Council Votes to Implement Fingerprint Time Clocks

lMIDDLEPORT – Middleport Village Council held a meeting on August 14, 2014, with Penny Burge absent, and discussed some over time issues that were brought up at the previous meeting and had a visit from the village solicitor, Mick Barr.

The minutes from the July 28, 2014 meeting were read and approved after some changes in wording. The minutes stated council member Doug Dixon made a motion to not pay village employees for their two hour on call time each week, Dixon actually wanted to have the motion eliminate the two hours of on call time which would mean the village had no on call employees. Susan Baker and the mayor explained to council during this discussion that employees have to be paid for their over time, to which council member Dick Vaughn said, “You got your own law.”

When it came time to pay the bills council asked what happened with the bills from last meeting because council decided not to pay them, with only council members Emerson Heighton, and Burge voting to pay the bills at the July 28 meeting. Susan Baker said all the bills regarding the public works department were paid because they do not need approval from council, they must be paid regardless of the vote from council. Council did vote to pay the bills from this meeting in the total of $11,978.80.

The income tax report was approved, along with the public works report and the refuse report.

The mayor’s report for July was presented and approved with the total court revenue being $4,529.00 with the village share being $3,756.70.

Village Fire Chief Jeff Darst wanted to update council on the progress of the new ladder truck. The truck is expected to be ready for delivery the week of October 21. Darst also explained how they intended to use the funds from the sale of the old ladder truck. The fire department plans to replace their thirty year old Suburban for a new pick up truck which would be used for things such as pulling the boat, ATV and transporting oil spill equipment as well as many other uses.

Darst also wanted to bring it to the attention of council that a comment was made that the fire department did not want the old village hall and that this was not the case, the fire department did vote that they wanted to use it. However, Darst said if council wants to sell it then they would rather not try to use it and put work into it just to have it be sold to someone else. The fire department intends to use it for training purpose among other things if they do end up using the building.

Council voted to share the cost of replacing American flags around town with the American Legion, the village’s share is $224.40.

Village solicitor Mick Barr came by to talk to council about questions they still had about the hiring of the economic developer. Members of council had previously asked the solicitor if the mayor had the authority to appoint the economic developer. Barr said, “No, but neither does council. Such appointments is the village administrators job. Council can create job positions and are in charge of funding the position, but they can not appoint the person for the job. The village administrator makes a recommendation for mayor’s approval.”

To this council member Vaughn asked, “What is the use to the village of council if we can’t do anything? We don’t have authority.”

It was explained that, council provides for the employment, providing the position, funds for the job, and can fire the employee if the village administrator appoints a person for the position that is not satisfactory to council.

Council moved to approve the annual agreement with Overbrook to supply them with water in case of emergency.

Council member Roger Manly asked about the auditor’s report that had eight or nine non compliance findings. He wanted to know what was being done about fixing those. Baker explained they were procedural issues and some of the phrasing was wrong, such as mistakes in the way minutes were written. Manly wanted to take care of all these issues in the audit. Baker and the mayor agreed that would be done and said some issues had already been corrected.

Council member Dixon made a motion to install fingerprint time clocks in the admin building and the public works building to be sure employees clock in and out correctly. Two machines would need to be purchased at the cost of about $500 each. The motion was approved with Heighton voting no.

The meeting was adjourned.