SILVER LAKE – At Wednesday night's meeting, the Silver Lake Town Council discussed the current overtime pay procedure and possible revisions to the employee handbook, which will be decided at a later meeting.
Clerk-Treasurer Tonya Conley said that currently the handbook says any overtime above three hours must be approved by the council, but when completing payroll she is required by labor law to pay overtime hours regardless of whether council has approved or denied the timesheets. Conley advised the council to revise the handbook so it reflects or improves current practices.
Council member Jean Weller told those employees present at the meeting that Council President Hugh Murfin should be their main contact if they need more than three hours of overtime pay.
Utilities Superintendent Joey McNeal acknowledged he needed more overtime hours in December but cited a main break, backed-up drains and snow plowing. Utilities staff were also not able to cut as many hours from their regular schedules as they normally would due to paid holidays.
No date was set for a special meeting to further discuss the employee handbook.
In other business:
• Council re-signed the 2024 fire contract and signed the 2025 contract.
• Council approved year-end fund transfers to balance accounts.
• Heard a year-end report from Fire Chief John Conley, who noted that 16% of 2024 runs were fires, 18% were accidents, 33% were medical assists, 18% were mutual aids to other departments and 16% were alarms/other.
There was a year-end claims docket of $427,958.12 and a January 2025 docket of $179,621
Council will next meet at 7 p.m. Feb. 12.