The Fairfield City Council tackled two major personnel matters at its recent meeting on Monday, February 9th: a review of sick leave payout policies following the death of former Police Chief Dave Thomas, and the process for hiring the city’s next police chief.
Sick Leave Policy Review Following Chief’s Death
The discussion began with a request from the estate of former Police Chief Dave Thomas seeking payout of his accrued sick leave. The request prompted a broader review of the city’s personnel policies.
Under current policy, employees may receive payment for up to 50 percent of accrued sick leave, capped at 45 days, but only if they provide written notice of retirement, officially retire, and have at least 20 years of service with the city. Because Chief Thomas passed away while still actively employed, he did not technically meet those requirements.
The council and personnel committee considered three possible approaches: deny the request based strictly on the existing policy language, approve a one-time exception, or amend the personnel manual to formally address situations in which an employee passes while employed.
City Attorney John Morrissey informed the council that similar questions have surfaced only a few times in the past — roughly once every 15 years. In one case, a wastewater plant employee killed in a workplace accident received compensation through a workers’ compensation settlement. In another instance, a library employee received a prorated sick leave payout as part of a negotiated severance agreement. A third case involved a young employee killed in a commuting accident, though minimal accrued benefits were involved.
City Administrator Doug Reinert reported that policies vary widely among neighboring communities. Some cities have moved to consolidated paid time off (PTO) systems. One municipality pays 50 percent of accrued sick leave to an employee’s estate, while another cited financial constraints as a reason for not offering such payouts. Mount Pleasant recently faced a similar situation when its city administrator died suddenly prior to retirement.
The matter also carries legal complexities. Morrissey disclosed that his office represents the Thomas estate, creating a potential conflict of interest if the issue becomes adversarial. In that case, he would need to recuse himself from advising both parties. He also noted that in previous cases, attorneys have argued that accrued sick leave represents a form of earned benefit accumulated over years of service.
After extensive discussion, council members agreed that granting a one-time exception could create an undesirable precedent. The council voted unanimously to refer the matter back to the Personnel Committee with direction to draft proposed amendments to the personnel policy addressing death while actively employed.
Any proposed revision may include minimum years of service requirements, percentage payout limits, or other parameters designed to balance fiscal responsibility with recognition of long-term employee contributions. The committee will return with recommended language for full council consideration.
Police Chief Search Process Referred to Committee
In a separate discussion, Reinert initiated an important discussion about establishing a comprehensive process to hire Fairfield’s next police chief. His remarks to the council emphasized the significance of this decision and the need for deliberate, careful planning rather than hasty action.
“Given the circumstances that we’re in, we will be needing to figure out what the council’s desires and recommendations for the search for a police chief,” Reinert stated. He outlined several critical questions that must be answered before proceeding with recruitment.
The council must make strategic choices about several aspects of the search process:
• Professional Search Firm vs. Local Search: Should the city engage a specialized law enforcement recruitment firm, or conduct the search using local resources and networks?
• Internal Promotion vs. External Recruitment: Should the city consider promoting from within the department, or cast a wider net to attract candidates from outside Fairfield?
• Defining Fairfield’s Needs: What specific qualities, experience, and leadership style does Fairfield require in its police chief?
• Process Design: What will the overall hiring process look like, including timeline, interview stages, and community involvement?
The city administrator stressed that every community has unique needs when it comes to department leadership, particularly for the police chief position. “We’re hiring for Fairfield,” he explained, noting that what works in one city may not be appropriate for another. “Every city is looking for something different in expectations when it comes to their department heads, and this is one of them.”
This recognition acknowledges that Fairfield’s size, demographics, community values, and specific public safety challenges require a leader whose skills and approach align with local needs rather than simply checking boxes on a generic qualification list.
Perhaps most significantly, Reinert emphasized that this decision should not be rushed. “I don’t want to rush this,” he told the council. “I think this needs to be a slow burn so that we’re evaluating who the next chief will be and what that chief looks like.”
Following the administrator’s presentation, the council took formal action to move the process forward. A motion was made to refer consideration of the police chief search process to the Personnel Committee. This committee will be responsible for developing a comprehensive game plan that addresses the questions raised and recommends specific next steps to the full council.
The committee’s recommendations will return to the full council for discussion and approval before any recruitment efforts begin. This ensures transparency and allows all council members to weigh in on the direction of the search before resources are committed.
