ROBERTSDALE, Alabama -- The Robertsdale City Council voted to approve changes to the city’s personnel policy during the Council’s meeting Tuesday morning.

The proposed changes were recommended and reviewed by the city’s department heads and Mayor Charles Murphy.

Among items discussed during Tuesday’s meeting was an increase in longevity pay for employees from $300 to $400. Murphy said the annual bonus was already in place when he took office on the City Council more than 20 years ago.

It has been almost 10 years since there has been an increase in the bonus, he said.

Another item of discussion during Tuesday’s meeting was the specification of electronic direct deposit as the payroll method for the city.

Ann Simpson, Robertsdale’s chief financial officer, told Council members on Tuesday that only a few of the city’s current employees were not already receiving pay by direct deposit. Under the revised policy, all city employees will be required to have direct deposit.

Additional changes to the personnel policy included:

• Added veterans as a protected class.

• Defined a day of leave as eight hours.

• Clarified the holiday schedule when the holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday and added a birthday holiday.

• Clarified major medical leave policy and leave review committee responsibilities.

• Clarified benefits for full-time and part-time employees.

• Clarified the policy for salary advances.

• Clarified college reimbursement policy.

• Clarified the policy for monetary award for certification and training.

• Updated the list of employees authorized to drive city vehicles home.

The City Council voted unanimously to approve the personnel policy changes. All Council members were present at Tuesday’s meeting.

In other business Tuesday, the Council voted to approve a request by the Robertsdale Rotary Club for the organization’s annual rodeo March 8 and 8.

The Council approved the use of two of the city’s free days at the Baldwin County Coliseum and arena where the event will be held.

The Council also approved the use of the digital sign on Highway 59 for advertisement of the event; approved a request to place bleachers in the arena for additional seating; and approved a request to use the police department’s Junior Explorers group for parking and traffic control.

Dennis Young told Council members that in return the Rotary Club makes a $1,000 donation each year to the Junior Explorers group.

Three members of the City Council, Murphy, Joe Kitchens and Ruthie Campbell, are members of the Rotary Club and were asked to abstain from voting, but City Attorney Ken Raines said unless they were to receive personal monetary gain from the measure, it was not necessary for them to abstain. Since the Rotary Club Foundation, the event’s primary beneficiary, is a non-profit organization, the measure passed unanimously by a full vote of the Council.

The Council also voted Tuesday to approve the Robertsdale Volunteer Fire Department roster.

Murphy said it was necessary for an official action to be taken in order to place members of the fire department on the city’s worker’s compensation insurance.

Murphy said the roster would be approved quarterly by the council. It was also discussed that should any changes be made within the quarter, they could be brought before the council on a case-by-case basis.

“It is simply a matter of them letting us know when there are any changes,” Murphy said.

The current roster, which was approved unanimously at Tuesday’s meeting, consists of Chief Michael Lucas, Assistant Chief John Ballard, five lieutenants and 13 additional firefighters.