No safety program in place in Cloverdale

CLOVERDALE -- The town has been without a safety program, which is an OSHA violation. However, steps have been taken to correct the issue.

"We will have one in place ASAP," said town council president Cathy Tipton during the Tuesday night meeting.

Council members voted to begin "intense" training of all the town's employees on safety issues including confined spaces, emergency action plan, personal protection equipment and the use of a fire extinguisher with 15 procedures in all.

"All our employees need to take this seriously," said council member Terry Puffer. "We need 100 percent compliance from every employee."

Puffer's motion to pay $2,500 for the training to begin included updates to the employee handbooks, a walk-through assessment, required training for all current employees and new hires, CDL licensing requirements and all manage and deploy material safety data sheets or MSDS.

Tipton enhanced the motion with the safety training be added to all job descriptions.

With that, council member Don Sublett made a second and the motion passed unanimously. Everything should be in action within 60 days, which was also part of Puffer's motion.

Council members also voted to proceed with the idea of outsourcing its payroll to Payroll Express. Should the town come to an agreement with the Greencastle payroll company, it will pay $60.50 twice a month or $1,452 per year.

In addition to the bi-monthly payroll, Payroll Express will take care of W2s, 1099s, all other tax forms and provide direct deposit, which is not currently offered to town employees.

"I think it could be very beneficial," said Tipton.

An agreement from Payroll Express will be presented to the council at its April meeting for a final vote.

Additionally, the town will have a new policy on purchase orders. All orders will be done through a software program already used by the town called Keystone. The new plan will help with tracking the budget.

"We already have the program, so we are not purchasing anything new," Tipton explained. "I would like to have everything in place by April 1."

In other business:

* There will be a utility board meeting at 6 p.m. March 22 at town hall. Following that meeting, there will be a public hearing at 7 p.m. Several items on the Tuesday night agenda were tabled until the March 22 meeting.

Approval of the Feb. 16 minutes and claims were tabled due to the council members not receiving them in a timely manner.

It is procedure for the council to have the claims seven days before a meeting. However, clerk-treasurer Patti Truax had been out sick.

Further discussion on the Indiana Department of Revenue audit will take place at the March 22 meeting. The town was audited by the state and there were few issues -- non-taxed materials purchased by the town and passed on to a third party without charging tax and not charging a 1.4 percent tax on the hydrant fee on utility bills.

Truax will call the Department of Revenue and obtain second copies of the audit, as well as a time limit for an appeal.

* Don Gedert again approached the board about placing recycling bins on the town's property near town hall. He suggested three locations -- parallel with the alley, in the alley or directly behind the town hall.

The matter will be furthered discussed at the April town council meeting.