Minutes - Council Work Session - 05/10/2022

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future,they may have a somewhat different means of communicating things. He wasn't sure. As they look at what they have done, there should be a consideration on their part of what parts of this,because it was done all internally even though it could have been hired out, did they like about this process, what parts didn't work. He stated all in all he would say it seemed to have worked and asked what would they have done differently. He thought it was fair to be asking those questions of themselves as they are going along, which is what they are doing here. He cautioned, because this is not easy, especially when they have two strong candidates and two groups on the Council that are feeling pretty strongly on both sides, it is not easy to go forward on this in a way that somehow if it is not working the way they think it ought to, doesn't reflect adversely on the Staff because it shouldn't be. He stated his sense is that the Staff, even though Mr. Hagen is on the Staff, have been pretty nonpartisan from what he has been observing. He stated he would be happy to be there to answer any questions, or offer direction that they think might be necessary. He thought they were doing things right. Mayor Pro Tem Riley stated the question that Councilmember Musgrove posed of who should be contacted with issues like this, in this situation, it would be City Attorney Knaak. Councilmember Musgrove replied part of the conflict with that is that City Attorney Knaak, in his role as attorney, provides Council with direction but his other role is to protect the City and so to her that is difficult to have him be point person for questions. City Attorney Knaak replied when she talks about protecting the City, his client is the City. Councilmember Musgrove agreed. City Attorney Knaak continued they run the City, they are the City Council, and he can certainly interact. When he talks about reporting, as he said to her,there should always be somebody in the administration that knows the communication is going on. They may not know what was communicated, that is not important, but they need to know that communication is going on and that is the way he approaches it. He stated he never reveals what was said, just that there was a conversation. He didn't see that as a conflict, that is what City Attorneys do if they want. Councilmember Musgrove stated her intention was to be able to have a discussion with the Council honestly about who do they go to and it is a particularly interesting situation with the hire being now the Deputy/Interim Administrator and the communication that happened afterwards. She is just pointing it out and would like to know if there is a policy and if not, if that is something that Administrative Services Director Lasher would be saying is needed or not needed. Administrative Services Lasher stated she has three questions. She stated she would like to know that email that City Administrator Ulrich sent to Mr. Korin was received by all Councilmembers. The Council indicated answer was yes. Administrative Services Director Lasher continued, number two, as an exemptive employee with the City of Ramsey she is granted discretion on how to do her job. And updating candidates on the status in the process when she has conversations with them, and she says she will send them City Council Work Session/May 10, 2022 Page 30 of 32