Dear Mr. Shirley,
As a citizen of Iola, I’d like to ask for some clarification on what happened at (Monday) night’s city council meeting. The council voted 5-4 to reinstate Judy Brigham’s benefits according to Mr. Becker’s proposal.
That vote was then declared “not valid” by yourself and the council with the reasoning that it “directly contradicted the city’s personnel policy on benefits.” However, the City of Iola Personnel Policy Handbook, available from the city’s website, states in the purpose statement “the Handbook or any part thereof may be amended, changed, altered or abandoned at any time by an act of the City Council.”
It appears then, that the council’s argument that the vote was not valid because it contradicts the city’s personnel policy, is not valid, since the policy allows the city council to amend, change, alter, or abandon the policy at any time — which it did, with the 5-4 vote.
Since the council did not vote to rescind its earlier vote, it appears to me that the motion and vote earlier in the evening stand.
I realize that the city will not comment on personnel decisions, but I look forward to the city notifying Ms. Brigham of her reinstatement.
Respectfully,
Holly Slawkowski
Iola, Kan.
