By CHRISTIN COYNE
ANNETTA – The Annetta town council Tuesday night accepted the resignation of City Secretary Daina Lawler, effective at the end of the month.
Lawler gave her resignation letter to the mayor Jan. 17, hours before a council meeting with discussion of the mayor’s conduct and the city secretary listed in the executive session portion of the agenda.
Lawler said her resignation had nothing to do with what was discussed by the council during the closed session and she didn’t know what was going to be discussed beforehand.
The primary reason for her resignation was that she needed more time to spend with her family, Lawler said, adding that she needs more time to attend to an aging family member and it is something she had been considering for several weeks.
Lawler has been with the Annetta since May 2007. However, since the last election, her duties have increased significantly, she said. That is partly due to the water system but there are other factors, Lawler said.
Lawler will continue to serve as city secretary for Annetta South, a part-time job she has held since July 2005 and she can do at home, Lawler said.
The council also amended a town ordinance relating to the city secretary position during the Jan. 17 meeting after meeting in executive session.
Without discussion on the motion made by council member Larry Wood, council members voted unanimously to amend the city ordinance relating to the city secretary’s position to say that any information from the mayor or council should be treated as confidential unless specifically stated that the information is non-confidential or the information is subject to the Public Information Act.
The council also unanimously placed the same restraints on the mayor by amending Ordinance 75.
Wood also proposed a requirement that the city secretary not be employed by any other city while working for Annetta.
With council member Chuck Sheridan dissenting, the council approved that ordinance amendment, as well.
Prior to entering executive session, Mayor Bruce Pinckard also requested any discussion of his conduct be conducted in public. However, there was no discussion of his conduct following the closed portion of the meeting.
Dismissal of the current city attorney was requested to be added to the March regular council meeting agenda as council members seek additional breakdowns of the current city attorney’s recent billing.
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