DAPHNE, Ala.—The Daphne finance committee discussed how to handle requests to fill vacant positions while the city is in a hiring freeze.

The City Council voted unanimously at the Dec. 20 meeting to instill a hiring freeze on all positions that become vacant in 2011, in hopes of saving around $300,000, but the council can fill positions after a request from department heads. However, no procedure for a department head’s request has been discussed.

Specifically, recreation director David McKelroy requested to the finance committee that the recreation programs coordinator be filled, a position that was vacant before the council enacted the hiring freeze.

“The biggest thing is, I’ve got (around 15) people who made applications and they’re waiting for a response,” McKelroy said.

Councilman Ron Scott offered the option that the process start at that department’s committee and then come to the finance committee, who will either make a favorable recommendation or not to the council. However, since the recreation committee meets this Wednesday at 6 p.m., there would not be another finance committee meeting until February. McKelroy said that as long as the council decides otherwise, if the recreation committee recommends the hiring of someone for the position, he believes it would go before the council at next Tuesday’s council meeting.