MCC continues discussion regarding former firefighter

Discussion about reinstating a former firefighter to the Motley Fire Department; and an update on the Beaulieu Street Area project were two items brought before the Motley City Council at their regular meeting Jan. 26.

Approximately half of the three-hour meeting was spent in a closed session to discuss a personnel issue pertaining to Ross Sellnow, who was terminated from the MFD in Sept. 2008, for disciplinary reasons.

Sellnow is seeking to be reinstated to the MFD, preferably with a year of service, not as a new hire.

At their meeting Jan. 12, the council approved a motion for a committee (with consultation by the city attorney) to look into the situation and to come up with a recommendation.

This committee consists of Fire Chief Dave Greig, Council member Rob Sampson and City Clerk/ Treasurer Terri Smith, with consultation by the city attorney.

During the course of the closed session, the council spoke with both Sellnow and Fire Chief Greig individually. They also consulted with Smith for input.

After the regular meeting reconvened, council member Duane Solga made two motions in regard to reinstating Sellnow. Both failed.

The first was to reinstate Sellnow to the MFD, with one year of service under his belt. In a Roll Call vote, only Solga and Motley Mayor Konrad Alexander voted ‘aye.’

Solga’s second failed motion was to reinstate Sellnow as a new hire.

Council member Nancy Nieken also made a motion, which failed, to have Sellnow apply as a new hire and go through the committee.

In the end, a motion made by Sampson, to take the recommendation from the council committee as presented and to have Sellnow go through the process as recommended by the committee, passed in a unanimous Roll Call vote.

As part of the recommendation (and per Sellnow’s request), a closed session hearing was scheduled for Feb. 1, contingent on whether or not City Attorney Peter Vogel was available. The closed session (to discuss “not public” data under Minnesota Statute 13D.05) was later cancelled.

City Engineer Aric Welch (with Widseth, Smith and Nolting), at the meeting Jan. 26, gave the council an update on the Beaulieu Street Area project.

Welch said the WSN’s surveyors were ready to go to work; and that he would like to send a letter to Motley residents informing them of this.

On Feb. 2, Welch confi rmed (via e-mail) that he had just sent a draft letter to the City of Motley to notify residents of upcoming survey work on the Beaulieu Street project. “We are scheduled to complete survey work the week of Feb. 8 and Feb. 15,” Welch reported.

In other matters the council:

o APPROVED adding a street section (in regard

to the DMU - Downtown

Mixed Unit Zoning District - to the city’s minimum

street standards. This added section is for 36’wide urban (curb and gutter) roadway with sidewalk.

o APPROVED sending Motley Fire Department Chief Dave Greig and First Asst. Chief Bryan Hutchison to a two-day training session (including hotel and meals) in Detroit Lakes.

o ACCEPTED a pay equity report as presented by Smith.