The town of Flomaton has taken its website down in wake of multiple lawsuits being filed claiming municipalities and counties do not have websites that meet the Americans Disabilities Act requirements.
Flomaton's town attorney Chuck Johns told the town council Monday night it needed to take its website down until it could be made ADA compliant.
He said Escambia County, Fla., recently settled such a lawsuit that cost the town in excess of $11,000. That lawsuit was filed by a man claiming the county's website was inaccessible to blind and visually impaired individuals.
“We need to make sure we are in compliance,” Johns told the council. “It could get very expensive.”
In other business Monday, the council voted to allow accountant Robert Hudson to take over its payroll after finding out that mistakes caused employees to receive W2 forms that were incorrect.
Mayor Dewey Bondurant Jr., said the mistake has cost the town $10,156.13 with $5,614 to redo the W2 forms.
Bondurant explained with new software the town decided to do payroll in house but when numbers provided by Hudson were put into the system there was a problem.
Bondurant said on some of the W2's no FICA taxes had been taken out. He also said no taxes were taken out of one employees' check for January and February.
“Somebody made a mistake,” said Councilman Buster Crapps. “We need to find out who made the mistake and fire them.”
Councilwoman Lillian Dean said sometimes when figures are transferred mistakes to happen.
“You've got to know what you are doing with payroll,” Bondurant said. “Laws change every year.”
He said Hudson told him that once he takes payroll back over if there are any mistakes, he will absorb any losses to the town.
