01-25-2021 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, January 4, 2021 2:30 p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 2 of 10 2. ACCEPT RESIGNATION OF CITY ADMINISTRATOR DUSTIN RIEF - Continued Seals clarified Attorney Mattick is looking for where the Council sits regarding the $3,500. Mattick said that is correct. Walsh asked to wait on that for a moment, as Johnson had a question and Seals also had a conversation with Mr. Rief. He noted there is nothing big on Rief’s calendar and asked if Orono need Mr. Rief to be around until February 4, 2021. He would like to address those issues before they talk about the $3,500. He noted Finance Director Ron Olson will be stepping into the City Administrator role and asked his opinion on the value of keeping Mr. Rief on through that date. Olson noted he has been out on medical leave and his original work release said January 21, 2021 but he has been working from home. He is only working about 5 hours per day at the moment and noted they can increase that but he is currently unable to drive. Walsh said it sounds like there is value in keeping Rief on to get the house in order before he leaves. Olson said that would be his concern, and if the Council is comfortable with him working from home he can do that. Printup stated he is okay with Olson working from home as he has been doing in the interim. He noted at some point they could send out an internal application of anyone interested in taking on the role for a longer term while the Council decides what the process looks like over the course of many months. Seals does not have an expectation that Olson would be in the office every day for eight hours; she noted she also manages a team from her home and said Olson has been with the City long enough to know the ins and outs of what needs to be done and has a strong team that can support him. Seals has always been of the belief that when someone leaves a company or corporation, it is great that they have made that decision, but one foot is already out the door. If the City can pull the band-aid off sooner and jump right in, that may be better if Olson feels he is able to do that. Seals noted health-wise, they do not want to put Olson at risk and she does not think he has to be in the office. She would like to know what big things they would need to accomplish in the next month and the biggest thing she found from conversations are the union negotiations. She noted Mattick is involved with those right now but that would be the most pressing thing. Johnson noted the minute a City Administrator turns in their resignation, in his mind, they turn into a contractor of sorts rather than an employee. He asked if someone resigns, is the City obligated to say yes, they accept that date of February 4, 2021.