DRAFT – These minutes are not official until approved at the next regular City Council meeting.

City of Bigfork

Special Meeting July 17, 2007

Members Present: Mayor Amy Tendrup, Jean Lexvold, Richard Salmi, Gene Rajala and Linda Koppelmann

Absent: None

Also Present: Tim & Anne Collins, City Personnel Attorney John Licke, Police Chief John Babcock, Police Officer Clint Sova, Than Tibbets - Grand Rapids Herald Review, Lonnie Kacon, Curt Youngkin, Justin Root, David Waters, Bob Savich, Public Works Superintendent Chuck Almhjeld, Gene Collins, Mike & Tranette Stevens, Mike Bakke, Clarence York, Dan Infante, Robert Johnson, David Asher and Anne Firman

Mayor Tendrup called the special meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. and stated that Councilors Koppelmann and Lexvold had called the meeting in order to discuss the police department.

Tendrup opened the floor to the Personnel Attorney John Licke who explained to the Council that the action taken at the last meeting in regard to the Police Chief was inappropriate. He stated that if changes to the structure of the Police Department are desired, the Council must discuss positions and not the individuals in those positions.

Motion by Koppelmann to reconsider the motion passed at the July 10, 2007 regular City Council meeting to "end the agreement with [Babcock] so that the City could get started on a new track", seconded by Lexvold, motion carried with Salmi and Rajala opposing.

Tendrup called for a vote on the motion up for reconsideration and the motion failed with Koppelmann, Lexvold and Tendrup opposing.

Tendrup reported that the City Council recently received notice from the State of Minnesota Bureau of Mediation Services that a petition had been filed by the Operating Engineers, Local 49 requesting that the Bureau determine an appropriate unit and certify the Union as the exclusive representative for certain employees of the City of Bigfork. The notice included an order for maintenance of status quo which prevents the City from changing wages, hours or any existing conditions of employment of the employees as of the date of the order which was July 6, 2007. Tendrup asked Licke if this notice prevented the Council from making any changes to the police department. Licke stated that while police officers are typically excluded, since a bargaining unit had not yet been established it was likely that the order applied to all employees of the City. Tendrup stated that the Council must assume at this time that the order does apply to all employees. She added that since the date of the order was July 6, 2007, the action taken at the July 10, 2007 meeting would not have been legal according to that order.

There were many different opinions on how the City should proceed with the issue. Salmi and Rajala felt that the Police Department should consist of one full-time employee. Koppelmann agreed but stated that the transition had to be done properly and that was why she had called the special meeting. It was determined that the issue would be placed on the agenda for the August 14, 2007 City Council meeting. Storlie was directed to contact the Bureau of Mediation for a ruling on whether or not the Maintenance of Status Quo Order pertained to employees of the police department.

Mayor Tendrup adjourned at 6:39 p.m.

Angie Storlie

City Clerk/Treasurer