City council considering disciplinary action options

The Clarendon City Council is exploring employee disciplinary options after public complaints aired at last week’s regular meeting on November 13.

In public comments, Irene Shaller told the council about confrontations she had had with City Secretary Machiel Covey regarding Shaller’s bed and breakfast business.

Shaller said she had tried to follow the rules for paying Hotel Occupancy Taxes for her property but described hostile treatment from Covey and said the city secretary had pretended to be a bed and breakfast guest to try to contact her.

Later in the meeting, Shannon Herndon described her experience in trying to pay a water bill for an account which was turned of during a time of disputed bill. Herndon said she came to City Hall to learn more about her bill, and the she also described a heated interaction with Covey while she tried to pay for her bill.

Covey responded that Shaller and Herndon’s accounts of what happened were not accurate and said she had followed procedures, although she did admit getting flustered when Herndon was in the office discussing the late water bill.

After meeting in closed session to discuss the matter, the council returned to open session and voted to contact the city’s attorney to determine what disciplinary options that city has to it and directed that Covey have no contact with citizens in her job until the matter is resolved.

Mayor Jacob Fangman thanked those who had addressed the council that night.

“I want to thank the people who spoke tonight,” he said. “We’re going to do our own investigation and refine our processes to give the citizens dignity and respect.”

In other city business, the council approved $1,000 in funding for the Christ’s Kids Ministry food program, accepted a low bid of about $569,000 for a new grant-funded lift station, approved a bid by Bar X Contractor for work in City Hall, approved a resolution denying a rate increase by Southwestern Electric Power Company, voted to support Alderman Chris Topliff’s candidacy for a place on the Donley Appraisal District Board, and approved having the Donley Appraisal District assess and collect property taxes for the city.

City Administrator Brian Barboza reported new lamp posts for the 200 block of Kearney are currently scheduled to be shipped November 17.