Mayor Carneahan and Angel, can you both hear me? Yeah, I can hear you just fine. Thank you. Mayor Carneahan says that she cannot find a room and she's in a training session. So, she may have to jump off.
I'll try to jump on in 30 minutes. Sorry. Almost. Okay. Good afternoon. I'd like to call the special city council meeting um June 26th at 3:30 p.m. to order. Uh this is a
special council meeting. So the only the items on the agenda can be discussed. There's no open form today at today's meeting. Um so first call order. Um second um I just want to let everyone know that the mayor is not in attendance
today. She's up in Duth attending the Minnesota Se uh Minnesota City uh sorry I'll try that again attending the League of Minnesota Cities annual conference up there um networking and doing
educational stuff on behalf of the city uh with other elected um mayors and council members across the state. So that's why she's not in attendance with us today. So um item B,
assignment of specific city administrator duties and responsibilities on an interimm basis for city clerk. Um and assess the uh specific duties of treasur duties and responsibilities on an interimm basis uh
for uh finance specialist. So, I'm not sure if everyone has time to read through the information in the packet on this. Anybody questions? You want to kick it off, Jesse? If you got questions, comments? I don't exactly
have any questions? No. I think the purpose of this was because we left a a few things unanswered and open-ended last Tuesday. So, to be able to sew this up uh uh out of fairness to Kiki and to Maggie, um I went over the duties and
responsibilities. cuz I think it looks very good. Um I think it's a lot of duties and responsibilities you two already uh performed too. So um I don't have any questions. Uh unless Kiki or Maggie you have anything that you want to add or any remarks to what's
in front of us. That'd be the only thing I would have. And Mayor Carneahan had a couple questions about that agenda item. I don't know if you want to. She sent an email to that effect. I did send it. I don't know if you want to address those
questions for Mayor Carneahan. Sure. Um the packet, you know, put together. So yourself, Kiki, and Maggie, is that who put together the packet stuff? Kiki did. Okay. So Kiki put together the packet.
Um the the I was just going to say the city administrator job description isn't that what was put forth in 2019 by the council. Correct. So these are the jobs that are on
with NISWA or the descriptions. So, um, did you So, what was done is someone looked at the descriptions and then just said this is more finance, this is more administrative, broke it down. Okay.
Yeah. So basically if I'm understanding it and from what I read in the packet it's our existing policy that we have in place in our for city administrator right and we just kind of split up the existing
descriptions. Yeah. We just took the existing job description as it was approved back in 19 or whatever the date was. Kiki and I sat down and just tried to figure out what we can easily move into based on what our duties already are. And then sometime some of them you can see that it says Maggie and Kiki
that we will work together on to try to accomplish those tasks. Yeah. And as I skimmed it obviously some of the budgeting stuff like that that falls into your wheelhouse and I I think it made sense to me and it per direction of the council at the last meeting, you
know, it was just told to us just try and figure it out for yourselves and then present something to us. So this is what we're this is just our first draft first shot at at you seeing this. So yeah know and I read through it and
makes sense to me and according you know in accordance to what you guys have been doing in the past. So unless anybody else No, I just I I just want to make it clear and clarify so everybody knows this isn't something that we just pulled out of hat and here it is. This is something that's on the books. We know it's in there. this under the job
description in the city. So, it was taken and as we did direct you to Absolutely. Yeah. I don't know if maybe Miss uh Angel has any comments. I don't.
Thank you. Uh so, yeah. So, I'm I'm kind of good with um the different areas that are taking over, especially going into budgeting season. I think that's appropriate and necessary for us, you know.
So, okay. Um, with that, I'd like to make a motion for the assignment of specific city administrator duties and responsibilities on an interim basis for the city clerk. Uh, also in the same motion, uh, with the assignment of specific deputy treasurer duties and
responsibilities on an interim basis for the financial specialist as presented and discussed. I'll second it. All those in favor I opposed. Motion carries. Okay. Um number C uh discuss
and determine uh determination of taking any action in regard to compensation increase for city clerk and finance specialist performing such dues and responsibilities on an interimm basis. So this is the same as
before. um you know we had raised um Kiki's position to step number one in there um on the city administrator. Yeah, on the city administrator line. And so, um, I
guess that's what I would propose going back to that for Kiki and Maggie since they're sharing roles in both and adding extra duties to their already current jobs. So, just stay in alignment
with what we had done roughly a month ago. But discussion, I just want to know where does where is our labor attorney stand on that? Hi, can you hear me? Yes. Yeah. Okay. So, it would um
be a pay or a wage differential, correct? Right. Okay. Then I I open to discussion and whatever the city wants to um consider. Um I think we've provided options last time. It'd be the same idea I'm assuming
here. Correct. Yeah. So this is you know my recommendation but would be in in accordant uh in accordance with what was done last time just the same schedule the same pay you know as last time. I think that's fine to do here. It's up to
council to decide on that obviously, but yes, I think that that's more than And that was grade grade grade one step one. Yep. Grade one step one. So, because I really wasn't part of those discussions the last time. Angel
mentioned that there was a few options that were provided to you. What were those options? Just out of curiosity because I don't think there was anything in a packet for that, Angel. Yep. Give me one second. I can see just to
jog the council's memory also, you just had a an interim city administrator that made $90 an hour that you just hired and and he left. All right. So a couple of considerations is doing the
percentage um between the step one um and hourly wage. Um and then there is also the option of a percent or a defined dollar amount per hour. Um and then
a defined dollar amount per hour based on roughly $1,000 a month. Um, and then about like a 10%. It just depends on what um, it depends. Sometimes it's nice to have a clean number, but cities are different
on this. Um, generally they just do the first option where you do the between the steps and the grades. Thank you. Mhm. And I believe we had just picked the steps and the grades because that was already defined for us last time, you know, as a as a
benchmark. So open for discussion. Mark, any thoughts? suggestions. I think to be consistent and just go with what we did with Kiki, just stay with that track for both. Yes.
Yeah. Yeah. I would say, yeah, that we just do what we did before. Mhm. Do we have a motion? Somebody wants to make a motion. What is that dollar total figure? Because it says both. It says grade on
both the column and the row. It's right down here at the bottom. Batima, right? Yeah. Grade 20. Oh, no. This is uh Kiki, can you give some the highlighted row? What does that exactly? The highlighted row is actually the city
administrators grade which is grade 20 and that is the range the different steps. So you have steps one through 10. So the range at step one for anybody who's inexperienced and coming in would have been 48.93.
The highest step would be 6508 and that and you hired your previous interim at 90 Okay. Thoughts from the council? Yeah. Questions, thoughts? Make a motion.
Do you mind if I jump in here just for a second? That right there. This one right here. Okay, please do. 48. Okay. I just wanted to um keep this in mind. the interim city administrator that was hired at $90
an hour. There were a little bit of different circumstances there. He did the full-time city administrative duties. He had decades of experience. Um the city didn't pay for benefits. So, it was a little bit more in line with the market for that experience. So, I just wanted to put that out there when
you are considering this. Just part of the consideration. Yeah, correct. Okay. Um, I'd like to make a motion uh in regards to the termination of taking action regarding compensation increases for both the city clerk and financial
specialist for performing such duties and responsibilities on an interim basis for both to be considered grade one, excuse me, grade 20 step one for the city administrator of $48.93. Second. Okay. All those in favor? I I
opposed. Motion carries. Okay. Number D. Can can I ask a question? Is it going to be a retro payback to Tuesday? That is a great question. I had a note on that. Um am I able to amend that motion to include the retroactive pay to
last was Tuesday? Well, Wednesday essentially. Okay. Second. All those in favor? I I opposed. Motion carries. Thank you. Okay. D.
Discuss and determination taking any action in regards to the search process for an interimm city administrator um to be retained during the transition period of council. Um so just like we did last time um you know take the steps to look
for an interimm to come in. um last meeting we heard, you know, from the city attorney and different people um just based upon the time frame and stuff be a um positive thing to do. And I think to your point to council member Hall, it's uh another reason why to call
this meeting in regards to the time sensitivity of it, letting another 3 weeks pass before this would have been able to been uh uh passed along to the staff to be able to source this position. it is of high importance and
uh I think that we all see the value in having that dedicated interim city administrator. Um I did I hope that we can find somebody that'll be interested. So do I.
Um how are we going to do the interviews this time around? same as last time through the personnel. Um, or do you want to go a different route? Angel, is it appropriate to do it
the same way as before? Assign the certainly you can do the same process. I have a proposition on that note though. I mean, what about thoughts of assigning a council design and to ask
Mr. Keith Hiller, whom we've now all met via interviews, to be a part of that selection committee. Right. The other thing too is is is the interimm city administrator should be here for a full time, not
12 hours a week as we had with Tim. It needs to be 40hour week in my opinion. That's just how I think. Okay. Um, we have not spoken to Keith though or
have anything from him. So, I don't know that we could vote on that tonight or if that would be, you know, because we don't have any idea. I think in the in the effort of moving stuff forward, I
think that we would still have um um so last time I can talk about the process, we had Angel and uh the law firm help uh reach out to these candidates. You know, Tim was uh recommendation from them. Also, the
league had a list of people too that we went down through and contacted. you know, if we want to, I think that we do the same thing. Contact the league, go down through their contact, make the first initial, you know, contact with these people. I
also know um Tom, our city attorney, maybe had a couple other resources too for somebody like this, but we just reach out to them. And if we want to interview all the candidates, that's up to us. we can set it up where you know
whoever shows interest in it come before the meeting and do an interview. So the initial interview if I'm hearing you right you're suggesting as a whole council have them come in. Yeah, for the council wishes, you know, last time we had four candidates and um just in the
effort of time and whatever, you know, we narrowed it down based upon, you know, help from the attorneys and and just kind of the I guess the criteria last, you know, Tim had a tremendous amount of experience in this area. So,
but I think in the effort of moving it forward quickly and swiftly, we'd still go through the um labor attorneys and everything go there. Yeah, that's what we need to do. Reach out to the league. We just got to have a couple people appointed to do that. And I think that's
a legitimate role for the um um personnel committee to do and then set up interviews for everyone to interview him here again across the board. Is there is there another way to do it,
Angel, other than that? No, it's it I would stick with the same process. And um on the note for Keith, I think it's better to at least get a take from him on it um before making a motion on it. That's what I would recommend at least
meeting with them. Yeah, maybe, you know, we can start this process, but then we can reach out to Keith, see if he wants to amend his um kind of contract with us to help do interviews with him. You know, I think that would be a a good thing. I think it'd be a
great idea. I was impressed by it. I was impressed. So that way maybe he could help do some interviews ahead of time and give his feedback and then perhaps we could consider a council design to be a part of that with him or just enable him to
do it on his own entirely. Yeah. Either way, I guess I'm open. Would you be interested in being a part of that process, Council Member Hall? Um if it was to be Keith depending upon the time frame right now
I'm just swamped so I don't you know I think that you know personnel committee reaches out let's get a list of people and start there in the meantime then we can um you know we can have Kiki reach out to Keith and ask him
that question you know and see if he'd be willing to to do that for us. Sure. and then um and then go from there. But at least we can get the process started with getting a list of names put together, right? I think my list Oh, sorry. Can I chime in here? I just I was
able to join. This is Jennifer. Yeah. Hey, so I'm at the League of Minnesota's uh well, I can't even talk. I'm at the League of Minnesota City's annual conference and as we did when we went through the process the first time, the league has a list. So, I have that list. So, whoever wants to take a peek
at that, obviously, um there are certain people that weren't available because we reached out to a lot of people from that list the first go around and a lot of people just weren't available. But we already have kind of a starting framework. So, I I didn't hear everything you guys said, but I thought I heard maybe you said Keith would
potentially lead that process. I can forward him everything that we had had up to this point. Yeah. So, Jennifer, I had mentioned that we had got that list from the league. Yeah. And you know, and I said, you know, Kiki could reach out to Keith to
see if he wants to help us with the interview process of some of these. But we can reach out to everybody again, see, uh, you know, his personnel committee and then see who's available and then, you know, get Keith involved to help us with it. Yeah. Because I have notes, too. Like when we were reaching
out the first go around, Joe, like there were a lot of people that just weren't available on that list. But I off the top of my head, I don't know because I don't have the list in front of me. But we can send it if it's if it sounds like Keith is helping, we can certainly send all that all the notes and the
information to him. That's no big deal. So, I guess I guess I would make a motion that we would um assign the personnel committee to reach out to the list from the league. Also to reach out to anybody
else from our city attorney or our labor attorney that either one of them might know of people that would be interested for this. Once we have that uh list of people that are interested,
um then we would have Kiki reach out to Keith to see if he would help do a first initial interview for us with him and then have it come before the council for us to interview.
I second. Okay. Any other discussion? All those in favor I I motion carries. Okay. Um, next item, discuss and determine
taking any uh action in regard to appointing or having um the city council uh personal liaison, public works, liquor committee um discussed in motion. So basically some
of these committees you know if we want to discuss um um roles appointments with that processes. So I don't know if you guys saw my
email. Sorry because I sent it to Kiki but I know um it was a retirement party today and everybody's probably been busy. Yeah we got but there Oh, everybody got it? Okay. there's like a commission and committee process or stuff in our city ordinances
and so I just I don't have any of that stuff in front of me and I know um the labor attorney didn't have that stuff either but I don't know if that that information came forward before this meeting or not. Uh that information I haven't seen that information but I know it is in the in
the ordinances. So, in order to change anything or eliminate, we'd have to change the ordinances on that. Um, I'd also like to get feedback from the department heads on what their thoughts are. I think I know what some of them are, but I mean that just be my thought. Um, uh, they also the other thing too is
is my opinion is a lot of these things would be handled by a city administrator and not the um, uh, council members. Um, so I think it would be a good thing to go down this path and determine whether
we want these committees or not. Um, and and not just personnel leaison, but all liaison. Um, but I'd kind of like to get feedback from the department heads first. So is it um a question I have is what
because I was confused by the agenda item. Is it are we talking about council liaison or are we talking about having the committees or are we talking about both? I would just speak I would say that we'd still have liaons but some of the
committees I mean I can just speak for you know one that I was on you know a year ago you know at public works you know um great in in its intent but now that I've seen the information
you know that was presented there and some of the discussions there um and kind of digging into um some of the information, you know, even maybe with uh in regards to like the land we purchased or something as an
example. I don't know that um all that information of no fault of anybody's just the way that the current structure has been set up in the city that all that information always adequately has
got relayed back to all the council for us to have the full picture on what's going on and being talked about because there is a separate three-hour meeting that only one of us was involved in, you know, and So, um, like I say, no blame
to anybody. It's just kind of the current function. And I think at least for that one um because a lot of those questions are um budget driven, you know, whether it be roads or stuff like
that, some of that information, you know, even some of the feedback at those meetings. I know, hey, this is great information, but this should be presented to the council. And so I would say that's just my personal feedback specific, you know, with one of them as
an example. Yeah. My my perspective on the matter is also very very similar to have the proper city administrator clerk structure with the deputy clerk that was uh adopted by the council in 2017.
Um it's also in it's also in our code of conduct that that we do not direct staff that we do not direct department heads that they take council action. So we have we have two separate items being carried at the same time. We have to
decide and it's it's prevalent to the timing now also with us seeking to have that full-time city administrator clerk. What type of government are we? Right. So I think also on to that too is I
think it it confuses some of the staff. Absolutely. So I want to eliminate the confusion. I think we have good adequate intelligent department heads.
So let's use that and you know right and it's where the city administrator essentially works directly with those department heads and on a council basis and maybe this is also something too once Keith has kind of done his whole assessment of the city
you know we'll maybe h have some helpful feedback for all of us and staff on how we should right so I think maybe this we Yeah, we should table this for now and come back to it once we get the assessment. Um,
but it's definitely good thing to talk about and discuss as we look ahead on on changing this. This is something, you know, kind of all these things beyond the table to discuss as we fine-tune. Correct. I think Mayor Caro had something to say. Oh, I would Well, if
it's going to be tabled, basically what I was going to say is um so on the well on the liaison port well on both. So, first on both because Keith is doing that assessment right now and we're paying him the money to do it. It it I would love to see what his report out is
because I think this is a part of his assessment um before we take decisive action one way or another. Otherwise, kind of why are we paying them right to do the assessment? Um and then the second thing I would say as it relates to the council liaison to committees I
do agree that once we get an administrator whatever that structure looks like um to minimize confusion with staff and with council right it's not just with staff it's with us too um so we have a more streamlined approach and we're all aligned and understanding of
that um as it relates to committees where we have members of the public as a part of those committees the only thing I would say there is I think that it would behoove us not just to hear from the department heads of what they think of those committees, but we should also hear from the people that have served or
are currently serving on those committees if it's members of the public because, you know, it it it would be good to get their perspective as well and just to make sure we're we're hearing all angles before we're taking any decisive action in that regard. That was all I had to say.
Yeah, for sure. So I'll just make a motion. I'll just make a motion to table item E. Second. Any other discussion to the July meeting or just table indefinitely? Table. I just table it until we get the
assessment back from our consultant. Yeah. Second. All those in favor. I I I posted motion carries. Okay. Um,
next one. Um, discuss, um, regarding the possibility of adding an additional warden warning siren to the city of Nisa. The question I have is Todd has some information on that for
us. Yeah. Um I don't know if Jesse if you want to kick this one off. It sounds like Sure. I guess contact butter the bread and give the other half of it back to you to make the sandwich. Um uh I was contacted by a few neighbors on the south side of Niswah. Um I would say
south of the hole in the day bay access towards Sinam even where the where the city limit is. Uh it was multiple people simply stating we cannot hear a siren when there when we know that there is one going off in the community or we're
getting a mobile alert. Um does the city know of this? Is the city able to address this? So I brought that forward to uh the folks responsible and the uh fire department, police department asked for their input and Todd, thanks for putting this together.
Yeah. So, um I've been in contact with a guy named Dan from Federal Warning Systems. Um they're the ones that have installed our previous sirens, the three that we have. Um you'll see those on the map that you have there in blue. Um the circles with the estimated coverage
areas. You're going to laugh, but it was copied in black and white. Okay. Uh there's there's one with three circles on it. One in the downtown area here. um one out off of kind of in the lower Roy Lake
Road area there by the sewer plant and then one down at the intersection of Camp Lincoln and County Road 13. Those are the three sirens we currently have. Those circles are estimated coverage areas that those sirens provide. Um just
an estimate. It's obviously vary with uh vegetation density, wind direction, um air density, things like that. So, they provided us with that. Um there's another one that shows up on mine as a red one. Um so, the ones with with more
than those three are just potential very preliminary locations for new ones. um something on the south end of the city. I was kind of looking at the one kind of towards
the south end of Gull Lake Drive there, right next to the highway. Um if you have it near water, they said the coverage area would nearly double. So, um a spot like that would probably blast it pretty far to the east and west with with two lakes right there. So, if we
were to go ahead with something, um, other things to look into with that, um, obviously electrical hookup and property to do it on. So, next time they have a tech in the area, they were willing to have them get in contact with me and we're going to go out and actually look
at feasible sites. Um, Tom might be something you want to come out and do with us, too, probably. So, um, but everything's pretty preliminary at this point. Um, and then there's a quote there, too, um, with
estimated cost for that. I And that is per siren, correct? That's that's for one siren. Um there may be some additional things other than that. I don't see an actual pole in there or um the land
land depending on where it is and power feed any power hookup fee as well. So so essentially you could go yeah infinite more or less. I mean, can I ask you what your professional opinion would be based on some of the feedback
from the folks on the south side of town? What what would you suggest that this council do that it's been brought up to us? I personally, I think with all the technology out there, um, you can sign
up for alerts through the county on your smartphone. Um, even other phones, you can still get text messages, things like that. Uh, you can still get weather radios. Um, you know, all that stuff is
fairly inexpensive and easy to use and operate. We did share the county alert system on our Facebook page back in May. So, that's on there. They can go uh click on that. You just put your information in. Um, basically when the
sirens go off, your phone will go off at the same time. And what what is that app called again? It's through the Crowing County website. Crowing County website. Yeah, I've got it. I can't remember the name of it. Yeah, I don't remember the exact name off hand, but Outstanding.
So, it's it's pretty simple to do. So, I know I had some pretty passionate neighbors that felt like this was something that should be addressed. So, thank you all for bringing this forward. And uh um yeah, I guess maybe we'll wait until you
and Tom get some more information. Yeah. Before we discuss anything, you want us to go further with getting more detailed with power hookups and stuff like that. At this point, I have a thought. Um when that gentleman from or
that representative from uh excuse me, Federal Signal comes Yep. passing through and you and Tom are able to hop in a truck and check out some potential areas where it could be maybe we can or you could discuss with your liaison uh
in regards to is this something that maybe we could move forward with? Is there an opportunity for us to have this at a reasonable cost? Otherwise, what what are we going to have to do to get power to get a pole to get the land? Of course. Yep. I mean, uh I think the
consideration for the expenditure on this is noteworthy. Okay. But maybe to somebody in the community wants to donate to it or something. Absolutely. Tom Okay.
So, does So, does the city own the the lands where the three are right now? We do. They're in city right away. Okay. City. Jennifer, did you have something? Oh, yeah. I just had a I had a question for Jesse. Jesse, the neighbors that um brought this to your attention that they
couldn't hear the sirens like the last time they went off, were they inside or were they outside? Do you know by chance or No, I do not. Okay. I just So, since I'm here at this, like I've been asking, you know, I've been learning from other
elected officials and and city officials and whatnot. And there was another mayor and city clerk and city administrator because I had brought up the siren. I just said, "Oh, there's part of our district where people were saying they couldn't hear them and we've been having a lot of bad like weather this summer,
so we want to make sure everybody's safe, right?" And they had said to me, "Well, were they inside or outside?" And I said, "I don't know the answer. Why?" And they're like, "Well, sirens aren't meant to be heard inside. Sirens are meant that if you're outside, you're alerted to take cover right away." And I'm like, "Oh, I guess I didn't I didn't
really know that, but anyway, that was just brought up." So So I just said I'd ask Yeah. Well, we'll uh I guess we'll get in contact with them when they come up here once they're in the area. Go out and actually look at some sites and get some
more information from them. And then once I get that, I'll pass it along. And I also I think, you know, we should educate the public about the app through the county. I mean, I'm close enough to two of the sirens. I can hear them in in
the house, but but that's because I'm between two of them. Most people can't unless you're outside. But then that's why I have the app. I'll tell you what, it woke me up at 2 a.m. the other day. It'll get your attention. Yeah, it does. So, and I think it if we educate the
public on that, um because I don't think right now I I know it's going to be more than $35,000 to get this in there. So, and I'm I don't have the appetite for that right now. Yep. But yeah, we can continue pushing that out on our pages and yeah, but if if the the rest of the
council they want you to look to extend that, that's fine, you know, to look into it, see what it is. But that's just my opinion. Sure, I appreciate the work. That's Well, another note, I do know one of these neighbors. He's got land right next to
the highway. So it maybe he'd be happy to uh carve out a little piece for that and there's power. So something we could connect with and I guess just keep a pulse on it as I go by. All righty. But thank you for looking into it. Sounds good. Yep. Thank you.
Okay. Um with that um anybody make a motion to adjurnn? So moved. Second. Second. All those in favor? Hi. Hi. Department heads to do stuff.