Flandreau — The Flandreau City Council approved Resolution 2025-01, the city’s annual payroll resolution, applying a 3% cost-of-living adjustment for 2025 and authorizing two new hires, during its regular meeting.

Lori Cole, staff member, presented the resolution and said, “this is a resolution that the council approves annually. It adjusts all salaries. Well, the state does require that we, post our salaries annually, but this is also the time of year when we adjust wages for cost of living adjustment.” Cole also identified the two hires included in the resolution: Donald Biles for public works (recommended at step 5, $22.50 hourly) and Zach Diehl for the police department (recommended at step 2, $22.11 hourly) and said the salary list will be published in the newspaper for public viewing.

The council moved and passed the resolution by voice vote. Alderman Barge moved to approve the payroll resolution; Alderman Bierke seconded. Council members signified approval by saying “aye” and the motion carried.

Nut graf: Posting the salary schedule is required by state law and the annual resolution also implements the council-approved 3% COLA for 2025; the motion included placement of two new hires at specified wage steps and the mayor and council will be included in the published schedule.

Details and context

Cole said the 3% increase was provided for in the 2025 budget. She told the council the hires are “pending approval tonight” and, if approved, the public works hire would begin the next day. Council members asked clarifying questions about step increases and whether additional step increases would be applied separately; Cole responded that step increases would be handled through the regular performance-review process and that no additional step increases were included in the payroll resolution beyond the new hires and the 3% COLA.

Votes at a glance

- Approve minutes from Dec. 30, 2024 (moved Alderman Behrke; second Alderman Eckert) — motion carried by voice vote.
- Adopt agenda (moved Alderman Atkins; second Alderman Tufte) — motion carried by voice vote.
- Approve bills (moved Alderman Farge; second Alderman Nollars) — motion carried by voice vote.
- Approve administrative reports (moved Alderman Bierke; second Alderman Topten) — motion carried by voice vote.
- Approve Resolution 2025-01 establishing salaries for 02/2025 (moved Alderman Barge; second Alderman Bierke) — motion carried by voice vote.

Ending

Cole said the approved salary schedule will be posted as required by state law and that routine personnel processes (such as the upcoming performance review for Cole) will proceed on the council’s schedule. No roll-call tallies were recorded in the minutes; each item passed by voice vote.