A new Crothersville Town Council held their first meeting of the new year last Tuesday and they wasted little time in making changes.
By a 2-1 vote, three-year chief of police Vurlin McIntosh was not re-appointed to the chief’s job. Instead, Richard Hanlin, a nearly three-year veteran of the local police department was made interim chief.
New council members Lenvel ‘Butch’ Robinson and Derrick Minton voted to replace McIntosh as chief; Ardell Mitchell voted against the move.
Speaking following the meeting, Robinson said that he felt it was time for a change in leadership at the police department. “When I was out campaigning many people said they wanted to see a change in the chief of police. This council was elected on change, I am doing what the people wanted,” he said.
McIntosh remains a police officer with the local department.
Hanlin said he has been in law enforcement since September 1993 and has served with several central Indiana police departments before being hired full-time in May 2009 at Crothersville.
Hanlin is serving as interim chief of police until a full-time chief is appointed. The town council is advertising for a new chief of police.
The local police department has three full-time officers, Hanlin, McIntosh and Kelly Barger who is attending the Indiana State Police Academy. To hire another chief other than one of those three would require a fourth officer.
A change in the chief of police is not the only change the new Republican majority council is making.
Longtime town attorney Travis Thompson of the Seymour based law firm Farrow & Thompson was not in attendance at the meeting. Council president Ardell Mitchell said that the town would have to begin the process of naming new legal council.
“I’ve been talking to an attorney (about the job) but I’d rather not say who at this time,” Robinson commented.
The council heard a presentation from Reedy Financial of the services the firm offers to government.
Eric Reedy told the council they can assist with annual report and budgeting for the town.
“I have long wanted a monthly reconciliation of the checking account and budget status of what was spent available at our monthly meetings,” said Mitchell. “We want to be smarter about our finances. I believe Crothersville is financially strong…I think.”
Contracting with Reedy would not be a long-term situation but provide the town and the clerk treasurer with help establishing procedures so we can more clearly see the state of the town’s finances, Mitchell said.
Reedy’s said his services range from $50 to $150 per hour. Which prompted councilman ‘Butch’ Robinson to comment, “I’m afraid his services could get into the thousands and we don’t have thousands to spend.”
The council is moving forward with preparing the former Methodist Church Annex for a new town hall when they opened proposals for replacing the roof of the structure.
Abraham Roofing of Seymour was given a unanimous approval to proceed with a cost of $5,984 for a white rubber membrane roof with a 15-year guarantee.
Other proposals came from Royalty Roofing at $6,623 and South Central Roofing at a cost of $16,900.
The council approved raises for town workers at the Jan. 3 meeting. Chris Mains was given a 50¢ an hour raise from $11 to $11.50 per hour and another 50¢ if he passes the state water treatment certification test. Police officer Richard Hanlin was given a $1 an hour raise from $10.61 to $11.61. And part-time town office worker Melissa Glenn was given a 29¢ and hour raise to $9.75 an hour. The measure passed by a 2-1 vote with Mitchell voting against the matter.
When questioned by other town workers not getting raises, Mitchell proposed a 3% across the board raise for all other employees. The matter passed 2-1 with Robinson casting the opposing vote.
In other matters the council:
•Appointed Derrick Minton to the county Emergency Management Board, Robinson to the county Waste Management Board, and Curt Kovener to represent the town on Jackson County Industrial Development Corporation.
•Approved three more homes under the town’s Remediation Grant. This brings the total number of homes to 11 of the 17 possible.
•Heard a proposal by Chips Everhart of Bernardin, Lockmueller & Associates for engineering services they offer.
•Set the monthly town council meeting on the first Tuesday of the month at 5:30 p.m.; 30 minutes earlier than has been their past meeting start time.
