made the second and in roll call, council agreed.
Steve Rothwell moved on to the second applicant, Jeffrey Scruggs.
“Again, he’s going to be working everywhere, on the street, at the sewer, all that,” said Steve Rothwell.
“I don’t know what he wanted to start him at, but, I’m guessing probably at least — with his experience — he needs to start at $11.50, $12/hr.,” said Steve Rothwell. Councilman Grooms agreed.
“So you want to do it a $11.50, $12/hr.?” said Steve Rothwell. Lafferty, Francis and Mark Brewer al agreed with $12/hr.
Steve Rothwell made the motion to hire Scruggs, the motion was seconded by Lafferty, council agreed.
Kirker wants to make Jerry Jones the operation supervisor over Water, Sewer and Street Dept. Steve Rothwell said Kirker “needs someone to take the pressure off of him.”
“He (Kirker) has got way too much. But anyway — make Jerry Jones an operation supervisor, and Jerry wants to give him $16/hr.,” said Steve Rothwell.
Steve Rothwell said Kirker needs to spend more time at the wastewater sewer project.
Grooms made the motion to give Jones the title, job, and $16/hr. next pay period. Steve Rothwell seconded and council agreed.
Rothwell said he had more people on the list that Kirker desires to get raises for. Lisa Rothwell asked if they need to look at all of them.
“At the end of the day who’s going to get a raise and who’s not?” said Lisa Rothwell.
Johnson asked if it was just everybody at the West Union Sewer and Water Dept. getting raises. Steve Rothwell said yes. Johnson said that wasn’t fair to the employees downstairs.
“But that’s downstairs, we’re talking about down on 41 right now,” said Steve Rothwell.
“But we’re going to give them raises, too, or at least my thoughts are that we are,” said Steve Rothwell.
Mark Brewer said they were going to give the police department a raise.
“If we’re going to raise the starting rate, we’ve got to take care of the people that are already here,” said Steve Rothwell.
Lisa Rothwell again asked if they’re going to be introduced as a group, Johnson said it could all be done in one motion if the people are only getting raises and not titles.
Steve Rothwell moves forward, said Duane Kirk goes up a $1/hr. Johnson is unsure what Kirk currently makes. Steve Rothwell said $17/hr.
“That’s what he’ll go up to?” said Johnson.
Buda said that’s what he’s currently at, Johnson said that will go up to $18.63.
“That’s gonna be more than your supervisor,” said Lisa Rothwell. Kirk has been an employee since 1991.
“I think he’s retiring in September anyway, I think — but we still can’t do without a raise for him,” said Councilman Rothwell.
“I have a question on this. Since we’re giving — are you giving the employees down there in the office a $1 or some money, a raise — ” said Johnson.
Steve Rothwell said yes.
“Then they need to be clocking out,” said Johnson.
Johnson presents time clock sheets for the employees in question, council members passed them around.
“I’ve been talking about this and talking about this, spoke to several council members on it. They clock in, they don’t clock out. It’s been going on for 67 days, since March 24,” said Johnson.
Francis asks if they are leaving early, Johnson said that is what she has been told.
“And they’re getting paid to be there?” said Francis.
Steve Rothwell said some of them left early.
“I asked [Kirker] about it after she talked to me about it, and I said, ‘well, they’re going to have to start staying to the — unless you want to make them change their hours,’ I said ‘they’re going to have to start staying,’” said Steve Rothwell.
Francis said that the alleged employee behavior is a felony, it is “theft in office.”
“Basically, that’s what it is. I mean, you know, I’m sorry, but — when you got the payroll, things looking at you. Even the girls told me they were leaving early,” said Johnson.
“If they’ve been warned once, if they’ve been given a verbal, it needs to be a written reprimand next. Policy says, at a minimum,” said Lisa Rothwell.
Francis asked for clarification on their hours, if said employees clock out after lunch; Steve Rothwell said no. Johnson said that nobody knows for sure, they could leave at 2 p.m.
“If they leave — I think they’re scheduled for 4:30 p.m. — they then leave mostly between 4 p.m. and a quarter after. If there’s nothing going on, if the office is closed — I mean it’s locked up, [the front two] doors are locked — and that’s what Jerry said,” said Steve Rothwell. Steve Rothwell said he told Kirker to either change their hours, or make them stay until 4:30 p.m.
Randy Brewer said they should just demand it.
Francis asked if the administrator has been informed about not letting this happen, Rothwell said he told Kirker three weeks ago.
“And it’s continuing? I think that’s a reprimand,” said Francis.
Johnson asked if the reprimand is for the employees or for Kirker; Francis says both.
“I can only tell you guys what I know, and I mean — there it is. I didn’t make it up, it’s there,” said Johnson.
Francis asked if anyone informed Kirker; Kirker was not present when council discussed it at their last meeting.
Councilman Rothwell said he mentioned something about it to Kirker last week. Mark Brewer said that the mayor said he would take care of it tomorrow.
“About the time cards, too?” said Randy Brewer. Buda agreed.
Johnson moves back to the raises.
“And this is just — Ted and I talked about this — we think we need to give Jerry a raise, too,” said Steve Rothwell.
Grooms said Kirker hasn’t had a raise since becoming Village Administrator. Steve said he should get a $2/hr raise. Steve Rothwell said it could be voted on; Lisa Rothwell agreed it could be up for discussion.
Raises for West Union Water, Sewer and Street Department:
Donna Purdin: .50 raise.
Mike Brown: .50 raise.
Terry Holsinger: .50 raise.
Cory Tolle: $1 raise.
Tom Hackworth: $1 raise.
Duane Kirk: $1 raise.
Christeena Patrick: $1 raise.
Jennifer Caldwell: $1 raise.
Jerry Kirker: $2 raise.
Raises for Mayor’s Court:
Kaitlynn Welch: $2 raise.
Jaimie Bayless: $2 raise.
“Here’s the thing, when we get to law enforcement raises, I know that’s a hectic job down there doing that, but out on the street, we need to go higher, ” said Brewer.
Councilman Rothwell said Jeff Bowling needed to get a $2.50 to $3/hr. raise. Mark Brewer said Bowling had 30 plus years in.
“That’s right, and that’s what we’re doing. We’re doing from experience, now,” said Steve Rothwell.
Council discussed raises for the police department.
“Okay, guys, you want me to tell you something else you’re doing? You’re blowing the budget that you just passed all to hell. Excuse my french, but that’s just exactly what it is,” said Johnson.
Councilman Rothwell said they had a finance meeting prior to their last meeting before they adopted the budget with the okay that they were “going to look it over.”
Francis asked if there were funds available for the raises and salary. Steve Rothwell said nothing had been appropriated for the increase.
“But it will have to be changed from what we looked at last time. That’s why we wanted to get this now, so we didn’t have to go back to [David Gifford] halfway through the year,” said Rothwell.
Johnson said they will have to go — the budget is already passed for 2021.
Raises for West Union Police Dept.:
Patty Foote: $2 raise.
Ryan Myers: $1.50 raise.
Jeff Bowling: $2 raise.
Tim Sanderson: $2 raise.
“In the last meeting, we discussed the tier system with new hires. Is that something we’re still going to look towards?” said Francis.
Steve Rothwell said they still need to discuss the starting salary for police.
“Because we’re going to have to put an ad in the paper, and then if Johnson gets a call, or Tim gets a call, he’s gotta know what he can offer,” said Steve Rothwell.
Mark Brewer said the starting salary for police is going to have to be at least $13/hr. Mt. Orab starts their officers out at $15/hr, Peebles $13/hr and Winchester, being the “richest department,” more, said Mark Brewer.
Steve Rothwell made the motion on police department raises, seconded by Grooms; council agrees.
Council members are addressed, only Grooms has business.
“This meeting was called for hiring employees and employee raises only, would anything pertaining to a person already working for us be it an elected position or an employee’s position, would it qualify to be spoken about at this meeting?” said Grooms.
Council agreed that it could.
“Then I will call personnel executive,” said Grooms.
Before executive session, Buda brings up a new hiring policy; hands out copies, and Council agrees to discuss at another time, then entered executive session, bringing to a close the public portion of the meeting.