WEST BURLINGTON FIREMAN TYLER LIMKEMANN’S THREATENED LAWSUIT AGAINST THE CITY FOR DEFAMATION (OF CHARACTER) WAS DISCUSSED BEHIND CLOSED DOORS AT LAST(WED) NITE’S CITY COUNCIL MEETING, BUT NO ACTION WAS TAKEN.
COUNCILMEN ROD CROWNER AND RICK RALEIGH SAY LIMKEMANN LIED ON A FEDERAL GRANT APPLICATION…A CLAIM LIMKEMANN DENIES. AFTER THE MEETING, WE ASKED CROWNER AND RALEIGH WHY THEY ABSTAINED FROM VOTING TO REMOVE LIMKEMANN FROM HIS JOB AS RECRUITMENT & RETENTION COORDINATOR FOR THE SO-CALLED “SAFER” GRANT. ‘NO COMMENT,” WAS THE ANSWER FROM EACH MAN. THE COUNCIL THEN VOTED TO APPOINT MIKE STEWARD AS RECRUITMENT & RETENTION COORDINATOR. HIS WIFE KARA…A COUNCILWOMAN…ABSTAINED FROM THAT VOTE.
IN ONE OTHER FIRE DEPARTMENT-RELATED MATTER, THE COUNCIL APPROVED FIREFIGHTER JACQUE HILL’S RETIREMENT. CHIEF MIKE HEIM SAYS SHE DIDN’T JOIN THE DEPARTMENT UNTIL SHE WAS IN HER 50’S…AND SERVED 10 YEARS WITH TWO REBUILT KNEES.
ON THE POLICE FRONT, THE CITY’S NEWEST SQUAD CAR IS A FORD EXPLORER. IT REPLACES A CROWN VICTORIA, WHICH FORD NO LONGER MAKES. AND THE CITY HAS YET TO COME TO FINANCIAL TERMS WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT IF-AND-WHEN IT DOES, OFFICER RINGO COVERT HAS BEEN TABBED TO BE WEST BURLINGTON’S NEW SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER.
THERE’S NOT BEEN AS MUCH PROGRESS AS ANTICIPATED ON WEST BURLINGTON’S NEW PUBLIC WORKS COMPLEX, ON MT. PLEASANT STREET JUST WEST OF WASHINGTON ROAD. CONSULTING ENGINEER DAVE STOCKLASA TRIED TO BE DIPLOMATIC AT LAST(WED) NITE’S CITY COUNCIL MEETING…BUT THE PROJECT IS BEHIND SCHEDULE BY ABOUT THREE MONTHS.
