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Bedford City Council Tables Overtime Pay Ordinance Vote

Last updated on Wednesday, June 13, 2012

(BEDFORD) - Members of the Bedford City Council did not vote on an amendment to an ordinance defining overtime pay Tuesday night.

The vote was tabled.

During May's council meeting community and employee relations coordinator Kyle Brown asked the council to amend the ordinance defining overtime payments.

He explained that while vacation, bereavement and holiday days could still count toward calculating overtime hours, the new proposal would exclude sick days and compensatory hours.

But not everyone was happy with that change, and Police Chief Dennis Parsley says the amended ordinance would create problems for his officers.

The council approved the first two passages of the ordinance by a 5-1 vote, with Michele Murphy casting the dissenting vote each time saying she did not know enough about the ordinance to vote for it.

Third passage was scheduled for Tuesday night, Mayor Shawna Girgis tabled the vote, because she on a trade mission in Asia.

Girgis had decided to seek outside legal counsel and advice given the complexity and importance of the issue and its impact on city employees. This issue as it impacts city employees.

Brown will work with the attorney and provide the council with an unbiased outside opinion on how the city should proceed.

In other business the board:

* Passed an ordinance concerning an anti-nepotism policy that meets new state requirements. The state required the city to establish a policy concerning nepotism and contracting with relatives of elected officials. The policy had to be passed by July 1 or the state could place penalties on the city, such as the city's budget would not be accepted unless a policy was in place.

The statute bans local officeholders from hiring relatives or engaging them without making particular disclosures. It also restricts public employees from holding any office that controls money or policies that can benefit them. Under that provision, those employees couldn't run for re-election, but they wouldn't be forced from office.

Violation of the policy could result in discipline including termination of an employee or a transfer from the direct line of supervision or other curative action. An elected or appointed official of the city who fails to abide by or cooperate with the implementation with the compliance and with mandated certifications of either the nepotism police may be subject to action allowed by law.

* Approved a compliance with statement of benefits for General Motors LLC for personal properties - castings ad related machinery and equipment.

* Approved a compliance with statement of benefits for General Motors LLC for personal property- die casting, automation and related foundry equipment.

* Approved a compliance with statement of benefits for General Motors LLC for personal property- equipment and tooling to produce mold head castings.

Glenn Sampson, representing GM, says the company has hired 30 employees this year increasing their workforce to 456 people. They are planning on hiring more employees this fall when their mold head casing production line is completed.

* Approved a compliance with statement of benefits for GEO-FLO Corporation - personal property - GEO Thermal Flow Centers.

* Approved a compliance with statement of benefits for GEO-FLO Corporation - Real Estate - 120 foot by 80 foot Manufacturing facility.

* Approved a compliance with statement of benefits for GRO-FLO Coporation - Bedford Development LLC - Real Eastat - 32,467 square foot building addition.

Greg Stokes, of GEO-FLO says the company is doing well in a time when construction is down. He added GEO-FLO has developed several new products for thermo area since last year.

* Approved a compliance with statement of benefits for Cosner Ice Company Inc. - real estate- razing of houses for construction of a 180 foot garage and parking lot for transportation vehicles.

Greg Stokes, representing Cosner says the company has expanding with the completion of a new warehouse on the west side of the company so they can keep up with needed supplies of ice. Stokes says the company's payroll has increase 22 percent in a year and currently has 52 employees.

* Approved a request for a passenger zone at 1312 K Street. Pam Colglazier requested the zone so she could safely transport her parents to and from medical appointments.

* Council Byron Buker praised Joann Murphy, who passed away, for her dedication to the city of Bedford. Councilwoman Michelle Murphy said she'd share the board's praise with family members.

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