Jon Gard to fill council vacancy
At a special meeting held for the purpose of discussing the direction of the police department and the addition of a city employee, the Peabody City Council also voted to select a new councilman.
Jon Gard was chosen to fill the term vacated a month ago by Nelson Patton. Gard will be sworn in and take his seat on the council at the Monday meeting.
In other business, the council toured the city shop on 2nd Street and discussed needed repairs and upgrades. No decision was reached and the group returned to the city building to conduct the rest of the meeting.
An executive session was held to discuss possible litigation.
Police Chief Jeff Pohlman reviewed his department with the council. His presentation covered the department's direction, goals, and budget.
The remainder of the meeting was devoted to the discussion of hiring a third city employee. Darren Pickens and Ronnie Harms will attend the next council meeting to offer input on the need for an additional worker. They will discuss gradually decreasing their own hours to accommodate the salary of another employee. No action was taken.
