Whiteland council pauses plan to enforce 2–5 a.m. parking rule after months-long dispute between mayoral office and police chief

A heated discussion over enforcement of the town's no-parking ordinance and a written directive from the council president to the police chief dominated public business at the Whiteland Town Council meeting.

Council President Richard Hill introduced the item as "Enforcement of 72.02, parking on the town streets and rights of way," and the discussion quickly turned to whether a council member had improperly given directives or threatened discipline to the police chief outside an open meeting. Council member Joe Sailor said he believed the summary of that meeting amounted to an open-door violation and a prohibited attempt by an individual member to direct town employees.

The dispute focused on Ordinance 72.02, which currently bans parking on some streets at certain times (the council identified the 2 a.m. to 5 a.m. window in the discussion). Sailor said council rules and state law prohibit individual members from directing employees and described the written summary he received…