By Betsy Finklea
The Latta Town Council reinstated Police Chief Crystal Moore and took care of other business at a special meeting at the Latta Community Center on Friday night.
The council tabled the rezoning of 217 East Leitner Street until the next meeting.
The council passed a resolution to continue the current budget until the 2014-2015 budget is passed so that employees and other obligations can be paid.
The change of government for employees was also discussed. The street, water, police, and recreation department employees will answer to their immediate supervisors. The supervisors will in turn answer to the mayor. If the mayor is not available, then the supervisors have two council members assigned to the department that they would go to.
The council voted to send a termination letter to Freddie Davis, who Mayor Earl Bullard, who was not present at the meeting, had hired for the position. The letter stated that they did not feel the contract was valid for various reasons and that his services were not needed.
While council members were reviewing the letter, Councilman Jarett Taylor shared a positive message he had seen on social media. He said this is what America thinks about us and that everybody liked what “we’re doing here.”
The next order of business was the reinstatement of Crystal Moore as police chief. This was done with a unanimous vote of the council members present. Moore was immediately sworn in by Judge Janette Dupree.
The fireworks display was discussed. Councilman Brian Mason said that the clerk-treasurer in reviewing the insurance for the town saw that the insurance coverage does not extend to fireworks displays. Latta has held a fireworks display for approximately eight years. Mason said the question is does the town kowtow to the lawyers and insurance people and not have the display or go ahead and have it. Most in attendance wanted the town to have the display and so they voted to go forward with it.
The council approved the Mayor Pro-Tem Brian Mason to chair the meetings.
The council also changed the location of several offices. Police Chief Moore will get her office. The police lieutenant will get Judge Dupree’s office. Judge Dupree will move to the mayor’s office. The mayor will be relocated to the Main Street Art Center where the council will have a joint office.
The council also agreed to deal with the reprimands that were issued to Chief Moore before her termination and if they cannot be explained according to the handbook that they will expunge them from her record and give her the clean record she had.
