Council discusses E-911 board accounting move, approves HRB appointment
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2015, 11:55 p.m. — After running a budget deficit since 2014, the joint city-county E-911 Dispatch Board has been told it must take over its payroll and accounting services that the City of Bardstown has provided since 2006.
Bardstown Mayor John Royalty.
The move was a recommendation by the city council’s finance committee after it met last Wednesday to review a report from the city auditor over concerns fueled by the 911 board’s budget deficits.
Human Resources Director Larry Green and Tracy Hudson, chief financial officer, met last week with E-911 Dispatch Director Debbie Carter and put her on notice the city would no longer handle dispatch center accounting as of Dec. 31, 2015.
Hudson told the council she has offered her assistance to help the dispatch board make the transition.
After council members raised questions about the dispatch center’s ability to make the transition in a 5-1/2 week period that encompasses three major holidays, Green said he and Hudson need to meet with Carter again in order to set a time frame that’s both timely and also practical for both parties.
“I have no problem with us agreeing they need to take it over,” Councilman Roland Williams told the council. “But the timeline is what we’re interested in now.”
Hudson said extending the deadline to the first quarter of next year could also work if more time is needed. Green said the city will continue providing health insurance for dispatch employees through June 30, at which time the dispatch center will need to take over.
City Attorney Tim Butler said he shared the auditor’s concerns over the city continuing to handle the 911 dispatch center’s finances and payroll.
City Attorney Tim Butler.
“You’ve got a situation where money is being spent without any apparent oversight, and that’s public funds,” he said. “Oversight of those funds need to be transferred to some entity.”
Butler said he favored phasing in the accounting transition, beginning with payroll.
Mayor John Royalty said the city taxpayers have been footing the bill when the dispatch board spending goes over its budget.
“From looking at it, they’re spending with out responsiblity and no one’s watching the books,” he said.
Green said he will meet with the director and see what the city hall can do to help the board meet the Dec. 31 deadline and report back to the council at its next meeting.
Councilman Francis Lydian questioned the mayor’s removal of two members of the Historic Review Board at Tuesday’s meeting.
HISTORIC REVIEW BOARD APPOINTMENT. The council approved Royalty’s appointment of Curtis R. Thomas to fill Don Parrish’s unexpired term on the Historic Review Board — but only after Councilman Francis Lydian questioned if the mayor’s removal of Parrish and former board member Beth Hawkins was done in accordance with HRB bylaws.
Butler explained that Parrish was removed by the mayor for failing to read a letter removing Hawkins after Hawkins missed three consecutive meetings. Parrish’s decision to refuse to read the letter violated the HRB bylaws, he said.
Lydian told Butler the bylaws don’t specify that the chairman can be terminated for failing to read a letter.
“How does the mayor fire someone unless you go by the bylaws? What do you go with? Do you make your own laws up?”
The HRB has no authority to make law, and the bylaws are not laws, but procedures the board must follow to provide consistency and fairness in how it operates, Butler said.
Both Parrish and Hawkins did not follow the bylaws, Butler said, adding that in his opinion, the mayor’s removal of both was properly done.
Councilman Fred Hagan told the council that Thomas has the skills, experience, and desire to serve to be an effective HRB member, and made the motion to approve his appointment.
Councilman Francis Lydian cast the sole vote against the appointment.
NEXT UP. The Bardstown City Council meets next at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015, for a working session.
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