Last year proved to be a difficult year for municipalities, dealing with ongoing duties as well as a number of additional tasks and paperwork brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. While Rushford Village Clerk Mary Miner admitted to the extra workload at the January 19 council meeting, she also noted it needed to be done and that she was willing to. For Miner, whose position is salaried, she often extended the 32-hour work week, often with no monetary compensation. The council made it abundantly clear at the meeting that while appreciated, they do not want it to continue.
The council unanimously voted for Miner to be paid at an hourly rate for a minimum of 32 hours up to 40 each week. “The salary is not covering hours worked,” noted Mayor Dennis Overland, also referring to the ever increasing hours.
“She shouldn’t be working hours she isn’t compensated for,” added Councillor Roger Knutson.
“We know you’re putting the hours in,” added Councilor Mike Ebner.
With COVID and the extra workload and interruptions to what had been scheduled time off, Miner was unable to use any earned vacation or personal time in 2020. “I just wasn’t able to use it,” she stated. Under her current contract, Miner is allowed to carry 40 hours of vacation time into the following year, provided it is used by May 1. She requested her contract benefits be amended to allow for an additional 40 hours to be carried over, provided they are used by December 31 of the following year. The council approved the request unanimously.
“If we’re asking you to make sacrifices for us, we’re willing to do this for you,” noted Knutson. “We should be thanking you.”
Also approved by the council was the official hiring notice of Trenton Chiglo as Public Works/Maintenance Supervisor and Preston Lecy in a work position in the department. Both young men are part-time only, with no additional benefits. Former Supervisor Kyle Chiglo will remain part-time, on-call only. Zoning Administrator Jon Pettit continues to serve as on-call snow plow driver.
Other notables from the meeting included annual designations and appointments. Ebner was designated once again as acting mayor, in the event of the absence of Mayor Overland. Councilors Bob Hart and Rick Ruberg were appointed to serve on the Personnel & Finance Committee, while Ebner and Knutson will continue to serve on the Equipment Committee. Weed Inspectors will be Knutson and Hart. Overland will continue to serve as Employee Contact, working with clerk, Public Works/Maintenance, and Planning and Zoning.
Contracts with Butch Johnson Insurance Agency, League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust, Manion O’Koren Law Office and Engleson & Associates were approved. A new three-year contract with Minnesota Pump Works was approved for annual lift station inspection.
Planning and Zoning Commission one-year term members Glen Kopperud and Hamilton Peterson and two-year term members Travis Link and Gordon Johnson were approved unanimously. Zoning meetings will continue as the third Tuesday of the month, at 5:30 p.m.
While there was some discussion of whether or not to eliminate the second council meeting of each month, as well as adjustment of the time, it was determined they would remain the first and third Tuesday of each month, with the option to cancel the second meeting if deemed unnecessary.
In other news, the council approved sending a letter of support to the Minnesota Department of Transportaion (MnDOT) in support of the state accepting the application of Vern Bunke, of Bunke Properties. Bunke is applying to the state for secondary access to his property on Highway 16. According to Overland, the letter of support in no way obligates the city to approve the access, instead merely supporting the state accepting the application so it may go to a study phase for the access issue. Overland indicated that Bunke would like to develop the property for residential housing.
The council also approved the finding of fact recommended by Planning and Zoning Commission, an official documentation of the process thus far with the commission and council decisions regarding Dave Lind’s property. “It didn’t change anything we’d done. It just put it in our records officially,” explained Overland.
Lind has been in communication with MnDOT about the right-of-way easement issue and was present at the meeting. He explained that the 1932 easement was located further from where Highway 43 south was eventually laid. Lind indicated that if there were no objection from the city, the regional MnDOT representation would discuss the matter with the state. If the state department approves it, Lind would have the option to buy back the contested area of right-of-way. Then, Lind noted the next steps would be to change that section of zoning to commercial and/or applying for a variance.
Unfortunately, there is no timeline laid out for the process with the state and it’s a waiting game for all until a decision is made. “As soon as you hear anything, let us know,” noted Overland to Lind. “If there’s anything we can do to help it along, we’d be more than happy to help you if we can.”
The next regularly scheduled meeting is February 2, at 7 p.m., at the Village Hall. It is open to the public.
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