Council Hears Negative Feedback in Regard to Infant at Work Proposal

Babies on the brain seemed to be the main topic at the March meeting of the Whitehall Town Council, held Monday, March 19th, at the Town Hall. But not just babies, but babies in the Town Hall office. The Council is currently researching whether or not to allow babies in the workplace, as two town employees are currently expecting.

Earlier this month, a meeting regarding maternity leave and infants in the workplace was called into executive session. In the meantime, the Council has looked into safeguards, current practices elsewhere, and liabilities in having infants in the office space.

Council members Roy McBride, Katy James, and Pat Petersen all expressed concerns about productivity loss and how to gauge employee accountability when taking care of a newborn.

“I don’t want to lose the staff we have,” Peterson said but noted that when "you’re in an office, you need to be doing your job."

McBride suggested installing a time clock to help with accountability; it was then noted that if a time clock is used for one employee, it should be used for all.

Town Clerk Kennedy Kleinsasser, one of the expecting employees, stated that she hopes that everyone can bend a little and come to a resolution.

“I care about my job and plan to be here for the long term,” she said, reminding the Council that this would only be for six months.

Resident Nancy Wheeler, during the discussion, said that a public office is no place for an infant and detailed her distracted time working at JLDC when a newborn was in the office. Resident Nancy Edsall concurred, saying that maybe she was “old-fashioned,” but that’s what a babysitter is for.

Since this matter was brought up, it has been discovered that neither employee has an up-to-date job description, and Kleinsasser said that duties need to be reallocated and defined. Because of this, it was voted to table the issue until job descriptions are updated and in place.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Nancy Edsall, the owner of Cliff’s Automotive Service Center, voiced concern over the new Town Pump’s installation of a water receptacle to alleviate flooding near her business at 402 N Pyfer. When the new building was in the planning stages, it was told to the Edsalls that Town Pump would be installing a “large buried container that could hold at least 100K gallons of water.” Edsall showed each Town Council member a photo on her cell phone of this “container” which is actually several pieces of culvert with holes in them buried. Edsall said she wanted it on the record and in the minutes that the Council was aware of this, so it would be no surprise when flooding happened.

Wheeler, Edsall, and Jerry Ward also expressed distaste for the Town Hall’s office hours, stating that they benefited the employees more than the public. Wheeler questioned why an office would be open but not to the public when it is a public office building.

PLANNING BOARD REQUESTS:

Approved: Sacry, survey property adjustment; Latta, greenhouse application; Ledgerwood, fence application. Denied: Giono, storage container application; Tavenner, fence application.

BUSINESS LICENSES: Family Dollar, Thresher Innovations, Evology Healing, and Visionary Communications were approved.