HomeMy Public PortalAbout005-2023 - Memo
DAVID M. SNOW
Mayor CITY OF RICHMOND ANDREW J. SICKMANN
DEPARTMENT OF LAW City Attorney
50 NORTH FIFTH STREET RICHMOND, INDIANA 47374 KIMBERLY A. VESSELS
PHONE (765) 983-7220 FAX (765) 983-7365 Assistant City Attorney
DATE: JANUARY 4, 2023
TO: RICHMOND COMMON COUNCIL MEMORANDUM
FROM: ANDREW J. SICKMANN, CITY ATTORNEY
RE: CH. 33.04: EMPLOYEE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
CC: DAVID M. SNOW, MAYOR
KAREN CHASTEEN, CLERK
Dear Council Members:
Chapter 33.04 of the Richmond City Code addresses employee collective bargaining. As you may be aware,
when the Administration and a Collective Bargaining Unit reach an impasse, either party may request that
all unresolved issues be submitted to a fact-finding panel. The Administration appoints two members to the
panel, and the Collective Bargaining Unit appoints two members. The four members are required to appoint
a fifth member, who functions as the chair. Ultimately, the panel will issue recommendations to the parties
which recommendations have the potential to reach Council for a vote.
There are specific procedural requirements to which the parties must adhere; however, there does not
currently exist any provision prohibiting nepotism in the appointment of the panel members. As such, I have
taken the liberty of including the language from Indiana statute that proscribes nepotism in the realm of
public employment. The inclusion of this language would prohibit both the Corporate Authority and the
Bargaining Unit from appointing a panel member that would fit within the definition of “relative” as set
forth in the amended ordinance. This would eliminate both the actual and perceived impropriety of a relative
making decisions that have the ability to impact the bargaining process.
Finally, the American Federation of State, County & Municipal (“AFSCME”) bargaining unit has been
added to the ordinance as a recognized union. Presumably, this union was not in existence at the time of the
original adoption of the ordinance. This is simply a “housekeeping” item that seemed appropriate to address
in conjunction with the more substantive change addressed above.
Best Regards,
Andrew J. Sickmann