Council approves update to personnel manual, shifting authority for personnel changes to town manager

The Payson Common Council voted 5–1 with one member absent on Oct. 8, 2025, to adopt Resolution 3463, which amends the town personnel manual to clarify administrative authority for personnel matters and the ability of the town manager to make certain staffing changes.

Town Manager Darren Caldwell told the council the personnel manual is inconsistent with state law and town code and that the proposed changes would let staff and the town attorney implement and update personnel policy without repeatedly bringing routine personnel items to the council. "Arizona code ... says the city council isn't allowed to be involved in personnel policy," Caldwell said, describing the proposed amendment as a correction of contradictory language in the manual.

The town attorney told the council the change aligns the manual with state law—citing city and town code under Title 9—and advised that administrative control of employees is already vested in the manager by statute and local code. The attorney also noted that involving council members directly in personnel decisions could expose them to legal claims.

Opponents during public comment warned the change transfers power away from elected representatives. Tom Dunning, a resident, called it "a transfer of power" and urged the council to reject Resolution 3463. Jana DeForest and several others said giving unilateral authority to the town manager to abolish positions could be abused; DeForest described specific drainage permitting concerns in a separate comment but also said she opposed transferring authority. Lori Permenter urged council members to consider unintended consequences and warned that removing council review could make government feel distant and unaccountable.

Council discussion showed a split: Councilman Nasik publicly supported the town manager's cleanup of the manual, while other members expressed reservations about timing and transparency. The council ultimately approved the resolution; the meeting record shows the motion "to approve resolution number 3463, as captioned" carried 5–1 with one absence. The vote tally was recorded as 5 yes, 1 no, 1 absent; individual roll‑call votes were not recorded in the public transcript.

What the resolution does: The adopted language clarifies that the town manager has administrative authority over personnel policy and the procedural ability to amend the manual consistent with state law and town code; it also repeals conflicting resolutions and includes severability language.

Next steps: Town staff and the town attorney will proceed with updating the personnel manual text and implementing administrative procedures. Several residents asked for clearer public notices of substantive personnel policy changes so the community can review them before they take effect.