Council approves rehiring of former clerk 5–2 after debate over interview process

The Village Council voted 5–2 on March 2 to approve Resolution 26-020, reinstating former Clerk of Council Jimmy John Hall at a "year five" pay level with a tentative start date of March 16.

The resolution, introduced at the meeting, set the pay rate only and did not alter accruals for vacation or sick time, Clerk Becky said during discussion: "this does not in any way affect his accrual for vacation or sick leave or anything like that. It's just for pay." Several council members pressed for clarity about the hiring process after council leadership removed the job posting following an email request for at least three council-member confirmations to proceed.

Opponents said the return was handled informally. "I say no because of the way it was done," Council member Jimmy Little said, citing a lack of a council-wide interview and concern that most members had not met the candidate. Other members defended the short process as consistent with prior practice for rehiring a former employee and said they had reviewed the candidate's resume and discussed qualifications by email and phone.

During the exchange, members debated whether the charter or an internal handbook prescribes recruitment procedures; one member suggested taking the issue to the charter committee to codify a consistent interview process.

Becky said the hiring would treat prior public-service time as continuous for accrual purposes and that the appointee's pay would match his previous rate. The roll-call vote recorded five yeses and two noes; the motion passed and the clerk appointment will take effect at the council meeting scheduled for March 16, 2026.

The council did not adopt any additional personnel policy changes at the meeting; members who objected urged formal documentation of the hiring process for future appointments.