The Logansport Common Council on Sept. 8 approved Ordinance 2025-22, establishing time-clock expectations for city employees and requiring a record of attendance for salaried and hourly staff.

Councilman Dave Morris said the measure responded to concerns from employees and supervisors. "There's been a lot of concern about this time clock," Morris said, asking for a legal opinion on whether the city may require salaried employees to clock in daily. That request prompted a prolonged discussion of how on-call duties, emergency callbacks and snow or storm responses should be recorded.

The ordinance’s purpose, as described at the meeting, is to create an auditable record that an employee reported for work on a given day. The city attorney advised the council that requiring salaried staff to use a timekeeping system is within the city's authority but noted practical downsides and implementation choices. "If you feel it's appropriate to wanna demand that kind of compliance with it, you can do that," the city attorney said, and cautioned that rigid rules could reduce operational efficiency for employees who must respond to off-hours emergencies.

Council members and staff discussed specific scenarios: seasonal street and parks employees who begin work before dawn, crews called out during storms, and golf-course staff who sometimes work extended or irregular hours. Morris and others said they sought clarity so employees know expectations and supervisors can account for attendance without penalizing employees who must respond to after-hours emergencies.

Several council members urged flexibility. A council member noted existing practices such as supervisors manually recording who reported for duty during all-calls and suggested administrative procedures for after-the-fact adjustments. Councilman Morris asked that a memo be issued explaining operational expectations to employees; the mayor said the city would circulate a memo and that staff could propose administrative guidance to accompany the ordinance.

The council voted on a second reading and passed the ordinance. Voting proceeded by roll call; council members recorded affirmative votes and the ordinance passed on its second reading.

The ordinance does not change pay classifications or create new overtime entitlements; it requires timekeeping to document attendance. Council members said the measure aims to improve accountability, provide documentation for insurance or personnel matters, and preserve flexibility for emergency response. Staff were directed to issue explanatory guidance to employees and to accept administrative forms or manual entries when employees are called in for emergency work.

What happens next: the ordinance was adopted and staff will draft and distribute a memo clarifying expectations (who must record presence for the day, how after-hours callbacks are recorded, and the administrative procedure for adjustments). The council indicated it may revisit implementation details if problems emerge.