Motley approves city clerk/treasurer’s separation agreement

June 10 will be Terri Smith’s final day working as the City of Motley’s clerk/treasurer, a job she has held for the past 12 years. She will then take a leave of absence until Oct. 31, during which time she will continue to receive full pay and benefits, but no accrual of vacation time.

At a special meeting May 31, the Motley City Council voted unanimously to approve Smith’s separation agreement. She currently is paid $2,007.20 per 80-hr. work period. This is approximately $25.09 an hour.

The council also approved hiring an interim clerk, with help provided  by NJPA (National Joint Powers Alliance). In addition, the council will have an organizational study completed.

Per the approved motion, NJPA will cover half of the cost of the interim city clerk ($60/hr.), which means  the City of Motley’s rate will be $30/hr. In addition, NJPA will cover 100 percent of the costs for an organizational study. Both the interim services and the organizational study will be done through David Drown & Associates, Minneapolis.

The council also discussed the possibility of using NJPA’s internship program during this interim period. Council member Al Yoder mentioned that the City of Upsala had positive results with this program and in the end hired the intern for the full-time position.

Until the contract is approved it is not known how many hours it will cover or what additional expenses there might be, such as travel, etc.

The Staples World contacted Anna Gruber with NJPA and asked how many hours per week they anticipated an interim clerk would be working; and if the hourly wage included expenses/mileage. 

Gruber said she believed the hours per week will vary based on the city’s needs, but that more than likely they will be part-time, approximately 20 hours per week. Subsequently, Gary Weiers, with David Drown Associates, Inc., clarified that the $30 per hour will include everything. “No mileage or other expenses will be billed to the city or NJPA,” Weiers said. These terms will need to be approved by the council.

Present at the special meeting were Mayor Nancy Nieken; council members Yoder, Pat O’Regan, Amy Hutchison and Steve Johnson; City Attorney Adam Ripple, with Rinke Noonan; and Teresa Joppa, Staff Attorney and Ginger Thrasher, Staff Representative with ASCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) Council 65.

Prior to the special meeting, the council met in a closed session with Ripple and Joppa to discuss the terms of the separation agreement. The meeting was opened for a short while, during which time Joppa stepped outside to speak with Smith via cell phone about the council’s proposal.

Joppa and Thrasher rejoined the council approximately 20 minutes later and the meeting was once again closed for another 40 minutes.

According to Johnson (per a later conversation), Joppa informed the council that Smith had agreed to the separation agreement  and would sign it, pending three or four changes. “When I heard that, I thought, ‘It’s a done deal,’” Johnson said, adding that he decided to vote ‘yes’ at that point.

Johnson went on to say that prior to voting, he wished he had said, “I am very unhappy that this is happening to Terri, but she’s agreeing to these changes and wants to move on after everything that’s happened.”

Smith first worked for the city in 1989 and 1990. She returned in 2001 and for the past 12 years has served as Motley’s clerk/treasurer.

She originally planned to work through 2018, during which time she would train in the deputy clerk to take over when she retired. However, when the deputy clerk resigned last September, Smith’s plans changed. Subsequently, she suggested the city hire someone with more experience to work with her in the office, offering to train that person over the course of a year.

Smith’s suggestion (voiced at a special meeting last September) was not whole-heartedly embraced by the council. Those opposed did not feel it was necessary to have an experienced deputy clerk train for a year, especially when that person would be hired at the same payscale as Smith’s. In addition, Smith has been unable to attend council meetings in 2016 (upon doctor’s orders), which concerned a few on the council.

In the end, Smith will not work through 2016, a notice she had verbally given the council in the fall of 2015.

Smith later stated that, “The separation agreement was initiated by me a while ago.” She went on to note that if the language in the agreement is acceptable (initially, she did not feel it accurately reflected what she believed both parties had agreed to), then she would anticipate a signature from both parties.

As she reflected on her time working for the city, Smith said, “I have enjoyed my relationship with the residents of Motley very much. I have met several people...some from within the city limits and some from the surrounding area...many are like family to me. Would I have liked to finish out my career with the City of Motley as I had planned? Absolutely. But sometimes you have to know when to walk away. Personal agendas are difficult for a city to deal with.

“My wish for the City of Motley is that everyone...from residents to city staff to elected officials to business owners...ask themselves one question before they act. ‘Is what I am about to do in the best interest of the city?’ Perhaps then the city can move forward in a positive manner.”

In other matters, the Staples World spoke with Mayor Nancy Nieken on June 6, in regard to news that she was planning to resign at the next regular council meeting on June 13. Nieken indicated that she had withdrawn her resignation that day. “Things had gotten pretty hectic around here, but I decided that I can stick it out until the end of the year,” Nieken said. Her term ends in 2016.

 

Advertising Deadlines

Deadline for advertisements and copy is Friday, noon.

Staples World

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 100 Staples, MN 56479 Telephone: (218) 894-1112 - Fax: (218) 894-3570 Toll Free: 1-888-894-1112 E Mail: office@staplesworld.com; editor@staplesworld.com

Deadline: Friday, noon

 

Sign Up For Breaking News

Stay informed on our latest news!

Manage my subscriptions

Subscribe to Breaking News feed