Camp Verde council trims sick-leave cap, delays final decision on take-home vehicle rules

The Camp Verde Mayor and Common Council on Feb. 4 approved revisions to the town's Personnel Manual that reduce the maximum sick-leave bank from 480 hours to 240 hours and proposed changes to the take-home vehicle policy, while deferring final action on vehicle provisions until staff provides more information.

HR Director Julia Kaiser presented the proposed revisions, explaining the sick-leave-bank cap change and the proposed language allowing special provisions for sworn officers to take home town vehicles if they live within a 50-mile radius of Camp Verde. Kaiser and Acting Marshal Daniel Jacobs answered council questions about operational impacts.

During public comment, resident Cheri Wischmeyer raised concerns that employees who take town vehicles home could accrue more mileage and asked whether workers' compensation would cover employees in the event of an off-duty accident. Town Manager Miranda Fisher, HR Director Kaiser and Acting Marshal Daniel Jacobs responded to those questions during the discussion. Councilors asked for additional information about the vehicle proposal; the council approved the sick-leave change and directed staff to return with more details on vehicle take-home policies before the vehicle provisions are finalized.

The motion to approve Policy 4-9 (Sick Leave Bank) with the conditional that Policy 1-2-8 (take-home vehicle) be brought back with more information was made by Councilor Robert Foreman, seconded by Councilor Jessie Murdock, and carried 7-0 on a roll-call vote. The meeting record does not provide a detailed funding or implementation schedule for administrative changes, which staff said they would supply when the vehicle policy returns to the council.