Powell Council adopts revised personnel policy, makes future hires at-will

The Powell City Council voted to adopt Resolution 12-20-25, a revised and reformatted City of Powell personnel policy and procedure manual that shifts future hires to at-will employment while preserving for-cause protections for current employees.

Council discussion and staff remarks focused on the scope of the change and procedural safeguards. Scott, legal counsel, said the update will make new hires at will "meaning they can be terminated at any time without cause, without any direct to hearing," and that employees hired before the effective date will retain the prior hearing process (they are "grandfathered"). Tiffany, a city staff member involved in drafting the handbook, and Scott told the council the legal review was completed and that the city expects to revisit parts of the handbook as issues arise.

Council members asked whether the change removes probationary periods and whether employees could still sue for wrongful termination. Scott said the manual had historically contained a probationary period (six months for city employees, a year for police), and he noted that "it does not mean you can't be sued for wrongful termination." Council discussion also referenced similar changes in nearby communities and said the update aligns Powell with other municipalities that use at-will hiring for new employees.

The resolution was moved and seconded and approved; council authorized necessary signatures. The motion and roll-call details were recorded in the meeting minutes. The revised manual will become effective after today's date for future hires; the manual's specific effective date and administrative implementation steps were not specified in the public discussion.

City staff directed questions about implementation and appeals to Tiffany and Scott; council members said policies can be revisited as circumstances warrant.