Resolution - #97-02-050 - 02/25/1997

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Councilmember Beyer introduced the following resolution and moved for its adoption: RESOLUTION #97-02-050 RESOLUTION REQUESTING REPRESENTATION FROM LEAGUE OF MINNESOTA CITIES INSURANCE TRUST FOR APPEAL WHEREAS, the City of Ramsey is a defendant along with the Minnesota Police Recruitment System, a Minnesota joint powers organization ("MPRS"), and 35 other Minnesota cities in two companion civil actions in Hennepin County District court entitled Fields v. MPRS et al. and Starks v. MPRS, et al., District Court File Numbers EM 93-218 and EM 93-219 (collectively referred to as the "Action"); and WHEREAS, by order of the court dated October 5, 1994, the court found that the entry level police officer selection procedures used by the defendants violated the Minnesota Human Rights Act; and WHEREAS, by Order dated November 7, 1996, the court made the defendants subject to the continuing jurisdiction of the court until January 1, 2004; and WHEREAS, said orders establish standards for review of employee selection procedures which will be extraordinarily difficult to satisfy; and WHEREAS, said orders may be cited as precedent in future challenges to employee selection procedures of Minnesota cities which will be defended by the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust (LMCIT); and WHEREAS, the City and other defendant cities may have future employment practices challenged in the context of the Action under the continuing .jurisdiction of the court, which will be defended by the LMCIT; and WHEREAS, it would be advantageous to the City, the defendant cities in the Action and all other cities in Minnesota, if the Action could be successfully challenged on appeal. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RAMSEY, ANOKA COUNTY, STATE OF MINNESOTA, as follows: 1) That the City hereby request the LMCIT to appeal the Action to the Minnesota Court of Appeals on behalf of the City. 2) That the City Administrator is directed to transmit a copy of this resolution to the LMCIT as soon as possible and to take such other actions as are necessary or expedient to secure the assistance of the LMCIT and to prosecute the appeal in the event the LMCIT agrees to represent the City.