City Manager Greg Copeland was placed on paid administrative leave by a 3 (Juenemann, Rossbach, Nephew) 2 (Hjelle, Longrie) vote at the 1/14/2008 council meeting, the first since newly elected councilperson Nephew was sworn in.
City Attorney Kantrud was directed to coordinate retaining an attorney expert in public employment law to advice the council on a process for terminating Copeland that will avoid litigation. He may have this done as early as the Thursday (1/17) continuation of the council meeting.
The move to appoint Public Works Director Chuck Ahl as acting city manager ran afoul of his membership in the Maplewood Supervisory and Confidential Association (MSCA). The city is currently in both contract negotiations and a lawsuit with the union, which could present a conflict of interest. Citizen Services Manager Karen Guilfoile also pays dues to the MSCA which considers her a member. Apparently since his position was created and he was employed after the formation of the MSCA, Finance Director Bob Mittet does not share this constraint, and was duly appointed Acting City Manager.
Agenda items expected to be controversial were delayed to the Thursday continuation, which did not prevent consideration of the consent agenda and a few land use issues from pushing the end of this first meeting well beyond midnight.
Update 1/16 8:30 Press reports
Maplewood quest to find a city manager continues
Choices for the Maplewood job have been challenged for their lack of qualifications or a conflict of interest.
...
"It's kind of like [being] queen for a day,'' joked Mittet, Maplewood's finance director. "I suspect if those union questions have been resolved, then they'll probably move to have Chuck Ahl become acting city manager.''
Maplewood / Council gives city manager the boot
Before Monday's Maplewood City Council meeting, its members said they wanted to keep things civil and work together to make decisions.
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