By KEVIN NEVERS

Something less than a town manager, something more than an economic development coordinator: that’s the hybrid position which the Chesterton Town Council created at a special meeting Monday evening.

Working from the document prepared last year by President Jim Ton, R-1st, members spent an hour drafting a job description which, in essence, strips the position of Chesterton Town Manager of most of the key powers provided by Indiana Code.

In lieu of being the “administrative head of the town government,” however—as Indiana Code puts it—the Chesterton Town Manager will instead serve as point person in matters of economic development.

In Ton’s words, “we’re putting a little different twist” on the position.

Begin with Ton’s original document, which floated 12 “powers and duties.” Of those 12, eight are more or less boilerplate:

•“Shall attend the meetings of the Town Council, the Plan Commission, the Redevelopment Commission, the Board of Zoning Appeals, and any other board or commission as directed by the Town Council and recommend actions he or she considers advisable.” As Ton observed, the idea behind this duty is simply for the town manager to stay informed about the workings of the municipality. Town Attorney Chuck Lukmann recommended one addition: to “any other board or commission” he suggested adding “committee,” as there are several in existence, among them the Tax Abatement Advisory Committee. Members Emerson DeLaney, R-5th, and Jeff Trout, R-2nd—both past members of the BZA—wondered whether it were advisable for the town manager to attend meetings of that quasi-judicial body. It is advisable for him to stay briefed, Ton said.

•“May delegate his/her authority to an employee responsible to him/her.” Indiana Code does provide for the position of deputy town manager. But the Town Council has not so far envisioned creating that position. Sort of a moot point then, Town Attorney Chuck Lukmann said. “There’s a power given but no one to give it to.”

•“Shall administer and enforce all town ordinances, orders, and/or resolutions of the Town Council.” When, members might have added, department heads do not already do so in the course of their jobs. Otherwise, standard and non-controversial.

•“Shall oversee that all statutes that are required to be administered by the Town Council or by a town official subject to the control of the Town Council are faithfully administered.” When department heads do not already do so in the course of their jobs. Otherwise, standard and non-controversial.

•“Shall see that town budget estimates are prepared by all departments and shall submit said estimates to the Town Council for review, consideration, and passage.” To date this responsibility has been the Chesterton Clerk-Treasurer’s. Otherwise, standard and non-controversial.

•“Shall execute contracts on behalf of the town for materials, supplies, services, or improvements, after completion of the appropriation, notice, and competitive bidding as required by statute.” In the case of the Utility, the Utility Service Board has specifically delegated this responsibility to the Superintendent. Otherwise, standard and non-controversial.

•“Shall enforce the Town of Chesterton (Comprehensive Plan), Code Book, and all other pertinent data, rules, and regulations.” Of course, the Chesterton Town Manager will not be walking job sites, inspecting homes, writing citations, fining MS4 violators, or any of the other duties which have been entrusted to the department heads and their employees by the nature of their jobs. Otherwise, standard and non-controversial.

•“May receive service of summons on behalf of the town.” Standard and non-controversial.

Re: Department Heads

The meat of Ton’s original document, on the other hand, is found in three specific powers, all of which concern the town manager’s dealings with department heads. Here members wielded a red pencil.

The first: “Shall supervise the operations of all departments and shall, with the recommendations of the department head, consider and adjudicate any disciplinary charges against an employee.”

The second: “Shall hire, with the recommendations of the department heads, town employees according to pay schedules and standards fixed by the Town Council.”

The third: “Shall suspend, discharge, remove, or transfer any town employee, with the recommendation of the department head, if necessary for the welfare of the town.”

In fact, the Chesterton Town Manager will have none of these powers. He or she will supervise no department head and will hire or fire no town employee. On the contrary, the Chesterton Town Manager will merely “coordinate and assist the operations of all departments,” members agreed. As Ton remarked, the Chesterton Town Manager will mostly be a “facilitator.”

In the matter of discipline, members also agreed, the Chesterton Town Manager may advise a department head, but the department head will retain all disciplinary authority.

As for hiring and firing, those responsibilities are in many cases already delegated to particular bodies by Indiana Code: the Metropolitan Police Commission and the Utility Service Board, for example. “If we wanted a town manager to come in and hire and fire everybody, we would have voted for a city,” Ton noted.

“Department heads should hire and fire and operate their own departments,” Trout added.

Re: Economic Development

What the Town Council truly wants, it would appear, is a go-getter in matters of economic development. Hence this responsibility, which members agreed to make the very first one in the job description: “Shall act as contact/lead person for the town in regards to citizen’s issues, public relations, all economic development initiatives, and grant application and administration.”

In essence, members are simply expanding the role of Town Economic Development Coordinator, in which position Dwayne Williams served until his resignation earlier this month.

“That should be the first duty,” Trout said. “That’s really what we’re looking for.”

Members did agree that all calls from residents will be routed to the Chesterton Town Manager. In the past, Clerk-Treasurer Gayle Polakowski told the Chesterton Tribune after the meeting, she and her staff in the town hall have fielded residents’ questions and concerns, when residents did not directly call the head of the relevant department.

Salary

Members then fixed a salary in the range of $55,000 to $85,000 and by consensus instructed Lukmann to codify the draft job description in the form of an ordinance.

Posted 4/29/2008