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Mounds View City Council October 6, 2025 <br />Special Meeting Page 2 <br /> <br />Public Works/Parks and Recreation Director Peterson reported Complainant Schnur requested to <br />have the grievance heard before Council. Complainant Schnur appeared before council at the <br />August 25, 2025, Council Meeting and delivered information to Council during Item 9.B., Reports <br />of Staff, requesting Council hear the grievance. Council agreed. At their workshop on September <br />2, 2025, Council set Monday, October 6, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. for a Special Meeting to hold the <br />hearing. That time has been moved to 5:15 and the CBU was advised of the change. <br /> <br />Public Works/Parks and Recreation Director Peterson indicated on August 26, 2025, Staff received <br />an updated Grievance document that detailed – “Increase all employees who would meet step 9 of <br />the wage compensation scale, no matter what grade, who meet or exceed all of the requirements <br />for step 9 effective July 30, 2025.” The document identifies the following four Public Works CBU <br />members who should be elevated to Step 9 within their current grade, effective July 30, 2025: <br />Michael Schnur, Brett Brisbois, Scott Vandervegt, and Nick Bohmert. <br /> <br />Mayor Lindstrom opened the grievance hearing at 5:21 p.m. <br /> <br />Michael Schnur explained the staff report did not come from him but rather came from public <br />works staff. He clarified he was not requesting all public works employees be moved to Step 9, <br />but rather was asking for all employees who qualify to be moved to Step 9. He commented on the <br />date of the grievance itself, noting this was the effective date for the new employee. He reported <br />as a public works bargaining group they feel that hiring someone and paying them 100% of their <br />market value wage when no one within the public works bargaining group was at 100% of the <br />market wage was unfair. He indicated if this was the practice that would be followed, then the <br />public works bargaining group would like to see all employees with the same level of experience <br />of qualifications should be moved up as well. He believed by not moving up the existing public <br />works employees the City was placing more value on someone who has never worked for the City <br />than those who have worked for the City for years. <br /> <br />Council Member Clark asked if wages were exempt from grievance. City Administrator Zikmund <br />reported staff has articulated with the City Attorney that wages and compensation were not <br />grievable per the employee policy and the collective bargaining agreement states they will abide <br />by the City’s policy. He noted this item was brought forward to allow the Council to listen to the <br />City employees. He explained if the Council were to agree with the grievance the City would then <br />have work to do on the employee policy. He clarified that there were four staff members that were <br />seeking an increase to Step 9 and three were scheduled to receive Step 9 pay on January 1 and the <br />last will move to Step 9 next summer. <br /> <br />Council Member Meehlhause questioned if each of these employees were at the same pay grade. <br />Mr. Schnur explained two were at Grade 5, one at Grade 6 and one at Grade 7. <br /> <br />Mayor Lindstrom inquired how many years of experience did the new hire bring to the City. Mr. <br />Schnur stated he had 10 years of public works experience and other life experience. <br /> <br />Mayor Lindstrom asked how many years of experience the current City employees had. Mr. <br />Schnur reported one employee has 28 years, one has 20 years, one has ten in Mounds View and <br />ten in another City and the last employee has eight years of experience.