PARKERSBURG-Members of the personnel committee, hoping to post the opening for city clerk, were unable to get a motion through Tuesday.
Parkersburg Personnel Committee member John Rockhold declined to second a motion to begin advertising for the city clerk's position.
Committee member Mike Reynolds made a motion to advertise the job, but the motion died for lack of a second. Rockhold refused to second the motion, stating he was inclined to believe the situation should be left to the next city council.
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Photo by Jody Murphy
City Clerk Connie Shaffer takes notes during Tuesday’s personnel committee meeting. Committee members John Rockhold and Mike Reynolds review the agenda.
"We have four in-coming council members," he said. "That's a lot of input."
Committee chairwoman Sharon Lynch called the meeting Tuesday hoping to get the ball rolling on finding a replacement for City Clerk Connie Shaffer.
Lynch was seeking input from fellow committee members as to how the posting and interview process for a new clerk should be handled. She asked if the job should be posted in-house, outside, how long it should be advertised and who would conduct the interviews of possible candidates.
Fact Box
Meeting Notes
* Aside from Sharon Lynch, who - as chairwoman -cannot second motions, Mike Reynolds and John Rockhold were the only committee members present.
* Committee members John Sandy and Tom Joyce - both out-going council members - were absent.
* In-coming council member J.R. Carpenter was also present.
Shaffer, who has been with the city since 1974, retired last year, but has remained on a part-time basis. Shaffer would continue to work part time to train a replacement. She would be available to troubleshoot any problems, Lynch said.
Shaffer said she would be willing to remain clerk on a part-time basis, allowing Dan Huffman, parking supervisor, to remain as a part-time clerk. Rockhold noted the current arrangement saves the city more than $14,000 a year, plus insurance and benefits.
Council member Nancy Wilcox, who is not a member of the committee, favored posting the job now.
"Someday, somewhere we have to have somebody," she said. "We are just as well do it now and get it taken care of."
In-coming council member John Kelly did not agree, telling members he felt the next council should handle it.
"The next council should be the one that sets the job description, pay structure and does the hiring," he said.
"That's not what we are doing," Lynch said.
"I realize that," Kelly replied. "But it should be the job of the next council."
