01-10-22 Special City Council MinutesSPECIAL OTSEGO CITY COUNCIL MEETING
MONDAY, JANUARY 10, 2022
6:00 PM
OTSEGO PRAIRIE CENTER
Call to Order.
Mayor Jessica Stockamp called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM.
Roll Call: Mayor Jessica Stockamp; Councilmembers: Tom Darkenwald, Tina Goede, Brittany
Moores; Absent: Councilmember Jeff Dahl. City Staff: City Administrator/Finance Director Adam
Flaherty, Human Resources/Assistant City Administrator Sabrina Hille; City Attorney Dave
Kendall (arrived at 6:07); City Engineer Ron Wagner; City Planner Daniel Licht; and Deputy
Clerk Bethany Benting.
1. Closed Session — Consider Offer for the Purchase of Real Property for PID
118-245-001020 MN Statute 13D.05, Subd. 3, C-3.
Mayor Stockamp motioned to close the meeting at 6:00 PM to enter a closed session
to discuss PID #118-245-001020 in accordance to Minnesota Statute 13D.05, Subd.
3, C-3, to consider an offer for purchase of property, seconded by CM Moores. All in
favor. Motion carried 4-0.
Mayor Stockamp motioned to open the closed session at 6:01 PM, seconded by CM
Goede. All in favor. Motion carried 4-0.
Mayor Stockamp motioned to close the closed session at 6:08 PM, seconded by CM
Darkenwald. All in favor. Motion carried 4-0.
Mayor Stockamp motioned to reopen the special meeting at 6:09 PM, seconded by
Moores. All in favor. Motion carried 4-0.
2. Closed Session — Consider Offer for the Sale of Real Property for PID 118-
290-000010 MN Statute 13D.05, Subd. 3, C-3.
Mayor Stockamp motioned to close the meeting at 6:09 PM to enter a closed session
to discuss PID #118-290-000010 in accordance to Minnesota Statute 13D.05, Subd.
3, C-3, to consider an offer for sale of property, seconded by CM Moores. All in
favor. Motion carried 4-0.
Mayor Stockamp motioned to open the closed session at 6:10 PM, seconded by
Goede. All in favor. Motion carried 4-0.
Mayor Stockamp motioned to close the closed session at 6:28 PM, seconded by CM
Goede. All in favor. Motion carried 4-0.
Mayor Stockamp motioned to reopen the special meeting at 6:28 PM, seconded by
CM Moores. All in favor. Motion carried 4-0.
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MINUTES OF THE CITY OF OTSEGO SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING JANUARY 10, 2022
3. Discussion of Draft Policies Related to COVID-19.City Administrator/Finance Director
Flaherty said staff has prepared a draft COVID-19 Leave Program Policy for consideration. This
draft policy includes revisions directed by the City Council at the December 13, 2021 special
meeting. The policy will provide additional leave to accommodate employee absences due to
COVID-19, and will be made possible with ARPA funding.
Mayor Stockamp mentioned that the leave use guidelines referring to the fifth bullet point under
the third section which reads, "Is experiencing an immune system response from a vaccination
or booster" was on the policy twice and suggested it should only be motioned once. Council
members concurred.
Mayor Stockamp asked for clarification on the days one would have to stay home and
quarantine (vaccinated or unvaccinated). Human Resources/Assistant City Administrator Hille
said the city is going off of the CDC guidelines which just changed it to 5 days for everyone who
is showing symptoms or confirmed Covid. Human Resources/Assistant City Administrator Hille
also mentioned this policy will help City employees make sure they are feeling well before
coming back to work without having to worry about using PTO time.
Mayor Stockamp commented on page one and wanted to know what the effective date would
be. She asked Council what would makes sense and would they want it to cover all of last year
too. Council members discussed options. City Administrator/Finance Director Flaherty
mentioned that the retroactive application takes care of all COVID-19 absences before the
policy. City staff is looking for direction on the effective date.
Mayor Stockamp asked what type of feedback staff had regarding special council meetings and
proposed Covid policies. City Administrator/Finance Director Flaherty said he did not hear from
employees about the new draft policy, but was given the same feedback as the council did in
December.
CM Goede brought up section six, vaccination benefits, and asked if it makes sense. She feels
this is not okay as it discriminates employees. CM Goede commented she does not like it and
would like to see this deleted out of the policy. CM Moores said she could go either way with
section 6 but understands it is an incentive. CM Goede still doesn't feel comfortable at all
having it in the policy.
Mayor Stockamp at 6:54 PM motioned to continue this special meeting following the
7 PM City Council meeting, seconded by CM Goede. All in favor. Motion carried 4-0.
Mayor Stockamp motioned to reopen this special meeting at 7:44 PM, seconded by
CM Goede. All in favor. Motion carried 4-0.
City Attorney Dave Kendall, City Engineer Ron Wagner and City Planner Daniel Licht did not
return.
Council members continued discussion on section 6.
CM Darkenwald wanted clarification on vaccinated/unvaccinated, quarantine/isolate
requirements. Human Resources/Assistant City Administrator Hille reviewed the current CDC
guidelines in detail.
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MINUTES OF THE CITY OF OTSEGO SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING
JANUARY 10, 2022
CM Darkenwald commented that this policy benefits both vaccinated and unvaccinated.
Both CM Moores and CM Darkenwald noted they are for the incentive. They said the City was
not mandating vaccinations but instead leaving it up the individual to make their own choice.
Mayor Stockamp, CM Moores and CM Darkenwald all agreed that employees should do what
they can to protect themselves from being sick or hospitalized especially knowing certain
employees have special licenses that allow them to perform important jobs to keep the City
functioning. Mayor Stockamp concurred with keeping this section in the policy.
Councilmembers wanted to make it clear that the CDC is making the guidelines not the City.
City Administrator/Finance Director Flaherty asked for direction on the effective date and asking
if the proposed draft policy is okay in the current form or what changes needed to be made.
Councilmembers gave an example of January 24 passing a policy that would be effective on
January 25 and retroactive date that would allow employees to fill out a form to possibly get
PTO time back due to Covid. City staff recommended a March 31 date for employees to submit
a form to request retroactive reimbursement of PTO for prior COVID-19 absences.
CM Darkenwald agreed 2 months is a good amount of time to complete this task.
Council members brought up the topic of allowed days for section 3. Council concurred that 15
working days should cover most, if not all instances, and that other benefits such as disability
insurance, FMLA leave and PTO are available for those hopefully rare instances.
CM Goede brought up contracted employees. She feels they need to follow the same CDC
guidelines as well, which is a separate issue from this proposed policy.
City Administrator/Finance Director Flaherty asked if council is okay with putting the Covid-19
leave program policy on the next agenda. CM Goede said not if section six (Vaccination benefit)
was on the policy. Mayor Stockamp said putting her personal standpoint aside and looking at it
as a business standpoint, she is okay with it. CM Moores and CM Darkenwald both agreed with
Mayor Stockamp.
4. Schedule 2022 Strategic Planning Session.
City Administrator/Finance Director Flaherty presented dates of availability from HueLife to
conduct the strategic planning session. The Council concurred that the first choice would be
February 19 and the second choice of March 5 subject to schedule availability from HueLife. City
staff will finalize the schedule and communicate the date to the City Council.
5. Adjourn.
CM Darkenwald motioned to adjourn at 8:32 PM, seconded by CM Moores. All in
favor. Motion carried 4-0.
7 sica Stockamp, Mayor
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