Greenwood held their monthly town council meeting at town hall on Jan. 8. Council members Brenda Tallent, Donald Donovan, and Mike Moran were in attendance, as were Chief David Walton of the police department and town manager Janet Todd. Topics discussed included rules of procedure, town reports, and financial reviews.
Chief Walton thanked both the council and residents for the warm welcome to the town and the community and talked about his opportunities to talk to the public and learn about the area. Currently, the police department is undertaking administrative tasks and is asking for patience from the public while things are taken care of as quickly as possible. Walton also talked about his first special order as chief of the police being a promotion for Sergeant William Thomas to the rank of Lieutenant. The police department has also begun the auditing process as the first step to securing reaccreditation. Finally, the process of training for the Police Accountability Committee is underway, and additionally a candidate has been found to fill the third police officer position for the department.
Included in the town manager’s report were project updates such as the demolition of the old “Its All Country” building within the next couple of months, the drafting of plans for the new town hall, and a reschedule of water pumps at the current wells being evaluated once weather permits. Also included in the report were updates on grants, including approval for a grant for several new computers for town staff and the police department, the organization of community members for various town events over the course of 2025, and work being done for a digital draft manuscript of town codes and ordinances. A full look at a written version of this report can be found on the town of Greenwood website under the council packet for the monthly meeting.
The next item on the agenda was new business, starting with the discussion and the vote of Masons Manual of Legislative Procedures. Vice Mayor Moran specifically requested this item on the agenda as the town has received numerous complaints about the system of procedures, and the councilors themselves have realized that it is not a proper fit for the town and its smaller sized government. After some discussion, a motion was made to remove the Masons Manual from the town, which was unanimously approved by the council members. There are plans for more discussion in the future on how to proceed, either adopting Robert’s Rules or creating their own methods of procedure. Next in the new business was a discussion and vote on a land swap with Delaware Electric Co-op for properties on First Street, North Street, Third Street, and Market Street. After brief discussion, a motion was made and unanimously approved to accept the land swap.
The final item for the new business was the employee handbook. The town plans to have the council discuss the handbook in the future and also include the police department’s rules and procedures to ensure that there is no conflicting information or procedures for town employees and will amend the handbook in the future. From here, the meeting moved on to council member comments. Vice Mayor Moran thanked the police department for their assistance in clearing snow and also thanked town residents for following the snow plan that was set and assisting the police department.
The next council meeting will be held in February. During this meeting, newly elected council members will hold votes on their positions on the council. The Greenwood town election will be held on Jan. 18 from 1-8 p.m. at the town hall. For more information on town activities, check out the town of Greenwood website or Facebook page.