City to explore the hiring of a negotiator to handle contract talks
A different approach may be taken with contract negotiations for two employee groups for the city of Rogers City. At the suggestion of councilman Gary Nowak, city manager John Bruning will look at bringing in a professional negotiator for contract talks with the unions reprsenting the city employees and police officers. Both contracts expire June 30. Negotiations are just about ready to get going, with Bruning receiving a letter from the police union recently.
Nowak believes a professional negotiator would ?insulate? management from members of the workforce, as opposed to having the city manager and police chief Matt Quaine sitting in on discussions, which has been the case in the past for the onset of talks.
BEFORE BEING instructed by mayor Beach Hall to pursue the matter further, Bruning said negotiations have started ?with staff, to see how things were going.? If the process was at the level of ?civil negotiations? then they would proceed ?always with the option of suggesting a professional labor attorney,? Bruning said. ?I know there are individuals we have used in the past,? said Bruning. ?But with the police, there is arbitration legislation that is constantly a threat. It?s certainly a concern, though.?
Councilman Karl Heidemann asked Bruning when, in the past, did the city believe a professional was needed to handle talks. ?I wasn?t involved with those,? said Bruning, who still hasn?t completed his first full year as city manger.
?I DO KNOW that they did have a specific labor attorney involved on a couple of occasions. I?m not sure what led up to that, but I?m sure a lack of progress.? ?I think the last time we negotiated a police contract, our labor attorney was there. I think the reason he was there was because there were serious issues regarding health care,? said city attorney Mike Vogler. Last year the contract of the police officers was extended for a year. Nowak?s concerns for the police union contract, with Quaine participating in contract talks, is that ?He (Quaine) has to work with these people every day.? Bruning said bargaining for new deals for both groups will likely be going on simultaneously.
IN OTHER city business: ? Nowak encouraged council to adopt some type of rules, or a policy for conducting city meetings. ?At the last meeting we allowed three people to talk while we were discussing an item,? said Nowak. ?I think it?s kind of out of order to let people talk like that. I think we need some rules of order. So we all know what the playing field is.? The citizens, who included former councilwoman Deb Greene reading from four pages of typed notes, made comments on the rezoning of Dick Bennett?s US-23 property, which eventually was rejected
?It is very unusual to let three people stand up and talk,? said Nowak. ?This is our discussion, it?s our meeting. They have the chance to speak at the beginning (of the meeting) and at the end.? ?Historically, and I may be wrong, and I may have started the practice…we?ve let people speak on an agenda item at the time, rather
? A public hearing was scheduled for Monday?s meeting to take input on the Community Recreation Plan. Following the public hearing, which lasted a few seconds with no comments being made, a resolution adopting the plan was approved. The plan is a joint effort between the city and the Rogers City Area Schools and must be formally approved before being submitted to the Department of Natural Resources.
? The Lions Club of Rogers City received permission to conduct its annual salmon tournament July 10 and for the use of the portable bandshell and pavilion. Council also okayed a request of the Lions to have their ?White Cane Sale? at the intersection of Third and Erie Street during the week of April 24-May 3.