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Council debates draft complaint policy for city administrator; considers outside HR/legal support
Summary
Council reviewed a revised draft policy for complaints against the city administrator, clarifying HR intake and mayor notification. Several councilors recommended exploring outside HR/legal options (LGPS, Pelcog/Nelcog) so staff feel comfortable filing complaints; administrator will research costs and scope and return with information at a future work session.
The council examined a revised draft policy to handle complaints against the city administrator that clarifies initial reporting options and mayoral notifications.
The draft states employees should first approach the administrator if comfortable; HR may forward a written complaint or a written summary to the mayor, who would then provide a confidential copy to councilors. The administrator told the council the policy also clarifies when council could meet in executive session and when the administrator should be notified of the complaint, except in cases of ongoing criminal investigations.
Several councilors suggested the city consider using external HR or legal services to handle complaints against the administrator to avoid perceived conflicts of interest. One councilor recommended an IGA with Local Government Personnel Services (LGPS) or using Pelcog/Nelcog HR resources for an objective review. Others cautioned about added costs and asked the administrator to report back with details and cost estimates; the council set a follow‑up timeline for further review at an upcoming work session.
"I would rather not see our HR manager, who answers to the city administrator, being the person who then has to direct us or give us advice on what to do," one councilor said, arguing for external options to preserve objectivity. The council did not adopt the policy at the work session; instead members asked staff to research outside service costs and any contract terms that might already exist.
