Council makes minor changes for Cloverdale police needs

Adam Hull

CLOVERDALE — Part of a meeting that took less than 30 minutes, the entire Cloverdale Town Council approved changes concerning police personnel Tuesday evening.

On a suggestion from Town Marshal Adam Hull, the council approved updating a part of the Cloverdale Police Department’s standard operating procedures (SOPs) regarding officers’ places of residence.

With the SOPs saying officers must live within the county, Hull asked for wording that they can live within a 25-mile radius of the Cloverdale Town Hall. They could live two miles south of the town and be out-of-county, he said, but be closer than if they lived in New Maysville.

With agreement from Town Attorney Richard Shagley and the council’s approval, Council Vice President Brice Howell motioned that Hull’s suggestion be added to the provision of generally living in the county.

Waiving its second reading, the council also passed Ordinance 2023-7 to amend the town’s salary ordinance, as the police department has been organized as such.

Clerk-Treasurer Kelly Maners said the interim town marshal position which Hull held was removed, and noted that the ordinance is based on a range up from minimum wage. Council President Brandon Tancak emphasized that this has no bearing on budget considerations for 2024.

In other business:

• Stipulating that rain has hampered it recently, Town Manager Jason Hartman told the council that work on the former private drive of Bennington Way is coming along. With curbing and new asphalt to be done, he said the project should be complete in two-and-half weeks.

• Regarding acquiring a new Kubota side-by-side approved in May, the council agreed on its price tag from Humphreys’ Outdoor Power for $23,075.79. Hartman provided that an additional $132 was tacked on because of increased costs.

• The council approved to pay two outstanding invoices totaling $79.70 from 2021 for police uniforms.

Maners said the invoices were to be paid by a former reserve officer, according to the SOPs. However, Howell provided that the officer was instructed by former Town Marshal Steve Hibler to charge them to the town, thus they were to be its responsibility.

• The council approved for Kenny Flinchum to fill a vacancy on the Cloverdale Park Board.

• The council conducted its second reading of and passed Ordinance 2023-6 establishing a fund for the town-owned railroad depot. Per a discussion the council had in May, the fund will hold rental income, which could be used to prepare the building’s use for educational purposes.

The next regular meeting of the Cloverdale Town Council is set for Tuesday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. at the town hall.