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PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA
December 22, 2003

The city council of the city of Grand Forks, North Dakota met in special session in the council chambers in City Hall on Monday, December 22, 2003 following the committee of the whole meeting with Mayor Brown presiding. Present at roll call were Council Members Brooks, Hamerlik, Glassheim, Gershman, Christensen, Kerian, Kreun - 7; absent: none.

Mayor Brown announced that anyone wishing to speak to any item may do so by being recognized prior to a vote being taken on the matter, and that the meeting is being televised.

DENY REQUEST FOR CLOSURE OF CITY OFFICES ON
DECEMBER 26, 2003

The staff report from Mayor Brown relating to closure City offices December 26, 2003, with recommendation to close Grand Forks City offices on December 26, 2003 and authorize non-essential employees to take the day off with pay. Approve eight bonus hours of vacation for essential city staff that are required to work that day to be used by March 1, 2003.

Council Member Kerian stated that because the State is off on December 26 and there should be some discussion - that this can benefit newer employers that may not have the vacation available to them, and that a number of our employees have been here a long time and sometimes it is a matter of trying to use up their vacation time and sometimes matter of when can they take that time before the end of the year, other things considered is that services would not be available to the community and there are some costs associated with that, and also that the only other major city in the state that is following this path is Bismarck and do that in conjunction with State Capitol. She stated the other issue to consider is that there are a number of people who cannot take off Friday and because of going to elevated Orange as we have, there may be more people who would not be able to take off Friday; that she wants to listen to the discussion but is not sure that having this day off best serves the community and not sure it fairly best serves the employees.

Carol Diamond Gerszewski, 807 Great Plains Court, president of employee representatives, stated that last week President Bush declared December 26 a holiday for federal employees, that Governor Hoeven also declared December 26 a holiday for all North Dakota State employees, and Grand Forks County employees have been given the day off for the holiday, and requested that City employees have December 26 as a holiday, that having a four-day weekend over Christmas would be a good morale booster for our employees and respectfully requested that our request be honored.

Council Member Brooks stated this started at federal level, then State level and now us, that he has some reasonable concerns about measurable snowfall, security level and that one department head having trouble scheduling for the rest of year because number of employees need time off to use up their vacation before the end of the year, difficult spot and that he can't support doing that.

It was moved by Council Member Christensen and seconded by Council Member Brooks that the city offices of the city of Grand Forks remain open on Friday, December 26, 2003.

Council Member Kreun stated that December 26 would be a good opportunity for those people to take the 4 hours of extra time that council offered and work that out within the department.

Council Member Glassheim stated that this a change in policy and changes in policy should go first to one of the standby committees for discussion before coming to city council, that he always wanted to support employees and morale of employees, that this used to be a negotiated item on holidays, day's off and pay, etc.; have just given a 4-hour holiday bonus, in the past was $20, and then became 4 hours and now being pushed to another 8 hours; doesn't know what precedent it sets as not negotiated with employees and not discussed in committee, and uncomfortable for the rest of the public with closing city activities, doesn't mind if small staffed and for people who work on the day after Christmas will be light duty, and that offices should be open.

Council Member Gershman stated this is difficult issue - that Fargo, Minot and East Grand Forks will be open on December 26, that Bismarck and County have to follow State; that he has talked to employees and they are grateful for the holiday gift they have received and don't want any impression left that they are not appreciative of that by asking for this additional time off - that he won't support closure and would hope that in no way that it would be interpreted by the employees that the council doesn't have great respect for their work for the city, that this is a policy shift and needs more time to be considered.

Council Member Christensen stated this is something they should discuss and review our ordinance dealing with paid time off because this may be good morale booster to have the Friday after Christmas Day off but we have the Friday after New Year's Day off facing us, that with the new pay for performance regime and because the employees have ability to manage their own schedules with comp. time and personal leave time and vacation time, that can review this in the first quarter and if it is something we should do for the employees, then change our ordinance, that this came upon us a bit too quickly for us to adjust to it.

Upon call for the question and upon voice vote, the motion carried 7 votes affirmative.

MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS

1) Council Member Brooks wished everyone a Merry Christmas.

ADJOURN

It was moved by Council Member Gershman and seconded by Council Member Christensen that we adjourn. Carried 7 votes affirmative.

Respectfully submitted,



Candi Stjern
Acting City Auditor
Approved:
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