With the current employment issue at the Culver Police Department, the Culver Town Council members considered a salary ordinance amendment to change the pay for the town marshal and other officers until new officers can be hired.
At a previous meeting, Town Marshal Wayne Bean explained that two officers put in their notice of resignation. One newly hired officer has yet to attend the Indiana Police Academy as required. When he leaves, two officers will be left to cover the town until officers can be hired. Bean is currently attempting to recruit part-time officers.
In the proposed ordinance amendment, the town marshal would be changed from a salaried employee to an hourly employee at a rate of $27.47 and must reach 84 hours in a two-week pay period before receiving overtime pay. It also states that a part-time deputy would be paid in a range of $20.00 to $23.00 per hour. It would be retroactive to the Feb. 16 pay period and expire on June 7, unless extended by the town council. It would revert to the original language after the time period.
Town Attorney Jim Clevenger said Bean is an exempt employee and not entitled to overtime pay. He questioned the changing of the classification of his pay.
To resolve the issue, the council approved a motion to pass the ordinance amendment on first reading with a change to be considered with the second reading. That change would state that the town marshal would remain an exempt employee and could be paid a stipend based on overtime rate at time-and-a-half of the hourly rate. The motion was passed with a unanimous vote.
The pay schedule is currently active, but the pay will be caught up following the adoption of the amendment.
