Brookfield trustees have hired Edward Fabian as a seasonal, part-time employee at Brookfield Township Community Park.
Road Supt. Jaime Fredenburg, who will oversee Fabian’s work, is Fabian’s brother-in-law.
Fabian will be paid $15 an hour.
Two other people applied, but Fredenburg said he did not interview them.
“I don’t have to interview,” Fredenburg said. “I can look at the applications, but I know what this guy’s capable of.”
Fredenburg said Fabian worked for a landscaping company from 1977-2003. Fabian’s main job will be to mow the grass at the park.
“He also repaired mowers,” Fredenburg said. “He’s also mechanically inclined.”
Fabian also “has some skills that may be useful to us at the road department,” Fredenburg said, including plumbing and electrical wiring. On rainy days, Fabian could be called to help out the road crew, Fredenburg said.
Trustee Dan Suttles voted to hire Fabian, but noted there is a potential public relations problem with the hiring. Prior to becoming a trustee, Suttles said, Brookfield had a reputation that “there’s no sense in applying for jobs because they hire everyone’s family or friends.”
“You have a way of looking at it,” Fredenburg said. “I have a way of looking at it, too. You hire the best guy. If he’s your family, he’s your family. If he’s not your family, he’s not your family.”
