Officials Table Measure Requiring Council Approval for Personnel Manual Changes

Members of the Washington Township governing body decided Monday to table an ordinance that would require council approval on personnel manual changes.

When the measure was first introduced Sept. 26 in a split 3-2 vote, since the mayor is in charge of personnel.

At the meeting Monday night, Councilman Glenn Beckmeyer said he didn't want the council to have to approve changes, but said he wouldn't mind requiring that councilmen receive copies of the changed personnel manual within seven days of the adjustments.

"You keep trying to cross the line of who's doing what and it's almost like we have to watch out if the mayor is doing her job right," Beckmeyer said. "I just don't think we should be approving what she wants to do because if we don't, then it's another stalemate on another thing between the council and the mayor and nothing happens."

Council President Fred Goetz had a different take on the purpose of the ordinance.

"We want to make sure there is oversight and that the public is seeing what changes are being made and that changes aren't being made unnecessarily or exposing us to liability," Goetz said. "It's always a good idea, a best practice to have discussions and to examine things before you put them into place and to have different points of view."

Mayor Janet Sobkowicz said she would bring proposed changes to the personnel manual before the council to discuss during the next meeting Nov. 1. Councilmen will likely vote on the approval of the ordinance at the Nov. 21 meeting.