By Tim Arnett
WABASH,Indiana – The Wabash City Council once again took up the issue of creating a new Receptionist / Office Assistant, a position which would pay $21,840.00 per year. The issue was originally discussed at the November 23rd council meeting but was tabled.
In order to pay the Receptionist / Office assistant, Parks Superintendent Adam Hall will take an $11,244 pay cut and various positions in the Wabash Fire Department will be added or changed, including the addition of a new Fire Captain / Medic to be paid $52,206 per year. Changes include reducing the number of Firemen / Medics from 20 to 17, a move which would save the city $142,452. Regardless of the moving around of positions on the Fire Department, the total cost in the additional appropriation for the Receptionist / Office Assistant position comes to $15,297.
During a public hearing relating to the Special Ordinance, former Councilman Paul Lewis asked if a current employee could take on the role of Receptionist / Office Assistant without the need to hire an additional employee. Mayor Scott Long answered no. He said that his office thought of that possibility but determined that there is no other personnel to pull from. Long went on to say that the new Receptionist / Office Assistant will answer the phones at City Hall and greet people as they come in the door. They would also post the city’s business on social media and back up the Mayor’s current Administrative Assistant Bev Vanderpool. Responding to a question from Councilman Mitch Figert, the Mayor added that the new position may free up some of the city’s department heads to get out into the public more.
The City Council must also amend the 2016 Salary Ordinance passed under former Mayor Robert Vanlandingham’s administration to create the position, which would start retroactively on January 1st, 2016. The council will take the final vote on both measures at the next council meeting on March 14th.
The Mayor also swore in new Wabash City Police Chief Matt Bruss and Assistant Chief Bob Pilgrim. Bruss, whose term officially begins on March 1st, on being sworn in Monday night and if he’ll be making any changes.
He added that the Wabash Police Department is looking to hire four new officers in the next month, to replace Mayor Long, retiring Police Chief Larry Schnepp and two other officers.
At the end of the meeting, former Councilman Paul Lewis once again spoke, this time to express his disapproval of the upcoming Wabash City School’s referendum. The advised the council that they should chose members of the next City Schools’ Board very carefully, adding that members of the current board are too young and older appointees would be wiser about the school’s budget. In a moment of levity, Bryan Dillon, the City Council’s Liaison to the Wabash City Schools Board, invited Lewis to attend a school board meeting. Lewis retorted that Superintendent Jason Callahan doesn’t like him interjecting with his opinions. Attorney and Wabash Marketplace, Inc., Executive Director Steve Downs howled “That never stopped you before, Paul!”