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MGEC Board Minutes 7.28.20

14 October 2020

Present Present
President Forrest Hasty X–Skype Director Corey Mathisen X – Skype
Vice President Blake Nelson X-Skype Director Steven Oswald X – Skype
Past Pres. Mohammad Dehdashti X Skype Director Alex Barley X – Skype
Secretary Jerry Kotzenmacher  X-Skype Director Heather Gardner X – Skype
Treasurer Gene Hicks X-Skype Director Jason Hedeen
Director Bridget Miller Director Laura Lyons X – Skype
Director Mike Kronzer X-Skype Executive Director Dana Wheeler X – Skype
Director Victor Vasas  X-Skype Robert Haag, Labor Relations    X – Skype
Kari Torkelson  AA/ Membership Manager     X – Skype

Call to order:  The meeting was called to order at 3:34 p.m. by President Forrest Hasty.

Approval of Agenda: A motion was made to accept the agenda by Director Victor Vasas. 2nd by Director Alex Barley. Motion approved by voice vote.

Secretary’s report – Jerry Kotzenmacher

The board reviewed the June 22nd, 2020 meeting minutes. A motion was made to accept the meeting minutes with edits by Director Laura Lyons. 2nd by Director Alex Barley. Motion passed by voice vote.

Presidents Report – Forrest Hasty

  • Position descriptions – A few comments came in and descriptions edited. Forrest will send out.
  • Committee report – Negotiations committee suggested that the next contract could be tough with COVID budget. Eliminate first four steps for grads. Next meeting all committee members should review the current contract for better negotiations.

Legislative committee – worked on committee description. Will review policy, constitution and other documents.

  • Inequities – force agencies to hire at step 5 for Grad 1’s. President Forrest Hasty will set up a table to better show the mass inequity for DOT.

Executive Directors report – Dana Wheeler

  • Building update – One tenant leaving end of August. Problems with moisture. Another tenant to take this office. Dana would like to make the moisture problem better. Working with vendor. $5500 estimate. Tenant is cleaning the building. Five tenants using the building regularly (during COVID). No longer provide masks. Cleaning stations OK.
  • Meet and confer – MMB return to work. Not returning any time soon. When it does happen, there will be social distancing.

Back Pay – trying to communicate with MPCA and MMB. MPCA deducted twice as much money as they should have. Employees told them they were taking out too much. They said they would fix it. Instead they gave the people more money before payday Friday. They email a new permission form. Not everyone completed it. Employees were not given detailed explanations of the numbers. HR just said “the numbers are in your paycheck.” Law allows penalty.

Perhaps we want a Skype meeting with those employees.

  • Grievance update – P.E. license laps. Employee did everything but problem with credit card transfer. Will not be any discipline in this case.

Filed a grievance on back pay. 20 members have contacted MGEC on back pay.

D3 grievance going to arbitration.

Differed comp – have an assumed settlement.

  • Student loan reimbursement – Not going anywhere until state has funding available with most agencies not prepared to use this pilot yet given the deficit.
  • Supervisor pay differential – making process on past negotiations.
  • Mask policy – MMB believes employees provides their own mask.

Administrative Assistant/Membership Manager – Kari Torkelson

  • Golf event – 4 people currently signed up.
  • Member 990 full members, 131 non-paying.
  • MGEC Communications topic – update includes what been covered in past.
  • E. class schedule and format – Still looking for instructors. Working for on-line presentations.    

Past Presidents report – Mohammad Dehdashti

  • Executive Committee to meet on AA/MM to come up with position description. President Forrest Hasty will schedule a meeting.

Treasurer’s Report – Gene Hicks

  • Sent finance committee report with board. Stipend policy discussed. Much time spent by board on MGEC. Motion to adjust board stipend implementing (July 1st, 2020) made by Director Victor Vasas. 2nd by Past President Mohammad Dehdashti. Directors Cory Mathisen, Alex Bartley, Laura Lyons opposed. Passed by voice vote.

Raising stipend to director $100, officer $200, president $300 per month starting July 1, 2020. $8,000 additional cost per year.

Motion to approve MGEC stipend policy as written by Treasurer Gene Hicks, 2nd Victor Vasas. Abstain, Cory Mathisen, Laura Lyons and Alex Bartley. Motioned passed by voice vote.

Finance committee recommends we invest quarterly $10,000 until $100,000 is invested. $53,000 currently in fund making about 7%. Motion made by Treasurer Gene Hicks, 2nd by Director Victor Vasas. Director Cory Mathisen abstain. Passed by voice vote.

Treasurers report – dues are down. Reviewed report.

Vice Presidents Report – Blake Nelson

  • Points for health insurance. com Page you can enter activity. Manually enter activities.

Adjourn:  A motion was made to adjourn by Vice President Blake Nelson. 2nd by Director Victor Vasas. Passed by voice vote at 6:23 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Jerry Kotzenmacher               Dana Wheeler

Secretary                                 Executive Director

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