Staff writer
Peabody Mayor Larry Larsen appointed Rick Reynolds to a vacancy on Peabody City Council Monday evening.
“I had my sights on a couple of people I felt had the city’s interests at heart and had the time to attend meetings and work on city issues,” Larsen said. “After visiting with each, I chose Rick Reynolds to fill the spot vacated by Travis Wilson when his job description changed.”
Council members approved the appointment, but Reynolds was not sworn in because City Clerk Stephanie Lago had not realized the appointment would actually take place Monday night and was not prepared to swear him in according to city ordinance.
Reynolds will officially take his place on the council at the next meeting, Dec. 27.
Craig Smith was present to confirm that his employer Oxen Technology had performed a risk assessment on the city’s servers and computers.
The police department server is seven years old and two of the desktop computers in the city building are each four years old. Smith asked the council to make a commitment to purchase replacements in 2017 be added to the agreement between Oxen and the city.
After a brief discussion of costs and timing, the council agreed to the commitment and approved entering into a contract for service with Oxen.
In other business:
- The council agreed to a usage fee increase from Waste Connections for residential trash carts. Peabody residents will pay an additional seven cents a month for use of the carts.
- Lago informed the council that Peabody Board of Zoning Appeals recommended that all of Block 40, City of Peabody, be rezoned from R-2 (Residential two-family dwelling) to R-3 (Conditional use — mobile home.) Susan and the late Chuck Good own the entire block. A modular home will be moved onto a portion of the block. City Council members approved the recommendation of the Peabody Board of Zoning Appeals.
- Council members went into an executive session for the purpose of discussing confidential data related to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations or partnerships. No action was taken on return to open meeting.
- Council members went into an executive session for the purpose of discussing personnel matters of non-elected personnel. No action was taken on return to open meeting.