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Richmond commissioners approve series of personnel actions, hireings and a $50 blasting-permit fee
Summary
At its regular meeting the Richmond City Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted an ordinance aligning the city's blasting-permit fee with surrounding jurisdictions and approved a package of personnel orders including promotions, hires and board appointments.
The Richmond City Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on a package of administrative orders and a second-reading ordinance that adjusts the city's blasting-permit fee to $50 and advances multiple personnel actions.
The measures, carried by roll-call votes with all commissioners voting yes, included promotions within the police department, hires for the fire and police departments, acceptance of resignations, an appointment to the Richmond Industrial Development Corporation and an extension of the bidding period for the city's general-fund banking services RFP.
The ordinance, Ordinance 25-26, amended the city's development ordinance schedule of fees to resolve a discrepancy between an older section of the code and the development ordinance. The city attorney said the change aligns Richmond's fee with nearby Madison County and Berea. The board adopted the second reading on a unanimous vote.
Among personnel actions approved on the consent/regular agenda:
- Order 25-164: Promoted an existing police safety officer to police public safety supervisor, effective payroll date Nov. 14, 2025; the order notes the finance department budgeted for the adjustment. Vote: Cole, Goebel, Newby, Brewer and Mayor Blythe — yes (5-0).
- Order 25-165: Promoted Patrol Officer Justin Charles to sergeant, effective payroll date Nov. 14, 2025; promotion contingent on completion of required training and a 12-month probationary period (extendable by six months). Vote: Cole, Goebel, Newby, Brewer and Mayor Blythe — yes (5-0).
- Order 25-161: Hired Justin Harvey as Firefighter I contingent on background checks, with a 12-month probationary period and pay per FY25-26 scale. Vote: Cole, Goebel, Newby, Brewer and Mayor Blythe — yes (5-0).
- Order 25-163: Hired Ethan Woods as a police officer contingent on background checks and availability of DOCJT training slots; the order notes a 20-week training requirement at DOCJT and an 18-month probationary period. Vote: Cole, Goebel, Newby, Brewer and Mayor Blythe — yes (5-0).
- Order 25-160: Accepted the resignation of Johnnetta Barger from the Richmond Housing Authority Board effective immediately; the board thanked Barger for service since 2014. Vote: Cole, Goebel, Newby, Brewer and Mayor Blythe — yes (5-0).
- Order 25-162: Accepted the resignation of Sean White from the Public Works Department effective Oct. 10, 2025; the board thanked him for service since 2018. Vote: Cole, Goebel, Newby, Brewer and Mayor Blythe — yes (5-0).
- Order 25-167: Appointed Roxanne Fry to the Richmond Industrial Development Corporation to complete a term expiring Feb. 12, 2026. Vote: Cole, Goebel, Newby, Brewer and Mayor Blythe — yes (5-0).
- Order 25-166: Extended the bidding period for general-fund banking services from 21 to 31 days so banks have more time to evaluate and prepare proposals; commissioners requested a minor clerical correction in the order text before adoption. Vote: Cole, Goebel, Newby, Brewer and Mayor Blythe — yes (5-0).
- Order 25-168: Reclassified a Recycle Department employee (Sean Pixley) from equipment operator 2 to warehouse supervisor effective Nov. 10, 2025; the board acknowledged recent retirements and budgeted funding. Vote: Cole, Goebel, Newby, Brewer and Mayor Blythe — yes (5-0).
What the record shows: every motion noted in the minutes was brought to the floor, seconded and adopted with a unanimous roll-call of present commissioners. The clerk read each order into the record with the specific effective dates and probationary or training conditions where applicable. The board did not record any dissenting votes on the items above.
Looking ahead: the actions are administrative or staffing decisions intended to keep city services operating; several hires are contingent on background checks and training slots at the Department of Criminal Justice Training.
Votes at a glance
- Ordinance 25-26 (second reading): blasting-permit fee set to $50 — adopted (5-0). - Order 25-164: promotion to public safety supervisor (Danny Pollard) — adopted (5-0). - Order 25-165: promotion to sergeant (Justin Charles) — adopted (5-0). - Order 25-161: hire firefighter (Justin Harvey) — adopted (5-0). - Order 25-163: hire police officer (Ethan Woods) — adopted (5-0). - Order 25-160: accept resignation (Johnnetta Barger, RHA) — adopted (5-0). - Order 25-162: accept resignation (Sean White, Public Works) — adopted (5-0). - Order 25-166: extend banking RFP bidding period (21 → 31 days) — adopted (5-0). - Order 25-167: appoint Roxanne Fry to RIDC — adopted (5-0). - Order 25-168: reclassify Recycle Dept. employee to warehouse supervisor (Sean Pixley) — adopted (5-0).
No legal or budgetary objections were recorded during the votes; where the orders referenced pay grades, probationary periods or training requirements, those details were read into the record.
