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Roanoke employee handbook gets an update

The Roanoke Town Council and town department heads went over the town's proposed employee handbook during the Tuesday, Feb. 19, meeting of the council.

The review was tabled during council's meeting on Feb. 5 to give department heads time to look over the handbook and come back with any changes that they would like to see made.

Alterations made to the handbook during the meeting included the inclusion of stepchildren to the three-day bereavement period granted to a town employee, the specifications that town employees with 25 years or more of service receive five vacation days a year and new hires receive three vacation days after a year of service and the addition of a directive that states comp time or time and a half must be used 30 days after its issuance.

Council reviewed a new contract sent to it by AT&T regarding its usage of the town's water tower. President Dave Tucker voiced concerns about language in the contract and recommended that it not be accepted.

"With this new document that they sent us, they can pretty much do that whenever they want," Tucker says. "They can add whatever they want. The problem we have is the last time when this all started, they made a last-minute change, welded something on the top of (the tower). Well, that changed the interior of the tank and that had to go in there and be repainted. Very costly.

"It's not that we don't want them up there, we just want to know what they're doing so we can protect our investment in the water tower."

Council granted the fire department $450 for the purchase of a new center bay door, provided Parkview Huntington Hospital can also contribute $450 to help offset the $900 total cost.

Council also authorized an amount not to exceed $2,200 for the extension of the judge's bench at the building vacated by the town court. The modified bench would be used as a meeting table by council as it looks to move council meetings into that building.

Marshal Jim Wood updated council on the status of the court's records, which have been destroyed.