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A three-hour city council meeting at North Branch City Hall concluded with an agenda item that could have filled an entire session itself.  The full council was presented with a “step three’ grievance tied to issues with how fire department officers are selected.  

The complainant, Allan Johnson, said he initiated voicing his concerns two years ago.   His main request, to postpone what was an on-going naming of officers and start over, was ignored, he said.  

Two officers are queued up for appointments now.  

He also asks North Branch to re-write the fire department bylaws — and, prior experience any firefighter is bringing when they are accepted into the roster must also be acknowledged.  Johnson has 25 years of involvement in response services and also works with the Department of Natural Resources and ambulance service providers in training. He moved to North Branch seven years ago and joined the fire department five years ago.   He began to learn that his classes, background and standards that he has met don’t necessarily transfer to North Branch. 

Council opted to tough it out, stay in chambers and hear the firefighter and make a decision that evening because an official grievance process had been started.

North Branch only recently hired a Human Resources specialist Travis Miles, who advised council that under the personnel procedures the issues must be heard within 30 days from filing specific action, which would be December 23.

Fire Chief Pat Heinen explained that halting the selection and appointment of two officers specifically would be “complicated.” He would have to get the exiting officers to agree to stay and tell his selected candidates they have to wait. “I can’t force anybody to keep the position,” he said of the ones who have given notice.

Heinen said he followed the existing bylaws and that’s all he has to go by.  He made his selections in good faith, but he agreed some of the bylaw wording needs revision. Obsolete courses are still referenced and some training can’t be accessed around here.  He said he’s been creating a draft of new bylaw language but it hasn’t been finalized,  and when he reached out to get help through the League of Minnesota Cities he is under the impression the selection of department officers needs to be in an operations manual.  Only firefighter relief responsible officials need to be guided under “bylaws.” 

Mayor Kevin Schieber remarked he had trouble accepting allegations that there may not be qualified candidates recommended.  He asked Johnson if he had any evidence to back up that possibility.

Miles told the council he has been discussing this issue with the chief and criteria/qualifications are needing review and clarification.  Miles wasn’t prepared to advise if training hours and certificates are legally allowed to be released as public information or not.

Johnson told council he originally didn’t go to the chief with the issues on officer pre-requisites because he felt Heinen wouldn’t be open to the conversation.  “I felt I would not be heard,” he stated.  The Human Resources department then advised hims of this grievance path and he said he thanks Miles for “walking me through the process” and advising him of his options.  He added “I take no joy” in pursuing this but the whole system “is fundamentally flawed.”

Chief Heinen observed that the last major re-drafting of bylaws was 2021-2022 and authority to use either old bylaws or revised bylaws depends on when the firefighter joined the department and what classes they have had the opportunity to participate in. Heinen said Johnson never sought out “replacement” class suggestions to match his resume to Minnesota/North Branch criteria.

Johnson said he has brought up his concerns for officers to address in their closed officer meetings,  but his suggestions never result in action.  “I am here because I can be,” he noted.

Council ultimately voted 5-0 to deny the grievance and the action requests posed by Johnson.  Staff will continue to work with the fire department on updating the selection of officers.

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