Are Century gas workers qualified?

Last May, CPA Robert Hudson asked the Century Council to allow monthly for five months for $5,000 to come from the big trash pick-up and $7,000 to come from the special revenue go into the struggling gas fund, which Mayor Henry Hawkins asked the council Monday night to extend to relieve financial burden until the winter months, although the council took no action on the request.

Councilwoman Ann Brooks said she would like to get gas reports from the town's gas superintendent, Walley Kellett, who the council had voted should be at every meeting. Hawkins said Kellett was in training at a conference in Clearwater, Fla.

“I understand that we had inspections and that someone from the town of Jay had to come over because we did not have anyone qualified in our gas department, that all of our qualifications for our gas employees had expired, and I've requested copies of the qualifications and have not received it. So are they currently qualified?” said Councilwoman Brooks.

“They will be by the end of the week,” said Hawkins.

“So they were not qualified?” said Brooks.

“No, the inspections that passed City Services would not talk to him, to do what they needed to do, to make sure their Oqs (Operational Qualification) were good, they never returned his phone calls, they never responded to his emails or anything. Now for the record, they did pass their state inspection with Pensacola Service Commission. Kim was the only one that was qualified,” said Hawkins.

Brooks asked Godwin for a copy of her qualifications and later for copies of all qualifications of town employees.

“You terminated City Services contract, or tried to, so I assume that's why they were not contacting Walley,” said Brooks. “But if my CPA license was going to expire and I couldn't get it taken care of from one place, I would go wherever I had to to get my license renewed.”

“And that's what Walley has done,” said Hawkins. “He and Joe (Brown) will be the qualifiers, so they can qualify each other, as well as qualify BJ.”

Hawkins did not know exactly when Kellett's qualification expired when asked, but he said he thought all of them expired within the last week.

“I think it expired Nov.s 30 of 2018,” said Brooks. “Do you know anything different from that?”

Hawkins said he did not.

“So we've been all year working with a gas department that has no qualifications,” said Brooks.

“I'm not sure of that date,” said Hawkins. “I was told that they just currently expired.”

Brooks said she had requested that information and had not gotten it and asked for Kellett's qualifications.

Councilman Ben Boutwell suggested every employee's qualifications should be in their file with the town. Brooks reminded the mayor the council voted for Kellett to be at every council meeting. Hawkins told her he was in training and had been working 10 to 12 hours a day to get ready for inspection. Brooks noted that the town is liable if it has no employees who are qualified, emphasizing that gas can be dangerous.

“What if someone got hurt and we had a gas problem?” asked Brooks. “We're relying on them. Furthermore, you're not supposed to install meters if you're not qualified either. And that's been happening.”

In other business, the council:

-discussed rental agreements, fees, deposits and requirements for buildings and the Splash Pad owned by the town, although the item was tabled until further research can be done

-heard a letter from Town Planner Debbie Nickles' with her recommendation that the council budget funds for fiscal year 2019/2020 to complete the 5-year stewardship reporting period for Fischer Landing to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection