Council discusses public works staff

The Riverside City Council met Monday and discussed how the city would replace former public works director Brad Herrig. Herrig announced his resignation from the city after a closed session Oct. 17. Apart from discussing ways to maintain city operations in Herrig?s absence, the council also talked about whether to compensate Herrig for his hundreds of hours of unused sick leave.

At the time of his departure, Herrig had accumulated approximately 424 hours of unused sick leave, 118 hours of unused vacation and 80 hours of unused compensation time. The council voted 3-1 to pay Herrig for all of his unused hours for time off. Councilors Todd Yahnke, Rodney Waldschmidt and Christine Kirkwood voted for the motion and Ralph Schnoebelen voted against it.

Schnoebelen said that he believed there was a section in the city code that said that if an employee resigns, he does not receive pay for his unused sick leave.

Mayor Brian McDole said, ?When you have a long time employee who has put his heart and soul into his job. I think he really deserves everything he?s put in.?

?Then take it out of your code,? Schnoebelen said.

City Clerk Missy Carter said that she did not believe there was anything in the code about not paying unused sick leave.

?I will bring you a copy,? Schnoebelen said.

City Attorney Les Lamping addressed the council and said he saw no place in the city?s code about whether the city is obligated to or prohibited from paying unused sick leave. He said there was a cap on the number of hours of sick leave an employee could accumulate and that it was 480 hours.

Waldschmidt remarked, ?Sick leave is a benefit earned that should not be thrown away.?

Yahnke said it was important to allow employees to accumulate sick leave hours in case they were sick or injured for a long time. However, he said he would also like to see a cap on the amount of money the city would pay out for sick leave.

?A lot of cities don?t pay sick leave,? he said. ?The University [of Iowa] pays a portion, and I?d like to see that in our handbook so we have clear rules on what we can and should do.?

Kevin Engle, who helps run the city?s water and sewer plants, said that the city was actually one employee short even before Herrig left.

?Now we?re two short,? he said. ?All I ask is that when we get through this process, let?s make sure we?re staffed the way we need to be. We?re losing a grade 2 (certification), and we need a grade 2 back. I want someone I can teach how to run those two plants so that when I go on vacation, I don?t have to worry about it. I?m tired of that.?

Schnoebelen said he would like Herrig?s replacement to live within 10 miles of Riverside. McDole said that a residency requirement that strict would exclude people who lived in Iowa City.

The council approved a resolution which reduces fees for copies and DVDs at city hall. The price of black and white copies had been $1 but under the resolution they will be 25 cents. Faxes will also be 25 cents. DVDs of city council meetings, which used to cost $20, will now cost $5.