Council will wait to deal with grievance

The New Hampton City Council discussed a grievance procedure that was brought to the council by New Hampton City Police Officer Doug Eagan.A contract offered to the police officers of New Hampton that states when an opening in the schedule forms, the days need to be offered first to any policeman with the scheduled day off, other than Police Sergeant Steve Stalder because he is unable to be protected under the contract.Eagan was not offered overtime shifts before Police Sergeant Steve Stalder who does have seniority, but Eagan argues that should not come in to play anymore since he is protected by the contract.“Contract protected employees are supposed to be asked first, then, if the police officer declines the non-contract employees can be asked,” said Eagan.Eagan said this issue also occurred in July, but he chose not to make an issue of it at that time. It, however, is occurring again with the September schedule.City Attorney Kevin Kennedy informed the council that the contract has only been in effect since July.New Hampton Mayor Deb Larsen and the council agreed the contact is hard to understand with Article I protecting the contracted officers but Article V giving the Police Chief the right to schedule working hours and require overtime work. Article III does not clarify who is to be offered the overtime in what order.The council agreed to meet at a later date to discuss the issue further.Also discussed at the meeting:• The discussion and vote for the golf cart ordinance was tabled until Councilmember Scott Perkins was present.• The council approved increasing sewer rates with a first reading.The increase will help create revenue to begin building a reserve for the large capital improvements that will be needed in the near future.There will be an increase in the residential facility charge from $5 per month to $10 per month. An increase in commercial and industrial facility charge from $14 per month to $28 per month and an increase in sewer rates by 25 percent and include in the rate ordinance an automatic 2 percent increase in rates every year.• The council received bids for a new grass truck for the New Hampton Fire Department.Fire Chief Steve Geerts said this new truck would be replacing one that is failing and has been taken out of service.The fire department is asking the city to pay for half of the truck and the firefighters association will pay for the other half and the cost to equip the truck.Of the amount the city would owe, they are asking the townships to pay the same percentage as is in their contract, which would be a total of 47 percent.The trustees held a meeting earlier on Tuesday to discuss what they would be able to do but didn’t have a quorum to vote.The issue was tabled until the trustees could meet with a quorum.• New Hampton Parks and Recreation Director Rick Kramer spoke on behalf of Chickasaw Connections. He updated the council on the continued work done by the group who received a grant to help with underage drinking in the county.“That group continues to work with New Hampton and other communities to get parks and educate people that underage drinking is not a good thing,” said Kramer.• The council approved entering into the New Hampton Airport Runway Grant Contract with the stipulation that the project must get underway within 12 months.