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Long Prairie council reviews splitting administrator role and a new Community Service Officer; staff to return with cost and policy details
Summary
At a Feb. 13 work session the Long Prairie City Council reviewed a proposal to split the combined City Administrator/Clerk role and add a Finance Director, and considered creating a Community Service Officer position for the police department; council asked staff to collect comparative budget data and answer policy questions by Feb. 20.
The Long Prairie City Council met in work session Feb. 13 and reviewed two personnel proposals that could change the city’s staffing structure and public-safety support. Council members discussed splitting the current City Administrator/Clerk position to create a separate Finance Director post and considered a new Community Service Officer role within the police department.
Acting Mayor David Wright called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. Interim City Administrator/Clerk Ted Gray presented a packet of information comparing wage scales and staffing models from nearby cities. The council examined pay scales and scenarios showing potential financial impacts of creating a Finance Director position and questioned whether Long Prairie’s tax base could support the additional salary and benefits.
Council members pointed to differences in revenue models when comparing the City of Long Prairie with the Cities of Staples and Melrose; council members noted Staples and Melrose operate an electrical utility in addition to water and sewer, a revenue source that adds staffing capacity in those cities. The council asked Gray to collect additional comparative data from other municipalities, specifically Wadena and the City of Rockville, and return with those figures at the Feb. 20 meeting so the council can make a final decision on the proposal.
Separately, the council reviewed a proposal to create a Community Service Officer who would perform non‑enforcement community-engagement duties and serve as a recruitment pathway for candidates working toward Minnesota Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) certification. Police Chief Ryan Hanson and Interim Administrator Ted Gray outlined the intended duties and how the position could support outreach and recruiting.
Council members raised practical questions about equipment and policy for the proposed officer, including whether the position would be equipped with body-worn cameras, portable radios and a city vehicle, and how conceal‑and‑carry guidelines would apply. Chief Hanson and Gray were asked to review equipment needs and relevant policy constraints and provide answers at the Feb. 20 meeting.
No formal vote was taken on either substantive staffing proposal during the work session. Procedural motions at the start and end of the meeting — the agenda approval and the motion to adjourn at 7:14 p.m. — were moved by Council member Lilah Gripne, seconded by Jim Kreemer, and carried unanimously.
The council will revisit both the administrator/finance structure and the Community Service Officer proposal at its Feb. 20 meeting, after staff returns with comparative budget data and policy guidance.
