The Meeker Town Board of Trustees spent time in executive session last Thursday night discussing a pending employment complaint filed by the City Clerk.
City Clerk Mary Conner reportedly filed the complaint. However, any details of why the complaint was filed, when it was filed or who the complaint was filed against haven’t been revealed.
The Trustees went into executive session at 6:38 p.m.
Conner was asked Thursday night while the Trustees were in executive session what prompted her to file the complaint.
“I can’t say anything. I can’t make any comments,” she said.
She was further asked if she had retained the services of an attorney other than the town’s legal counsel James Hodgens and she said she had not.
Trustees returned to open session at 7:09 p.m. and no action was taken afterwards.
Later in the meeting Trustees discussed briefly the Chain of Command and did the same in the PWA portion of the meeting.
Hodgens emphasized in that discussion the Trustees’ responsibilities are restricted to establishing policy, approving appropriations and approving ordinances.
The Trustees also voted to take no action on an OGE proposal to increase the monthly electric bill to include payment for Vintage Light poles. They cited the expense involved as the reason.
The board also after lengthy discussion decided who will be on the committee to recommend salary caps. Trustees Rick Hill and Carl Cornett, Town Administrator Dickie Walton and Police Chief Trent Norton will serve on the committee.
Trustees approved an ordinance concerning trustees departmental assignments to include street and alley Trustee to the Public Works as the ordinance states.
They also amended the employee handbook to add leave regulations omitted from the handbook created on Oct. 5, 2017. And they amended another portion of the handbook under “Appointments and Promotions” that will require employees to take various tests to determine suitability for the position the employee seeks.
If an employee is required to take special training for certifications or job requirements and the town pays for them, the employee must remain in employment with the Town of Meeker, Meeker PWA or Meeker Police Department for a least two years after those expenses were incurred.
If not, the employee must reimburse the town for any expenses incurred.
Later meeting as the Public Works Authority, Trustees took the very same action.
Meeting as the PWA, they also agreed to allow Walton to obtain bids for a new sewer jetter that is at least one inch and the next size up from what they have now.
Among the items on the Consent Agenda were:
-Approved adding Jody Vaughn as Deputy Town Clerk and Deputy Court Clerk.
-Accepting the donation from Brian Gammill of Oklahoma Medicine for $60,000 for the renovation of Glencrest Park.
-Acceptance of a donation from Patriot Environmental LLC to the Police Department for computers purchased.
-Approval of Commercial Remodel Permit to Patriot Environmental LLC at 317 S. Dawson, Meeker, to add extra office space to existing building.
-Approval of payment to Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group for the annual property insurance premium of $2,031 dated March 2020 to March 2021.
-Acceptance of insurance settlement from Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) for repair of Town Administrator’s office.