Minot council unanimously accepts negotiated city manager contract and authorizes mayor to sign

The Minot City Council voted unanimously to accept a negotiated employment agreement with Mr. Joyce for the city manager position and authorized the mayor to sign the contract following a closed executive session on negotiations.

The council convened an executive session citing North Dakota Century Code §44-04-19(1)(9) and §44-04-19.2 to discuss negotiating strategy and provide negotiating instructions to its attorneys and other negotiators regarding the city manager contract. Alderman Fuller moved to hold the executive session, Alderman Blessum seconded, and a roll call showed the motion carried.

After returning to open session, an alderman moved that the council accept the negotiated agreement with Mr. Joyce and authorize the mayor to sign the contract; the motion was seconded and carried on a roll call vote. During discussion before the vote, the mayor said, “the contract that has been agreed to is quite similar to the one that was with the previous city manager, except for some changes regarding vacation converting to paid time off and some of the things that have happened since that other contract. So the rest of it is quite similar to the previous city manager contract.”

Votes at a glance: the council recorded and passed two formal motions related to this agenda item. First, the motion to go into executive session to discuss negotiating strategy (moved by Alderman Fuller, seconded by Alderman Blessum) was approved by roll call. Second, the motion to accept the negotiated employment agreement with Mr. Joyce and authorize the mayor to sign was approved by roll call; the clerk recorded unanimous affirmative votes.

The council did not provide further contract details in open session during the meeting. No effective date, compensation figures, or additional terms beyond the brief summary provided were specified on the public record, and the council noted that final action on any details would occur in open session unless law required otherwise.

Procedure and authority: Council members explicitly cited North Dakota Century Code §§44-04-19(1)(9) and 44-04-19.2 as the legal basis for closing the meeting to discuss negotiation strategy. The council also reminded members that discussions in executive session must be limited to the announced topic and that any collective decision or final action would be taken in open session except where law specifically allows otherwise for negotiation instructions.

The council adjourned the open meeting after recording the acceptance and authorization; the minutes show the executive session ended at 5:14 p.m. and the council anticipated reconvening at approximately 5:20 p.m. (times reported by the presiding officer). No additional public comment or council debate over contract terms was entered into the public record at the meeting.