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North Branch City Council met in a special closed session prior to last week’s regular council meeting for a confidential discussion of the Juneteenth holiday.  The city was taking some heat for not “recognizing” the newly-declared national and state employee holiday.  A grievance was filed with the union representing North Branch staff; alleging they were being deprived of contractual rights not having this holiday added to their normal holiday pay/hours.  

According to City Administrator Renae Fry, the law enforcement union (LELS)  group had not “reached out” as of last week on this issue, however.

The council must have stated what they wanted to state and discussed options, under the Closed Session negotiations — because they acted swiftly when Juneteenth came up on the regular open meeting agenda.

Council member Travis Miles made a motion to allow Juneteenth and the New Years Eve day holiday to be interchangeable— employees could get paid for one or the other—and direct this floating holiday option to be proposed to the union.   

The action passed with Council member Kelly Neider the sole no vote.  

She advocated for the June 19 holiday to be honored as a (13th) paid holiday immediately and said officials could negotiate for the next contract cycle.

Two union reps were attending the council session last week, Erik Skoog and Cory Bergerson.  Skoog said  during open microphone that if any staff should need to work Juneteenth, they lose their formal right to a 40 hour work week and are unwillingly put at 32.  Bergerson added that he serves as a business agent for multiple government jurisdictions and North Branch “is much in the minority” not recognizing Juneteenth.

~ In another personnel matter, the newest Police Officer was sworn-in at the meeting. Duane Southworth is originally from North Branch, and is bringing experience from working in a police department in the metro suburbs the past few years.

~ The Veterans Memorial committee got their request approved for the city engineering firm to do site design.  

WSB has done other private-public project partnerships council was advised, and the action simply gives a stamp of approval for contracting the services, which will be paid for by donations collected for the memorial project.  This is the first announced major progress in the veterans’ memorial since council authorized use of Central Park land about a year ago.

~ Mayor Schieber was put on the Water & Light utility commission as council liaison. He replaces Council member Neider, who quit the utility assignment after a special hearing May 24  when council heard information and approved a resolution “disapproving and condemning” Neider’s behavior.  

Remarks she made were the basis of a citizen complaint and the vote was 3-1 with Peter Schaps opposed,  for the “censure” of Neider.  The formally-worded censure resolution was provided to council last week, as part of the council agenda.  

Censure is the way a public body can make known its displeasure and can put a member on notice that violation of code of conduct (in this case disparaging a protected class of people) won’t be tolerated.  

Council also declares the city will not use public resources to defend Neider should any (defamation) “claims arise.”

Council member Neider commented she just wants the code applied equitably and fairly.  She has not yet publicly provided an apology.

In open microphone a resident outlined concerns about the Maple Street/Maple Court/Kwik Trip/Grand Avenue traffic congestion.  He asked for the city to post signs requiring only one side of the street parking and to look at ways to improve the intersection.

 

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