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Mounds View City Council February 25, 2002 <br />Regular Meeting Page 11 <br />did not think there was another City employee like Ms. Norquist who is enrolled in a <br />supplemental insurance plan. He further stated this is a mandatory discussion item and payments <br />should have continued. <br />Mr. Serfling indicated following the City's advice would place an unjust hardship on Ms. <br />Norquist because she would have to pay for the supplemental plan or drop it and join the City's <br />plan that provides less benefit. He then asked that the City find a way to work with the union to <br />find a way to solve this and not hurt people. He also asked the City to continue the health <br />insurance payments as they were being made and allow negotiations to continue. <br />Mayor Sonterre indicated Council and the City are not treating employees as adversaries and <br />absolutely do not treat employees, union or not, as adversaries because they are assets. He <br />further commented that there is no adversarial mentality from his perspective. <br />Council Member Thomas indicated she found it disingenuous to talk about negotiations when <br />this situation has nothing to do with union negotiations. She commented Council is looking at <br />all details and found out things were being done incorrectly and against the personnel manual <br />since the day this was begun. She commented Council is addressing correcting the problem in <br />accordance with the personnel manual. She then commented that a significant issue has been <br />raised with the City's current health insurance because the very fact that the City has <br />supplemental health insurance jeopardizes the City's current health insurance contract. <br />• Council Member Thomas commented that it would not be cheaper for the City to continue to <br />offer this supplemental insurance because, if Council were to decide to continue with the <br />supplemental insurance, the City would have to provide the benefit to all employees because the <br />benefit is currently only being offered to one employee and treats the other City employees <br />unfairly. She further commented that this is not an issue of primary health insurance but <br />supplemental insurance and, as set up, it goes against the personnel manual and the City's <br />insurance policy contract. <br />Mr. Serfling indicated he felt the matter could have been resolved in negotiations and said the <br />City was in negotiations and the Minnesota Public Employees Labor Relation Act makes health <br />insurance a negotiated item and the City is acting in deference to its own policy. <br />City Administrator Miller indicated that the grievance filed today she interpreted to be a <br />difference of opinion as to how the union and Ms. Norquist interpret the personnel policy versus <br />how the City interprets the personnel policy. She then cautioned against any discussions of the <br />contract because it is currently under negotiation. <br />City Administrator Miller indicated that any employee who works 20 or more hours can <br />participate in the City's health care and there is no provision for any alternative for that. She <br />then indicated she had spoken with the City Attorney, representatives from the League of <br />Minnesota Cities, and Mr. Burn who administers the City's health care program. She further <br />indicated that the City's health care contract precludes the City from utilizing another health care <br />