Sean C. Morgan
The Sweet Home City Council approved a resolution to change overtime rules for police detectives.
?Officers assigned to detective duty are often called out to work at odd hours and due to they nature of their investigations, often work for long stretches at a time in excess of an eight-hour shift,? Police Chief Bob Burford said. ?In order to be as efficient as possible, both fiscally and strategically, the Police Department wishes to allow these specific officers to work a flexible work schedule.?
Under the city?s contract with the union this sort of schedules is not permitted, and they city is required to pay overtime for hours in excess of eight in a day or 40 in a week.
An agreement between the union and city will allow the detectives a flex time schedule. Under the agreement, the city will pay overtime only if the detectives work in excess of 171 hours in a 28-day pay period.
Present at the council meeting, held Tuesday night last week, were Jim Gourley, Jim Bean, Bob McIntire, Craig Fentiman, Jessica Coward, Dick Hill and Mayor Tim McQueary.
In other business, the council:
— Appointed Madeline Battey to another term on the library board. Her term expires on June 30, 2008. Shirley Eddy has resigned from the board leaving another opening.
— Provided a neutral recommendation to the Oregon Liquor Control Commission for a liquor license at the Tortilla Garden, a new Mexican restaurant preparing to open.
The license application process revealed some questions as to the true identity of the applicant?s husband and his possible match to an individual with a criminal record, Chief Burford said. Police submitted fingerprints to the Oregon State Police, but by July 8 had not received a reply.
OLCC told police that no matter the identity, it would not cause it to deny the application, and the applicant was insistent that it be processed without further delay, Chief Burford said. Because the police investigation for the application was not completed to where Chief Burford would be comfortable with an affirmative recommendation, he recommended a neutral position by the council.
The applicant is Elena Arenas Serrano.