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LMCIT tells Emily council to hold workshop, clarify chief-selection and roles after Fire & Rescue assessment
Summary
League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust representatives presented an assessment of Emily Fire & Rescue showing two competing narratives about the department’s merger and policy changes and recommended a joint informational presentation, a council workshop on May 12 and creation of a small, trusted group to clarify roles and solicit employee input.
Aimee Gourlay and Erin Holznagel of the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust (LMCIT) presented an assessment of the Emily Fire & Rescue Department at the April 21 special meeting, summarizing interview themes and offering five recommendations to help the council manage transition-related conflict.
Gourlay said the assessment drew on nine interviews with 13 individuals, one written submission and a review of personnel policies, SOPs and ordinances, and she described the report as a "snapshot of perspectives rather than a scientific study." She identified two prevailing narratives among department members: one that describes the Council’s reorganization and policy changes as necessary to align operations and pension eligibility, and a second that says those same changes were handled incorrectly, reduced member autonomy and damaged social bonds important to fire-service culture.
To address those concerns, LMCIT urged the council to take a structured approach: gather impartial data (including a joint presentation by LMCIT’s Marc Dunker and a State Fire Marshal representative to establish a shared baseline of information), hold a council workshop to discuss findings, clarify and reaffirm or revise goals for the department, establish a small representative group to answer procedural questions during the transition, and set a timeline for future policy review. Gourlay recommended the small group not serve as a complaint body but instead function to clarify roles and recommend potential policy refinements to the council.
Gourlay specifically flagged confusion about the process used to select a department chief and recommended that department members be asked to identify qualities they want in a leader and challenges facing the department; those inputs would inform candidate interviews rather than a departmental vote. She also noted that many members had not read personnel policies and suggested the council solicit and answer employee questions in a forum better suited to two-way dialogue than regular council meetings.
LMCIT representatives told the council they did not expect a long-term role but would respond to follow-up questions and share additional resources as needed. Councilmembers thanked the presenters and discussed scheduling a joint workshop with LMCIT’s Marc Dunker and a State Fire Marshal representative on May 12, 2026, at 5 p.m. No formal council action on policy changes was taken at the meeting; the discussion produced recommendations and potential next steps for the council to consider.
