GARFIELD -- City employee Mickey Kelley resigned his position Friday morning.
He was hired an hour and a half later by Benton County Rural Water District No. 1.
Kelley, who has worked for Garfield for five years and two months, will run a backhoe and repair water lines for the water district. In Garfield, he was the only city employee, other than city clerk Teresa Vining, and worked the water, street and parks departments.
Mayor Gary Blackburn confirmed that Kelley had resigned but declined to comment. "It's a personnel matter, I cannot comment on personnel matters."
The mayor said the City Council members had called for a special meeting for Tuesday evening. "By ordinance, the majority of the alderman and the mayor can call a meeting.... Alderman Watkins told me on the phone," the mayor said.
"For us it's a really big deal, we have to have a licensed operator in our employment," Blackburn said referring to a water operator of record with the State Health Department. "I've enlisted the services of a licensed operator, Robert Button, who currently operates the water/wastewater at Lost Bridge Village. Until we can fill the position, he's going to be on call."
Blackburn said Kelley filled out a time sheet and he has to separate his work by department. "Usually it's 40 percent water, 40 percent roads and 20 percent parks, but that fluctuates."
Button, owner of Northwest Utilities Services of Pea Ridge, said he had offered to assist Garfield but had not talked about a contract.
General News on 08/26/2015