The job of Hampstead's chief of police may soon be more secure if a recent proposal by Mayor C. Clinton Becker is accepted by the council.
The Town Council delayed a vote at Tuesday's meeting on an ordinance that would require approval of a majority of the council to remove the police chief from office. Currently, the chief serves at the pleasure of the mayor.
"We didn't have a legal opinion on it from the attorney," said Councilman Wayne Thomas, who had asked that the proposal be tabled until the town attorney could review it. "My concern was that it might be in violation of the charter or the flavor of the charter.
"I said to the police chief, 'No disrespect to you, but I don't want to do anything in violation of the charter.' "
Council members are expected to vote on the proposal at their Jan. 10 meeting.
At Tuesday's meeting, council members also agreed to hire Len Bohager as an assistant town manager. Mr. Bohager, who is a registered land surveyor, will work at least three days a week and report to the town manager, John Riley.
"He's going to be doing some public utilities work," Mr. Riley said yesterday. "Roads, water, storm drains, that sort of thing."
Councilman Wayne Thomas abstained from the vote, noting that council members had not been provided with a resume for Mr. Bohager. However, Mayor Becker said that because Mr. Bohager would be Mr. Riley's employee, council approval was really not necessary.
"We're merely asking the council's approval as a courtesy," Mr. Becker said Tuesday night.
In other business:
* A hearing on proposed amendments to the ordinance governing general business zoning will be immediately before the next council meeting on Jan. 10.
Under the revised ordinance, Hampstead's Board of Zoning Appeals would have the final say over whether some property uses, such as truck terminals or golf driving ranges, would be allowed in general business zones.
* Mayor Becker is accepting nominations for residents to fill Gary Bauer's seat on the Town Council until his term expires in May.
Mr. Bauer, who was elected to the county school board Nov. 8, resigned his council seat at Tuesday's meeting.
Hampstead's town charter requires that the council approve any nomination with a majority vote.
* Council members passed an ordinance creating a town ethics commission. Previously, members of the elections board also served on the ethics commission.
* Members passed an ordinance restricting developers to recording 50 lots per subdivision in a 12-month period. County officials, who passed a similar ordinance last month, asked each municipality to enact such a law to help control growth.
* Council members agreed to abate $72.47 in personal inventory taxes owed to the town by Jerry & Sal's Pizza, because the business closed earlier this year.