City, AFSCME negotiations heading toward mediation
A limited cast of Mountain Lake City Council members took care of the Monday, March 6 meeting agenda. Members present included Mountain Lake Mayor Mike Nelson and Mountain Lake Council Members David Savage and Andrew Ysker. Absent were Mountain Lake City Council Members Dana Kass and Darla Kruser.
Including in the meeting was a public hearing addressing annexation of 10 parcels from Mountain Lake Township on the southwest edge of the City of Mountain Lake into the city. No one was on hand to speak to the council.
The council moved to annex the parcels and compensate the township for lost property revenue.
Heading to mediation
Council members and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) faced each other at the meeting to attempt to complete negotiations on a new union contract
Local AFSCME members at the meeting included Rick Oeltjenbruns, Daron Freisen and Steve Peters of the Street and Parks Department; Kevin Krahn and David Watkins of the Water/Wastewater Department and Ron Melson and Patrick Oja of the Electric Department. Also at the meeting was Keith Ferrington, AFSCME Business Agent.
The council took its negotiations into closed meeting, pursuant to Minnesota Statutes 179.01-179A.25, to prepare union contract offers and counter offers.
The closed meeting was closed and the open meeting reopened to hear from the union, and then council members returned to closed meeting to discuss a union offer and prepare a counter offer.
During the return to the open portion of the meeting, salary and benefit offers were presented by both groups and discussed.
There was little progress toward contract settlement, with both groups agreeing that mediation would be beneficial.
Ferrington went on record to contact the Bureau of Mediation Services.
The council went into a third closed meeting to discuss AFSCME’s final offer of the meeting.
When that closed meeting ended, and the open meeting reopened, no action was taken.
In other business
+ Approved the hiring of Kyle Schroeder, Lance Bartel and Mitchell Schroeder as members of Mountain Lake Fire & Rescue, effective February 27.
+ Reviewed the proposed schedule of events, the financial plan and plats being considered for General Obligation Bonds, 2017B connected to infrastructure for the new Industrial Park in southwest Mountain Lake. The council intends to increase the bond size by $200,000, and to include the purchase of of LED street lights. Discussed were the project bidding and award schedule. Opening project bids and award dates that occur prior to the sizing of the issue were also topics of discussion. Tammy Omdal of Northland Securities, the city’s financial consultant and Andy Kehren of Bolton & Menke, the city’s engineer, will be contacted.
+ Discussed a draft copy of the utility flyer for the Satuarday, May 5 City-Wide Clean-Up. The city will again charge the full recycling fee of $13 for the recycling of each mattress or box spring;.
+ Reviewed and discussed three Workers Compensation Premium options. Council members selected the Regular Premium Option for the 2017-2018 Workers Compensation Insurance policy.
+ Heard from Mountain Lake City Administrataor/Clerk Wendy Meyer concerning the issues discussed at the Americn Public Power Association (APPA) Rally, and reviewed the key points.
+ Heard from two individuals during Public Open Forum:
- Josh Englar discussed his Fire Department service charge. Administrator Meyer will research the matter for further consideration at a future council meeting.
- Jay Scheid raised questions and commented on numerous topics, including – the development of the southeast corner of the 4th Avene and 10th Street intersection, ownership of a portion of 5th Avenue, the city’s noise, snow removal, use of public streets ordinances and hte cost of the city’s attorney’s fees resulting fro the Ken and Rachel Yoder lawsuit. Meyer will gather more information for discussion at a future council meeting.
2017 meeting schedule
Council meetings will be held on the traditional first and third Mondays of the month – with the exception of the second meeting n June, which has been rescheduled to Monday, June 22 due to the annual Pow Wow celebration and the first meeting in September, which was moved to Tuesday, September 8 because of the Monday, September 7 Labor Day observance.
City of Mountain Lake Meeting Dates
+ Mountain Lake City Council meets the first and third Mondays of every month at 6:30 p.m.
+ Utilities Commission meets the second and fourth Thursdays of every month at 7 a.m.
+ Economic Development Authority (EDA) meets the second Friday of every month at 12 noon.
+ Lake Commission meets the second Monday of every month at 6:30 p.m.
+ Library Board meets the second Wednesday of every month at 4:45 p.m.
+ Police Commission meets the second Thursday of every month at 7 p.m.
+ Planning and Zoning meets the last Monday of the month, if needed.
+ Tree Commission meets quarterly – January, April, July and October – at 7:45 p.m.
