March 17, 2020
The Town of Glen St. Mary held the regular monthly meeting on Tuesday,
March 17, 2020 at 7:00 P.M. at the Town Hall with Council MembersHodges, McCullough, Reneau, and Rhynehardt present. Vice Mayor Hodges presided over the meetingas Mayor Dickie Foster had been hospitalized. Council MemberReneau opened with prayer followed by the flag salute. Attorney Bense was on speakerphone due to the Coronavirus being identified in close proximity of where he is located in Gainesville.
Note: These meeting minutes are a summarized version of the actual discussions at the meeting. These are not verbatim transcripts. For a complete audio recording of the discussion please contact Donna Loadholtz at glenstmary3777@glenstmary.org.
Minutes: Consideration:
A) Approval of minutes ofFebruary 18, 2020 – Workshop – Vice Mayor Hodges asked Council if anyone had any comments or concerns about the minutes. On a motion by Councilmember Reneau, second by Councilman Rhynehardt, the Board voted to approve theworkshop minutes as presented. (Vote 4-0)
B) Approval of minutes ofFebruary 18, 2020 – Regular Monthly Meeting– Vice Mayor Hodges asked Council if anyone had any comments or concerns about the minutes. On a motion by Councilman Rhynehardt, second by Council member Reneau, the Board voted to approve theregular monthly minutes as presented. (Vote 4-0)
Policy Agenda Items:
A) Gina Gatlin had Volunteered to Assist with ideas to Beautify the Park back in the Fall. Ask Council for Approval to Replenish the Park Entrance way, Island in front of Town Hall and Park Interior around Gazebo with new Plants and Mulch. Cost had been estimated at $1,200 previously. (Maintenance Employees would be doing the work) - Vice Mayor Hodges told Council that the Town maintenance employees would be doing the labor, not Ms. Gatlin as they had previously thought. Since this amount is not substantial, the Mayor doesn’t technically need to get bids. On a motion by Councilman Rhynehardt,second by Council member Reneau, the Board voted to table this matter to the April meeting. (Vote 4-0)
B) Re-evaluate Maintenance Worker/Water Plant Operator Matt Torgerson. Council put him on four-week probation for twenty hours a week at $17.50 per hour. – Councilman Rhynehardt told Council for the past three weeks, Matt has been coming in late, not coming in, and leaving early. He comes in at 7 AM and leaves at 11 AM. He stated the new guy is staying until 3 PM in the evening and the supervision is not being done. It will need to be tabled because that’s under the Mayor’s supervision. Councilman Rhynehardt told Council that most of the time he is late coming in. He sees Matt doing water mostly, but did see him picking up some limbs today, but he also left at 9:30 AM. Adding he is not even getting twenty hours. Councilman Rhynehardt then had questions on the time cards. The Mayor is supposed to be coming in at 8 AM to supervise. Attorney Bense asked about the time cards. They are hand written by the employees. He suggested scheduling a workshop for a detailed discussion and for Mayor Foster to be there. Attorney Bense asked if the probationary period had been accepted by Matt. Councilman Rhynehardt replied Matt had left before the Town Meeting last month. Town Clerk Loadholtz told Attorney Bense the Mayor and Matt were supposed to meet the next day. Matt told Mayor Foster he couldn’t come in at 8 AM because he has to leave at 11 AM. Attorney Bense asked if either Matt or the Mayor are at the meeting, many responded “no”. Town Clerk Loadholtz did ask earlier today if he was coming, but didn’t get a yes or no answer. Councilman Rhynehardt told Council the clerk has stayed later a couple of days, but doesn’t feel it is her job to supervise. He said the supervision of the new guy with him being on probation is non-existent. On a motion by Councilman Rhynehardt,second by Council member Reneau, the Board voted to table this matter to a workshop. (Vote 4-0) As requested by Attorney Bense, a motion was made by Council member Reneau, second by Council member McCullough, and the Board voted to extend the probation period for Maintenance Worker/Water Plant Operator Matt Torgerson through the Workshop that is to be scheduled in the future. (Vote 4-0)
C) Re-evaluate situation with Town Clerk, Donna Loadholtz. She had turned in her resignation letter, but Council asked her to take time to think it over to see if there was anything that could be done. – Vice Mayor Hodges asked Council about tabling this item as well. On a motion by Councilman Rhynehardt,second by Council member Reneau, the Board voted to table this matter to a workshop. (Vote 4-0) Attorney Bense added that the Clerk’s resignation is on the books and Council will discuss further action at the workshop.
Vice Mayor Hodges took a vote to have both employee agenda items tabled for an employee workshop and all Council were in agreement. Attorney Bense then told Council the only other issue with the workshop would be when it could be held given the current circumstances. The question would be whether or not the workshop could occur in the next two weeks. Councilman Rhynehardt asked if the Mayor was the only one who could call a workshop. Attorney Bense responded that if the whole Council votes that they want one, he thinks it can happen. The issue would be the actual scheduling of it. On a motion made by Council member Reneau, second by Council member McCullough, and the Board voted to schedule an employee management workshop in the future when we are able to hold one. (Vote 4-0)
D) Review Prior Month’s Expenditures (Check Register) – Council had no questions about the prior month’s expenditures. On a motion by Council member Reneau, second by Councilman Rhynehardt, the Board voted to approve theprior month’s expenditures as presented. (Vote 4-0)
Attorney Bense wanted to address that we are in a national state of emergency. It doesn’t sound like the Town has much going on that they have to take as far as regulations. But there are lower income families that don’t have access to good healthcare and our elderly population as well. There are probably some very at-risk residents in the Town of Glen St. Mary. Make sure that the community comes together to do their part to get through this together and make sure we are taking care of the people who need the help. Council member Reneau asked about people who have not paid their bill and how that would work if they are not working. Former Mayor Padgett told Council that normally with a situation like this, the County heads it up and the City of Macclenny joins in and they have a joint meeting with all the entities. Whatever the County tells us, we are to listen to what they have to say.
Councilman Rhynehardt read a section of the Town Charter saying “TheTownCouncilshallfixthecompensationoftheMayorandCouncilandallofficers,employeesandagentsoftheTownbyresolutionorasotherwiserequiredbygenerallaw.” He said that means the Council determines what people are getting paid. Vice Mayor Hodges asked if that included the hourly employees. Councilman Rhynehardt replied yes.
Council member Reneau asked if anyone noticed the railroad crossing at County Road 125 has been fixed. Attorney Bense asked if the article in the paper had prompted the repair. Councilman Rhynehardt replied that Representative Brannon took it upon himself to go to the Company and had a face to face meeting with Atlantic Coast Railroad. Council member Reneau had also spoken with a Mr. Jay Carter prior to the repairs.
Local resident Roxanne Rothfeldt attended the meeting and asked Council if there are any local neighborhood watch groups here in our Town. She told Council she sees a lot of delinquencies around the area. Council told her there aren’t, but that she is welcome to start one. She would need to contact Major Randy Crews with the Sheriff’s office.
On a motion by Councilman Rhynehardt, second by Council member Reneau the Town meeting was adjourned at 7:26 P.M.
