GARFIELD -- It was a series of firsts during the Garfield City Council meeting on Nov. 15.
The firsts included a new microphone and speaker system, a new recording system (which turned out to not work and was being replaced), a new person taking meeting minutes (Keeli Ketcher, who is the city's water clerk and recorder-treasurer-elect), and the draft of the minutes being available minutes after the meeting ended.
Near the end of the meeting, aldermen and Mayor Gary Blackburn discussed asking Teresa Vining, who is the elected recorder-treasurer, to resign. She has been away from the office for months because of illness. Her absence was discussed during the September council meeting, when aldermen decided to drop the issue.
It came up Nov. 15 when alderwoman Kathy Shook said several people have asked why the city is paying her if she's not performing her duties. Alderman Dale Watkins said he's also been asked about it.
Blackburn noted that it is illegal to reduce the salary of an elected official.
"Asking for her resignation is what I'm proposing," Shook said.
"Probably Miss Vining knows that's an option," Blackburn said a few minutes later. "She (decided) to not invoke that option."
Alderman Terry Warren asked Blackburn if she is still signing documents and the minutes because he noticed her signature on things reviewed earlier in the meeting. Blackburn said she is signing documents.
Watkins was not happy to hear that. "You've not told us she was doing work. You need to communicate better."
"Perhaps we let it go," Shook said, noting that there's only two months left on her term. She makes $1,209.92 a month.
General News on 11/23/2016