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By MaryHelen Swanson
The city of North Branch has a new police officer and a body sitting in the seat temporarily vacated by Councilwoman Amy Oehlers.
Rodney Lofquist, a former city council member, was sworn in Monday night to fill Councilor Amy Oehlers position during her temporary leave.
At the onset of the council meeting Monday night, Rebecca Lawrence was sworn in as the newest officer. Lawrence has seven years experience with the Pine County Sheriff’s Department and a few years with other metro cities and counties.
The vacant council seat is now filled by former councilman Rodney Lofquist.
This is a temporary position until the time Oehlers returns (which she expected to be 90 days from the April 14 meeting).
City Attorney Tom Miller informed the council that statute doesn’t require filling a vacancy for a temporary leave.
But he did recommend it. How? That was another issues not addressed in state statute, he said.
If the council did not fill the position, Miller noted that a super majority vote would be three instead of the four with a full council.
Mayor Gloria Karsky made the motion to appoint Lofquist and Councilor Kathy Blomquist seconded it.
The vote was 3-1 to approve Lofquist. Councilor Theresa Furman was opposed.
She apprised the council of Lofquist’s attendance record on the city EDA, saying he was absent 25 percent of the time. She found it a bit odd, too, that a folder with his name on it was already included in the area that councilors pick up their folders at city hall. City Administrator Bridgitte Konrad believed an employee had been a bit assuming upon hearing that Lofquist may be appointed and shouldn’t have been.
Lofquist was sworn in on the spot and took his seat at the council table.
Financial leadership
The council and city leadership were surprised to learn this week that the city could be in a bind with respect to financial staff.
Administrator Konrad apprised the councilors of a situation where the city’s accountant Tracy Gann has been offered a position in another town.
Gann informed Konrad that she will stay in North Branch if she gets the financial director’s position when Stutelberg leaves in July and at a salary of $65,000.
Stutelberg spoke to the council saying the timing was bad with him retiring. But he said he has been grooming Gann for the financial director position for the past six months.
He said if she doesn’t get the position, she could accept the other job leaving the city without any financial staff this summer.
He reminded the council that if they hire her for the financial director, they would have six month probation period to evaluate her work.
The mayor said it would be helpful to see Gann’s resume and know more about her background.
She was apprehensive because of the way the events were taking place and would like to have had more time.
Gann needed an answer by Friday of this week because of the other job offer.
“It’s a tough spot,” the mayor said.
Stutelberg repeated that Gann will leave if she doesn’t get the job and the city will have no accountant or finance director after he retires this summer.
Councilor Blomquist wanted to hire Gann saying the council promoted Shawn Williams and the police chief and other employees.
Furman said she felt like a hostage; she felt Gann was capable but didn’t know if she (Gann) could do the director’s job. She wanted to go through the hiring process.
Konrad was asked for her opinion. She said she hadn’t had enough time to think about it, but agreed there would be a big hole to fill with both positions vacant.
Erickson put his trust in Stutelberg, understanding the city’s situation, and favored hiring Gann for six months on an interim basis.
Mayor Karsky said it would be clear that the position would be interim.
Stutelberg firmly said Gann will not take an interim position.
Eventually, the council voted to offer Gann the job at her requested salary with a six month probation period and to comply with her request that if she doesn’t stay as finance director, she gets her accountant job back.
Councilor Furman was opposed.
In other business Monday night, the council:
• Met new building inspector Joel McPherson.
• Heard from a resident on 360th Street about he poor conditions of gravel roads after this past winter and he was told by Shawn Williams the roads will be looked at and that 360th will be graveled in 2009.
• Heard the report of the 2007 audit from Mark C. Gibbs and Andrew P. Hering, both CPAs with Tautges and Redpath, Ltd. While there were five compliance findings that need to be addressed, the men said the city had a clean audit. One item that was suggested was for the city to maintain a larger fund balance and the council agreed to look at this during budget time. There also appears to be an open meeting violation which occurred via e-mail communications. The council will address open meeting laws during an upcoming work session. The city also needs an out-of-town travel policy. The council accepted the audit showing a city debt of $56 million (which included $12 million for the Water and Light Commission).
• Approved a trunk fee ordinance amendment for Tax Credit project as another step in assisting the advancement of the ESSBY townhome project.
• Authorized staff to obtain RFPs for a Comprehensive Transportation Plan. Councilor Erickson opposed, he preferred to hire WSB for the work.
• Approved 3-1, a street dance permit for Pizza Pub for June 13, 14. Erickson was opposed.
• Approved a temporary on-sale liquor license for the North Branch American Legion to sell liquor outside the building during Midsummer Days. It was unanimous.
• Renewed the contract for garbage removal with Terry’s Disposal at $4,815/year. It was not the lowest bid.
• Adopted Cable Rules and Regulations that deal with membership requirements, reserving broadcast time, use of equipment, use of the council chambers and suspension of privileges. Check City Hall for complete rules.
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