Mayor cuts off council discussion of city police department restructuring

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Councilwoman Kecia Copeland speaks during the council’s comment period at Tuesday’s council meeting.

Wednesday, April 13, 2016, 1 p.m. (UPDATED with video, April 14, 2016, 5 p.m.) — The changes in the command staff in the Bardstown Police Department apparently took the Bardstown City Council by surprise when they were announced Tuesday. The revelation surfaced at the end of Tuesday’s meeting during the city council members’ comment period.

Unlike the fire department restructuring — where the council members were kept informed — Councilwoman Kecia Copeland said she was not aware of the police department changes until she saw an article posted Tuesday by the local newspaper.

“I just wanted to know if this was something that was ongoing?” she asked. “Also, Chief McCubbin, I was wondering if you supported this restructuring?”

Before McCubbin could answer, Bardstown Mayor John Royalty declared Copeland was out of order because the changes were administrative ones made by the mayor. Royalty moved on with the meeting, reading requests for cemetery deeds while Councilman Francis Lydian and Copeland made it clear they had more to say.

Councilman Francis Lydian makes a point during discussion Tuesday in the council chambers.

When Royalty started to adjourn the meeting, Councilman Fred Hagan objected, saying that he would like to hear what Lydian and Copeland had to say.

City Attorney Tim Butler confirmed that the changes to the police department were administrative policy set by the mayor, but added that he believed the council members had the right to comment on them.

Copeland said she didn’t know what impact the changes will have on the police department budget.

The council has already approved some of the changes, Royalty said. Those changes required the council’s approval, Butler said.

“I thought we were going to be very transparent, and then I get hit in the face” when reading the changes in the local media, Copeland said.

Royalty said that the council does not make administrative policy, and a visibly irritated Royalty reminded Copeland the council has two duties — approve a budget and enact ordinances.

After the meeting, Royalty said he took issue with Copeland using council meetings to question what he did administratively. “She should come into City Hall and talk to me,” he said.

“Each council member — especially Kecia Copeland and Francis Lydian — they wait until they get to a city council meeting and they want to grandstand and grab Mr. Microphone because they’re running for office,” he said.

Royalty said he believed Copeland was challenging the changes and was trying to drag Police Chief Rick McCubbin into it. The police department changes are purely an administrative issue, he said.

“This is not the forum for it,” he said of the council meeting. “If she wants to know she needs to come to my office.”

POLICE RESTRUCTURING. The administrative changes the mayor announced Tuesday include the promotion of McKenzie Mattingly to the rank of captain and naming him as the department’s next assistant police chief. Major Ray Lewis, McCubbin’s assistant chief, will retire in May.

Brad Gillock is also being promoted to the rank of lieutenant. The changes will be effective April 24.

The changes also include creation of four sergeant positions who will serve in supervisory roles. They will replace the current designation of the most senior officer on the shift being named as the “officer in charge.”

The need to establish the new sergeant positions was discussed in earlier council safety committee meetings and were recommended by Kentucky League of City guidelines.

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