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Shively council fills vacant seat and confirms multiple public-safety hires and promotions
Summary
The City of Shively council appointed Sharon Baker to a vacant council seat and approved several hires and promotions in the police and fire departments across 2021 meetings, including new officers and promoted sergeants and captains.
At a special-video-teleconference series of council sessions in early 2021 the City of Shively filled a council vacancy created earlier in the year. After an executive session, Mayor Beverly Chester-Burton called for a roll-call vote; Sharon Baker was appointed to the council (vote recorded in minutes). Mayor Chester-Burton then welcomed Baker as a member of the legislative body.
Council also approved multiple public-safety personnel actions across meetings in May–August. Motions to hire police officers (examples recorded in minutes include Cody Ruzanka, Trevor Towe and Richard Waller) were approved by roll call. The council confirmed fire-department promotions (Charles Rhudy to captain; Cody Wuetcher to sergeant) and police promotions to sergeant, and the city attorney administered oaths at public meetings.
Police Chief Kevin Higdon noted retirements and transitions: Chief Higdon announced Sgt. Ronnie Vittitoe would retire Feb. 1 after 15 years of service; council members publicly recognized his service.
Why it matters: maintaining staffing and leadership in police and fire departments was raised repeatedly as a budget and service priority during the fiscal-year deliberations; the hires and promotions aim to sustain public-safety staffing levels as the city implements its FY 2021–22 budget.
What’s next: Personnel records and formal appointment documents will be filed with the city clerk; council minutes record roll-call tallies for transparency and will appear in the municipal record.
