BY BILL MORGAN, STAFF WRITER
Several residents from the City of Becker showed up at Tuesday’s meeting to chastise the city administrator and council for deciding to not include three long-standing employees in their recent re-organization chart.
Two weeks ago, the Citizen-Tribune featured an article explaining the re-structuring suggested by City Administrator Greg Pruszinske. In the new organizational chart, the positions of Troy Malo, Jamie Cassidy and Joe Danielson were not evident. Pruszinske verified that the titles of Golf Director, BCC Director and Street Supervisor were eliminated from the organizational chart.
Tuesday, Mayor Tracy Bertram — in anticipation of a crowded house — tried to pacify the attendees and listeners by reading a prepared statement in regards to some questions she received from constituents. One of the questions she addressed was in regards to the job of the CA.
“Our city administrator has been working hard on our economic growth,” she said. “He has been working side-by-side with Xcel Energy to get the gas plant at Sherco. He has been supporting Northern Metals Recycling in their move to Becker. He has been working tirelessly on transportation projects to provide improvements for roads, rails and bridges.”
She said Pruszinske has been stretched thin with dealing with the day-to-day tasks he is presented with.
“Shore Dynamics was hired to help guide us, to figure out a way to roll departments together,” Bertram said.
She also pointed out the job of assistant CA has never been filled since Pruszinske assumed the CA role over 10 years ago.
Dennis Rzeszotarski boldly approached the podium during open forum and immediately demanded Pruszinske’s resignation. He also said city council has failed in their responsibilities and demanded all of the sitting members to resign.
“You have lost the confidence of the citizens,” he said, reminding the audience there is an important election coming up in the fall of 2018.
Karin Pauly also spoke during open forum and she expressed her support for Malo and the job he is doing at the golf course. She said since she and her husband, Scott, had the restaurant space at Pebble Creek, “Troy and his staff have made good improvements to the structure and have dealt with things that were not easy.”
“Pebble Creek is more than just a golf course,” she continued. “Troy and his team have done a great job.”
Troy Cox, a 40-year Becker resident, asked “why do Troy, Joe and Jamie have to re-apply for the vacant jobs?”
He also asked about the consultant position and why the city paid her $200/hr.?
“What is her experience?” he asked.
“Will the city administrator also take a pay cut since he’ll be doing less?” he asked. “What are the steps to remove the CA from his position?”
He finished by saying the restructure should start at the top and that all else doesn’t make much sense.
Steve Warren, a 19 year Becker resident, also spoke about the restructuring. He said he was deeply concerned and said “the city administrator needs to do his job.”
“It’s always been and always should be department heads reporting to the CA, not to other supervisors,” he said. “Let department heads run their departments. Leave things as they are.”
City council has a policy that speakers during open forum can speak for up to three minutes each but no council response or action will occur other than a referral to city staff or city board or commission.
