(A) The town finds it is necessary and desirous to adopt a policy of conduct with regard to nepotism in the employment with the town and in contracting with the town in order to continue to be able to provide local government services to its residents and to comply with the new laws effective July 1, 2012.
(B) On July 1, 2012 the town shall have a nepotism and a contracting with a unit policy that complies with the minimum requirement of I.C. 36-1-20.2 (hereinafter “nepotism policy”) and I.C. 36-1-21 (hereinafter “contracting with a unit by a relative policy”) and implementation will begin.
(C) The town nepotism policy is hereby established effective July 1, 2012 by adopting the minimum requirements provisions of I.C. 36-1-20.2, and including all future supplements and amendments thereto which become law from time to time, and making them a part thereof as if fully set out herein.
(D) The town contracting with a unit by a relative policy is hereby established effective July 1, 2012 by adopting the minimum requirements provisions of I.C. 36-1-21, and including all future supplements and amendments thereto which become law from time to time, and making them a part hereof as if fully set out herein.
(E) The town finds that both statutes specifically allow a unit to adopt requirements that are “more stringent or detailed” and that more detailed are necessary. Accordingly, any existing policy of the town, in whatever form (ordinance, employee handbook, and the like) that is more stringent or detailed shall remain in full force and effect.
(F) The town further finds that a single member of the Town Council cannot act for the Council to make work assignments, compensation, grievances, advancement or a performance evaluation without prior authority of a majority of the Council and therefore without the authority by the majority a single member of the Council will not be in the direct line of supervision.
(G) The town finds that a single member of other governing bodies of the town with authority over employees in the town cannot act for such a governing body to make work assignments, compensation, grievances, advancement or a performance evaluation without the prior authority of a majority of the governing body, when a statute provides that a majority is needed to act, and therefore, without the authority by the majority the single member of the governing body will not be in the direct line of supervision.
(H) All elected and appointed officials and employees of the town are hereby directed to cooperate fully in the implementation of the policies created by this section and demonstrate compliance with these same policies.
(I) Failure to abide by or cooperate with the implementation, compliance and certifications connected with the nepotism policy is a violation and may result in the discipline, including termination, of an employee or a transfer from the direct line of supervision or other curative action. An elected or appointed official of the town who fails to abide by or cooperate with the implementation, with the compliance and with mandated certifications of either the nepotism policy or the contracting with unit by a relative policy may be subject to action allowed by law.
(J) The policies created by this section are hereby directed to be implemented by any of the following actions: a) posting a copy of this section in its entirety in at least one of the locations in the town where it posts employer posters or other notices to its employees; b) providing a copy of this section to its employees and elected and appointed officials; c) providing or posting a notice of the adoption of this section; or d) any such other action or actions that would communicate the policies established by this section to its employees and elected and appointed officials. Upon taking any of these actions these policies are deemed implemented by the town.
(Ord. 2012-16, passed 6-12-2012)