By Liz Moomey

liz.moomey@salisburypost.com

LANDIS — The Board of Aldermen in a Monday special-called meeting approved a personnel policy that was drafted in November 2013 but never approved.

Interim Town Manager Leonard Barefoot said the town has been using the personnel policy and recommended adopting it after the board came out of the hour-long closed session.

The 48-page policy applies to the appointment, classification, benefits, salary, promotion, demotion, dismissal and conditions of employment of the employees of the town of Landis.

Ahead of the closed session, the board added an agenda item to discuss allowing Barefoot to enter into a contract with Kannapolis-based N-Focus, which assists local governments in providing personnel to help with a municipality’s planning. The town has worked with N-Focus previously, and aldermen approved the new contract.

Barefoot also announced that Brandon Linn, the assistant town manager and zoning administrator, resigned. His role was to lead the planning needs of the town. According to his personnel file, Linn was hired in 2007 with the police department. He was transferred to code enforcement and land management in January 2018 and promoted to assistant town manager that August. His salary for this fiscal year was $51,000.

Heather Wood, the deputy town clerk, also resigned this month.

Barefoot said he had two people in mind who could assist the town, one who could start today. The agreement would be through June 30 with a 30-day notice to terminate, “in the event we hire a suitable planner prior to that deadline.” The N-Focus planning contract could also be extended.

Town Attorney Rick Locklear said one of the people about whom Barefoot was speaking helped with Landis’ Planning Board and that the person was familiar with the town’s practices.

Depending on the service needed, the N-Focus planner would work four to eight hours a week.

Barefoot said the proposal gives the town flexibility about what level of service will be needed from N-Focus to handle the town’s planning needs. 

“It’s just difficult this day and age to determine how much development we’re going to have,” Barefoot said. “We have great potential. We need to be prepared.”

Barefoot said he hoped Linn would assist in understanding the town’s planning needs and speak with the N-Focus representative.

Barefoot said the town would not be responsible for covering the company’s travel to work. The company would use a town vehicle if they had field work. 

Alderman Tony Corriher asked if the N-Focus representative would be responsible for code enforcement, since there are multiple properties that need to be cleaned up.

Barefoot said the duties will remain with Shane Safrit, a Landis police officer.