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Steve McLaughlin
During the trustee remarks of Monday’s City Council Meeting, Steve McLaughlin had a stern message for the city’s employees.
Wear your face masks.
McLaughlin said the city has been flooded with calls about people not wearing face masks in public, including many city employees.
“I’m burned out on the phone calls from United and every convenience store in town,” he said. “We passed the mask deal. We have to wear it.
He wondered how the city could expect to mandate a mask order when its own employees are not following it.
“It’s hard for us to sit here when the hospital and doctors want us to pass something. We pass it and our own employees aren’t following it,” he said.
McLaughlin said it’s a problem in all departments across the city.
Vona Hicks said the city’s handbook covers employee conduct.
“If they don’t wear it, they can get a ticket, a writeup,” she said. “It’s pretty clear cut.”
In other business Monday night, the city agreed to post a notice for the spring election. The candidate filing period will be Feb. 1-3.
The city has four open council seats and the city clerk up for election.
Council also approved spending $15,840 to buy five new tasers for the police department. The cost would include warranty for five years.
Also, the city’s portion for a GNBC railroad project on 4th Street will be $26,000. The project, which will cost about $430,000 total, according to city administrator JC Moser, will install lights and gates, among other work done.
The council also appointed Bob Plummer, Rick Weist and Keith Gerlach to serve on the MOIF Board of Directors for a three-year term each ending in February 2024. The MOIF board will meet in February 2021 for its annual meeting, Moser said.