M2021-12
December 20, 2021
Regular Meeting
- Meeting called to order by Mayor Patrick Bates on Monday, December 20, 2021, at 7:00 P.M. at the Berlin Town Hall.
- Invocation – Councilman Donald Gunter.
- Pledge of Allegiance – Mayor Patrick Bates.
- Roll call by Town Clerk Keirstyn Montgomery. All members present.
- Mayor Patrick Bates asked for public comments. There were none.
- Approval of minutes from November 15, 2021, Regular Meeting. Motion to approve made by Councilman Tony Duke, seconded by Councilman James Sanford. Approved 6-0.
- Approval of December 2021 invoices. Motion to approve by Councilman Tony Duke, seconded by Councilman Donald Gunter. Approved 6-0.
- Mayor Patrick Bates presented RESOLUTION NO. 2021 – 004 REBUILD ALABAMA FY2022 GRANT APPLICATION. Motion to approve made by Councilman Don Bates, seconded by Councilman Tony Duke. Approved 6-0.
- Mayor Patrick Bates presented RESOLUTION NO. 2021- 005 ALDOT PROJECTS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOB ACT. Motion to approve made by Councilman Donald Gunter, seconded by Councilman James Sanford. Approved 6-0.
- Mayor Patrick Bates presented B2022-001 BID SPECS FOR BUSH HOGGING / MOWING. Motion to approve made by Councilman James Sanford, seconded by Councilman Tony Duke. Approved 6-0.
- Council discussed Town Clerk training. Motion to approve IIMCA Region III Conference & AAMCA Spring Municipal Clerks Conference in the amount of $515.00 plus travel expenses made by James Sanford, seconded by Donald Gunter. Approved 6-0.
- Council discussed $113 granted by E911 for street signage.
- Mayor Patrick Bates gave Farmers Market update.
- Council made motion to change the employment status of Town Clerk, Keirstyn Montgomery to full-time. Position to be salary in the amount of $37,440/annually, $3,120.00 monthly. Effective January 1, 2022. Motion to approve made by Keith Hardman, seconded by Tony Duke. Approved 6-0.
- Council made motion to opt into Local Government Health Insurance. Motion made by James Sanford, seconded by Tony Duke. Approved 6-0.
- Council adopted town Insurance Policy. Town of Berlin will apply to join Local Government Health insurance. The Town of Berlin will pay 100% of single insurance rate for full-time employees. Town of Berlin’s elected officials will have the option to join Local Government Health insurance with 0% paid by the Town of Berlin. Motion to approve made by James Sanford, seconded by Keith Hardman. Approved 6-0.
- Council adopted town Holiday Policy. Holidays to be paid for full-time employees only
- Observed holidays will be as followed:
Robert E. Lee / Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
President’s Day
Good Friday
Memorial Day
Juneteenth
Independence Day
Labor Day
Columbus Day
Veterans Day
Thanksgiving Day & Day After Thanksgiving
Christmas Eve & Christmas Day
New Year’s Eve & New Year’s Day
- If a holiday falls on a Saturday, the holiday will be observed on the preceding Friday. If the holiday falls on a Sunday, the holiday will be observed on Monday. In the case of Christmas and New Year’s, if either day falls on a weekend, the preceding Friday and following Monday will be observed as the holidays.
- Full-time employees must be normally scheduled to work the day a holiday is observed to be eligible to be paid.
- Motion to approve made by James Sanford, seconded by Donald Gunter. Approved 6-0.
- Council adopted town Annual Leave (Vacation) Policy. Full-time employees will be entitled to vacation upon completion of continuous service as follows:
Years of Service Time
Less than 1 year None
1 year but less than 5 years 2 weeks
5 years but less than 10 years 3 weeks
10 years or more 4 weeks
- Part-time employees who later become full-time shall count half of their part-time service towards this calculation.
- The vacation period shall be on a calendar basis. An employee will become eligible for one week of vacation with pay on the first anniversary of his employment. Thereafter, time is accrued on January 1 of each year. Employees must be on active payroll to receive paid vacation. Vacation cannot be accumulated beyond one year’s entitlement. An employee must work one day in the calendar year to be eligible for vacation. An employee that resigns or is terminated will have their vacation pro-rated for that calendar year.
- Motion to approve made by Donald Gunter, seconded by James Sanford. Approved 6-0.
- Council adopted town Sick Leave Policy. All full-time employees shall earn credit for paid sick leave at the rate of one day of leave per month. Eligible employees may accumulate up to 50 days of sick leave credit and may be carried over from one year to the next. Full-time employees who work less than 40 hours per week will have their sick leave pro-rated based on actual number of hours worked per week.
- A probationary employee will earn, but cannot take, sick leave until the employee has satisfactorily completed a six (6) month probationary period.
- An employee may use accrued sick leave for any of the following reasons:
- When an employee is unable to work due to personal illness, injury incurred off-duty, or when the employee’s presence may endanger the health of fellow workers;
- Keeping doctor, dentist, chiropractor or optometrist appointments for the employee and the employee’s immediate family members;
- Any impairment related to pregnancy and/or actual confinement. A female employee who requests time away from work for pregnancy, maternity and childbirth will be treated equally to other employees with other forms of disability or sickness who request leave; or
- The emergency illness or incapacitation of a child, spouse, parent, or in-law if such illness requires the employee’s immediate personal care.
- Motion to approve made by Don Bates, seconded by James Sanford. Approved 6-0.
- In other business, Mayor Patrick Bates informed Council that he is receiving quotes for FY2021 audit.
- Council made motion to approve a one-time pay adjustment to Town Clerk, Keirstyn Montgomery in the amount of $400.00 to be paid out in January 2022. Motion to approve made by Councilman Keith Hardman, seconded by Tony Duke. Approved 6-0.
- Motion to adjourn by Councilman James Sanford, seconded by Councilman Tony Duke. Approved 6-0.
- Adjourned at 7:55 PM.
- The next meeting of the Berlin Town Council will be January 17, 2022, at the Berlin Town Hall at 7:00 PM.