PENDLETON — By split votes, Pendleton Town Council appointed an interim town manager and terminated its public works director; in each case, a council member voting in the minority indicated politics factored into the decisions.
At a special meeting Jan. 29, the council voted 4-1 for Assistant Planning Director Rachel Christenson to serve as interim town manager, filling the position vacated by Tim McClintick, who resigned Jan. 9 after serving in the role since 2013.
The town manager supervises the town’s planning and public works departments as well as the utility office, and fulfills administrative duties of the town council.
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McClintick also was the town’s planning director, a role in which Christenson also will serve.
“I’m sure there will be some extra hours put in,” Christenson said after the meeting, stating she is prepared for the extra work.
“We have a lot of challenges this year that are going to be on our plate,” she said, citing staff changes and local projects.
She said she was excited for the chance to step up and serve the town in a larger role, albeit one that’s temporary for now.
Christenson graduated from Ball State University in 2006 with a degree in landscape architecture; she was senior planner at Madison County Council of Governments from 2007-14, before joining the Town of Pendleton as assistant planning director.
Her assistant planning director pay rate of $34.30 per hour remains in effect, but an increase is planned to reflect the move to interim town manager.
McClintick’s annual salary was $93,182.
Town council President Chet Babb said three people applied for the interim position, and one of those people lost interest when the temporary nature of the appointment became clear.
Councilman Steve Denny voted against hiring Christenson for the job.
“I was elected into this position to effect change in this town,” he said, stating the town is headed in the wrong direction.
Prior to his election in November, Denny wrote in a Times-Post candidate questionnaire that he was “concerned about the morale of our town employees. The town has lost over 100 years or experience in the last one to two years. Why is that? The employees have voice their concerns with little or no improvement.”
Babb said a permanent town manager job posting and job description would be advertised soon.
Previously, he said it was important to get someone into the interim position quickly as well as to take enough time to hire the best person for the permanent position.
At the January council meeting, during which McClintick’s surprise resignation letter was read, Babb responded to a question afterward saying it wouldn’t take months to find a permanent replacement: “I won’t allow it to take months,” he said.
In another staff change, the council voted 3-2 to fire Public Works Director/Building Inspector Jeff Barger.
“I move to terminate the employment of Jeff Barger immediately,” Babb said.
Barger has hired by the town in May 2011 as electric lineman. He became public works director in April 2016 at a pay rate of $39.89.
During a roll call vote, Councilwoman Jessica Smith voted against the move, stating that it was not “the appropriate time to make structural changes to this organization.”
The Public Works Department maintains public infrastructure, including streets, sidewalks, storm drains, electric lines, and drinking water treatment and distribution. It also issues building permits and certificates of occupancy.
“We’re already going to be short staffed,” Smith said.
“I see this as nothing more than fulfilling political promises,” she said.
Councilman Bob Jones also voted against the move.
“I think we’re making a rash decision,” he said.
Councilmen Denny and Shane Davis voted with Babb to fire Barger.
Babb said Barger is not going to be replaced.
“We’re going to dissolve that position,” he said after the meeting.
“We didn’t have (a public works director) for years,” he said.
With town personnel changes, Christenson said council and staff will have to determine how “we can disperse the workload” among the 16 remaining employees.
“I think we can make it work,” she said.
