By PETER HUSSMANN
All Newton City Administrator Tom Wardlow wanted was a little direction.
"I'm at a loss," he said after about 30 minutes of council discussion.
At issue was the process the city administrator uses in filling staff vacancies. Some on the council suggested that each time an opening occurs that council decide on whether or not to fill the position. By doing so, the council could react to changing budget conditions, they said.
"I'd like to see that whenever we have a retirement or someone moves on that even though the position is budgeted it doesn't mean we automatically hire," said councilman Jim Plumb. "I'd like the council to look to see if we need to fill it. Just because the money is in the budget, we may not have to hire."
Councilman Steve Mullan countered with a more hands off approach.
"I have every confidence in our city administrator," he said. "He will look to see if the position is vital and affordable. I don't see our role as micro-managing those decisions. Our role is setting policy."
Currently, under city statute and in the terms of his job description, Wardlow is allowed to fill open positions within the threshold of staffing level authorizations approved by the council. As positions have come open, Wardlow has kept council members abreast of his intentions on hiring and has listened to the informal thoughts council members have provided in making his final determinations on the course of action to take.
In order to have the council make final decisions concerning hiring issues, the city's ordinance pertaining to its city administrator/council form of government would need to be changed.
Council member Mike Hansen suggested the council continue the informal process Wardlow is now using but suggested that the city administrator "add a little more detailed justification" on the need for the position and the ramifications to the city should it not be filled. That process was consented to by the council.
Which led to Wardlow's "at a loss" statement and how the city might want to deal with another police officer vacancy in the department.
Police Chief Jeff Hoebelheinrich then gave a 20-minute presentation justifying the need to hire for the vacant position and bring the number of sworn police to its authorized level of 24.
Following his presentation, the council members said they had several questions - including the city's cost of putting an officer through the law enforcement academy, overtime costs to the department due to reduced staffing levels and possible expansion of the auxiliary police force.
Wardlow told the council he would collect the information requested from the police chief and put together a memo concerning his thoughts on the hiring matter.
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