CIty to hire human resource employee

Aside from dismissing Shelbyville's city manager, the city council voted on a small number of other items Thursday night.

Approval was given to a motion to take applications for a human resource position for the city in anticipation of the city recorder's impending retirement.

Former city manager Ed Craig suggested to the council last week that they seek and hire a qualified person to initially take the human resource position, who could be trained under recorder Betty Lamb and learn eventually take over her job.

Craig said the hiring should be done "to ensure a good transition."

Recorder Betty Lamb has worked for the city for over 23 years and with 170 city employees to keep track of, Craig said that her work "is critical and complicated."

Lamb said last week that no current city employees know how to do her job and training someone to take over her job would take a year. She began working for the city as an administrative assistant before moving up to city recorder. Lamb has also served twice as interim city manager.

The council passed on second reading an ordinance that would permit fireworks inside the city limits.

In 1953, an ordinance was passed that prohibited both the sale and use of fireworks and the city recorder could find no evidence of that document ever being changed.

Also, issues relating to fireworks are not in the city's code and haven't been since 1976, therefore, a new ordinance is required.

The measure would also would allow fireworks to be used in the city on July 1 through July 3 from 10 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. and until 11:30 p.m. on July 4.

Fireworks would also be permitted on New Year's Eve from 8 p.m. until 1 a.m. Jan. 1.

An ordinance passed on third and final reading, adding 419 and 503 Belmont Avenue to that street's Historic District and places 516 Deery St. into the Frierson-Eakin Historic District.

A motion was also approved to accept a proposal from Winnett Associates to perform the city's audit for 2008-2009.

A bid of $2,355 was accepted from the firm Comprehensive Surveillance Integrators: Memphis for a 16 channel digital video recorder to replace a broken unit at the Shelbyville Recreation Center. Councilman Lee Roy Cunningham voted no on the measure.

Also a bid was accepted from Collins Tree Service of Shelbyville for tree maintenance in and near the public square for $1,125.

Some discussion also took place last week over the issue, with Cunningham stating that Shelbyville Power would do the job for free.

However, Mayor Wallace Cartwright told the council Thursday that the utility would not be able to do the type of job required to keep the trees properly pruned and shaped.

Cartwright also reappointed June Taylor to the Shelbyville Housing Authority since her five-year term had expired.