The Park Rapids City Council on April 12 approved a labor agreement with Law Enforcement Labor Services, Inc., Park Rapids Patrol Local 488, a new union representing Park Rapids police sergeants.
Weasner explained that the union contract was the topic of a closed council meeting last month regarding negotiations. “We were able to come to a resolution between the newly formed sergeants’ union and the city,” she said.
Council member Bob Wills made a motion to approve the agreement.
Council member Erika Randall asked whether the contract makes any changes compared to the police officers’ union agreement.
“There was one additional change of salary, and a position has been increased based on duties,” said Weasner.
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“That’s it? Otherwise the holidays are the same, the sick, vacation, overtime, all the other things are the same?” Randall asked. “And that’s currently what we also do for our non-union employees?”
“Yes,” said Weasner to both questions.
Wills’ motion passed unanimously.
Other general business
In consent items and general business, the council:
- Hired Gregory MacKenzie as a full-time public works utility maintenance worker at $22.67 per hour, per the Minnesota Teamsters Union Local 320 labor agreement.
- Increased full-time Rapids Spirits liquor store clerk Tina Jenkins’s pay to the 24-month step of $15.90 per hour.
- Paid Tyler Technologies $9,420 for work relating to the city’s accounting software; Minnesota Pump Works $1,669 for emergency repair of the city’s main lift station; Apex Engineering $19,980 for work on the well, water treatment facility and Fair Avenue projects; and Little Falls Machine Inc. $2,070 for emergency repair of a public works truck.
- Approved the second reading of zoning ordinance amendments to rezone 118 Washington Ave. N., lately the Red Bridge Inn, from C-I conservation to R-B residential business transitional, and to rezone 600 Washington Ave. S. from R-1 single-family residential to R-2 single, two-family and townhouse residential.
- Approved an agency agreement for the Minnesota Department of Transportation to distribute a $22,000 Federal Aviation Administration grant funding a project at the municipal airport.
- Approved posting signs in city parks aimed at a fourth-grade level, promoting outdoor activities and healthy lifestyles. Council member Liz Stone said the city’s Parks and Beautification Board is partnering with the University of Minnesota Extension to create a scavenger hunt, using QR codes to link children with educational material.
- Heard Rapids Spirits liquor store manager Scott Olson report that the store is about 1.6% behind its year-to-date sales compared to the same period last year. He said staffing the store will be a challenge going into the summer, with two current vacancies.
- Heard Fire Chief Joe Carlson report that the fire department has received a good number of applications for three current openings.
- Heard Police Sgt. Rob Gilmore report that the police department is wrapping up its background check on an applicant for an open officer position.
- Heard Stone report that the city’s Arts and Culture Advisory Commission has selected 14 artworks out of 21 submissions for this year’s downtown sculpture walk.
- Authorized the destruction of aged documents per the state records retention schedule.
- Acknowledged $2,722 in donations to the city from March 31 through April 5, including $1,000 for the Depot Park tennis court replacement and $1,622 for library programs.
- Approved payables totaling $78,356 and prepaids totaling $143,027.
The city council’s next meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 26 at city hall.
A work session is set for 5:30 p.m. April 26 to discuss a proposed junk ordinance and to reschedule council meetings in August and November, due to conflicts with election days.
A Park Rapids Board of Equalization meeting was slated for Thursday of this week, but Weasner said it would be a brief meeting to reschedule the Board of Equalization for 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 3 at city hall.
