A Sheffield councilman has prepared an anti-nepotism policy for the city that would allow relatives to work in the same department but would prohibit the employee from being supervised by another family member.

The council took no action on Councilman Steve Stanley’s policy, which is based on a policy in the city of Athens’ procedures manual.

Stanley presented the proposed policy during Monday’s council work session.

Mayor Ian Sanford said the council will continue to review anti-nepotism policies from other cities, including Florence, Muscle Shoals and Tuscumbia, all of which have such policies in their handbooks.

The issue of an anti-nepotism policy arose after Police Chief Greg Ray asked for approval to hire a police officer whose husband is already employed by the department. That’s when council members learned the city has no anti-nepotism policy and agreed to research the issue.

The policy Stanley prepared would not have prohibited the hiring of Nikki Inman as a patrol officer because her husband, Bobby Inman, would not be in a supervisory position over his wife.

The Athens policy defines a family member as a spouse, child, sibling, parent or guardian, parents-in-law, stepparents, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, stepchildren, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces or nephews.

The policy also discourages “romantic relationships” between employees and supervisors. Council members speculated on what could be construed as a romantic relationship. Stanley said the policy also should address co-habitation.

Policies in Florence, Muscle Shoals and Tuscumbia state if an employee marries a supervisor, one of the employees must be transferred from that department. If a transfer is not feasible, one of the employees would be asked to resign or face termination.

Sanford said too stringent a policy could prevent the city from hiring the best employee for a position.

Councilwoman Mary Stevens said she disagrees with relatives working in the same department.

“The purpose is to avoid any real or perceived conflict of interest,” Stanley said.

Ray said police and fire departments traditionally attract siblings and other relatives, and there can be situations where a parent and child are employed in a department, because of children following a parent’s career path in those professions.

Fire Chief Dewey King said he has had brothers and even parents and children working in his department.

“I didn’t have any problems with them, but there could have been problems,” King said.

Russ Corey can be reached at 256-740-5738 or russ.corey@TimesDaily.com.