Gluckstadt board hires Samuel Fincher as police officer

The Gluckstadt Mayor and Board of Aldermen voted Feb. 20 to hire Samuel Fincher as a police officer at an annual salary of $52,000, with benefits including Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance and participation in the Public Employees Retirement System, contingent on successfully passing all background checks and drug screening. The decision followed an executive-session discussion of Police Department personnel.

Alderman John Taylor moved to hire Fincher, and Alderwoman Miya Warfield Bates seconded the motion. The board recorded a unanimous affirmative vote from the members present: Alderman Jayce Powell, Alderman Chip Williams, Alderwoman Bates, Alderman Taylor and Alderwoman Jessie Campbell. Mayor Walter C. Morrison declared the motion carried.

After the board exited executive session and returned to open session, City Attorney Zachary Giddy made a public announcement that the board had hired an individual for the Police Department position. The motion and vote did not specify additional implementation steps beyond the contingencies in the hiring motion (background checks and drug screening).

The hiring motion includes participation in the state Public Employees Retirement System and employer-provided Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance as part of the employment benefits. The motion also specified that employment was contingent on successful completion of required background checks and drug screening; the transcript did not provide dates for when those checks would be completed or when Fincher would begin work.

No members of the public signed up to speak during the public-comment portion of the meeting. Following the hiring vote, the board voted to adjourn.