Council confirmed Sara Bontrager as water treatment assistance lab analyst Connor Beal as police patrol officer, Omer Hurlburt as fire apparatus operator and Frank Baughman as fire captain.

Council also appointed Timothy Epperhart to the Airport Commission, Andrew Brickler and Matthew Dixon to the Historic Commission and Deb Snider to the Cemetery Board.

Mayor Nicole Condrey said council values the time and energy of citizens who serve on these boards and commissions. Condrey said appointments to the Historic Commission and the Citizens Advisory Board to Police will be made in the next few weeks.

“We’re working hard to get them in line,” Condrey said. “We’re going to do this by the book and do it right.”

Council eyes adding positions

Middletown is looking to create a new position as permit officer, add a second position of assistant public works superintendent and provide for a cash bonus to exempt employees of the Health Department during public health pandemic declaration.

The changes could be made with updates to 2021 Pay and Benefits Ordinance. City officials said creating the permit specialist is a solution to streamline and improve the process for citizens to apply for permits from the city and help them navigate the permitting process.

Bonuses to exempt employees in the city health department would recognize those who worked through challenging periods in the COVID-19 pandemic and were not eligible for overtime pay. The amended ordinance would grant bonuses of up to 5%. The bonus payments, if paid at the top percentage, would be $15,000 or less of unappropriated funds.

City staff is recommending council approve amending this ordinance as an emergency at its Jan. 19 meeting.