ORR- A major focus of last week’s regular Orr City Council meeting was figuring out just what the city needs to do to accommodate the retirement of longtime city clerk/treasurer Cheri Carter. But it’s altogether likely that the council will also have to replace one of its own, as member Lloyd Scott announced his intention to resign from the council following the May regular meeting.
Scott made his pronouncement after Mayor Robert Antikainen asked if he would consent to being a signatory on one of the city’s bank accounts.
“Mr. Mayor, for (unintelligible) reasons my blood pressure is totally over and now I’m losing confidence in the city I want to turn in my resignation effective the end of next month’s meeting. I’m done. I’ve lost confidence in everything.”
Earlier in the meeting Scott was a primary contributor to a sometimes tense discussion about paying mileage reimbursement to new deputy clerk Jennifer Whittemore. She uses her personal vehicle for city business to go to the post office and bank every day, and asked to be paid mileage for the 1.2 mile daily trip.
Scott was immediately skeptical.
“I don’t know,” he said. “If we do that we probably owe Cheri about $5,000 becaue she’s been doing it for many years without pay. My theory is we can’t start having employees tell us how much to pay them and when we’ve got to pay them. That’s up to the council. I’d like to make a motion and say no, that’s part of the job description. The job description says pick up mail at Post Office each day and that doesn’t say anything about getting compensated.”
Whittemore responded.
“As a government entity, if you’re requiring an employee to use their personal vehicle you are obligated to pay for mileage,” she said. “I used to be a human resources director ….”
Scott interrupted her at that point.
“Go back to that job,” he said.
Whittemore stood her ground.
“It’s a law, it’s a Minnesota state law,” she said. “You could deny an employee the right to their benefits, but then you’re going to …..”
Scott, clearly agitated, interrupted again.
“This ain’t New York City or nothing like that,” he said. “This is a little bitty town. Cheri’s been doing that running for mail and stuff for 14 years and she hasn’t asked for compensation. I guess I’m against it. That’s all I’m gonna say.”
Several people entered the discussion to try to determine if it was a state law or perhaps an IRS regulation, and the council decided to table Whittemore’s request in order to gather materials necessary to make an informed decision.
Filling in
Carter was scheduled to end a 13-year stint with the city this week, and one of the primary areas of discussion focused on how to retain her services to assist Whittemore, who will assume responsibility for many of the clerk/treasurer’s duties, and to help train her eventual successor.
“If you’re asking if I can step into Cheri's shoes, not at all,” Whittemore said. “But if Cheri’s willing to subcontract to help as needed that’s going to benefit you guys as a board more than it is anything else.”
Whittemore commended Carter for helping her ease into her position.
“Cheri's been an awesome support,” she said. “The institutional and historical knowledge that she possesses is amazing. I go home with my head aching every night with all the information she’s imparted to me.”
Former deputy clerk and current liquor store manager Laura Manai will be able to provide some additional support, Whittemore said.
“Laura has offered to help,” she said. “I’ve done billing once and the next billing will come out the Monday after Cheri leaves, so I’m definitely going to need help with that. This is a massive job.”
Ambulance director Donna Hoffer said that Carter has also been the contact person for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid, and that the process to update to change that is a cumbersome one.
There will also have to be extensive documentation of the ambulance service collected for federal and state surveys of the service, Hoffer said.
Carter indicated her willingness to continue to help out as her schedule allows, but also noted that she needs to determine what sort of hours and earnings limitations her retirement system has so that her benefits aren’t affected.
Council members agreed to start the search for Carter’s replacement immediately. Whittemore recommended the council look closely at the compensation and benefits for the clerk/treasurer position, as wages have increased over time and will likely impact the talent they will be able to attract.
In other business, the council:
Approved a change order to amend the city’s contract with Utility Systems of America to include updated federal labor standards.
Approved participation in the Minnesota Snowmobile Trail Assistant Program on behalf of Voyaguer Trail Society, Inc. The council gave its approval last year, but VTSI did not have all the necessary permits in place. They are now ready to reapply to DNR for trail improvements.

ORR- A major focus of last week’s regular Orr City Council meeting was figuring out just what the city needs to do to accommodate the retirement of longtime city clerk/treasurer Cheri Carter. But it’s altogether likely that the council will also have to replace one of its own, as member Lloyd Scott announced his intention to resign from the council following the May regular meeting.
Scott made his pronouncement after Mayor Robert Antikainen asked if he would consent to being a signatory on one of the city’s bank accounts.
“Mr. Mayor, for (unintelligible) reasons my blood pressure is totally over and now I’m losing confidence in the city I want to turn in my resignation effective the end of next month’s meeting. I’m done. I’ve lost confidence in everything.”
Earlier in the meeting Scott was a primary contributor to a sometimes tense discussion about paying mileage reimbursement to new deputy clerk Jennifer Whittemore. She uses her personal vehicle for city business to go to the post office and bank every day, and asked to be paid mileage for the 1.2 mile daily trip.
Scott was immediately skeptical.
“I don’t know,” he said. “If we do that we probably owe Cheri about $5,000 becaue she’s been doing it for many years without pay. My theory is we can’t start having employees tell us how much to pay them and when we’ve got to pay them. That’s up to the council. I’d like to make a motion and say no, that’s part of the job description. The job description says pick up mail at Post Office each day and that doesn’t say anything about getting compensated.”
Orr Ambulance Director Donna Hoffer responded.
“As a government entity, if you’re requiring an employee to use their personal vehicle you are obligated to pay for mileage,” she said. “I used to be a human resources director ….”
Scott interrupted her at that point.
“Go back to that job,” he said.
Hoffer stood her ground.
“It’s a law, it’s a Minnesota state law,” she said. “You could deny an employee the right to their benefits, but then you’re going to …..”
Scott, clearly agitated, interrupted again.
“This ain’t New York City or nothing like that,” he said. “This is a little bitty town. Cheri’s been doing that running for mail and stuff for 14 years and she hasn’t asked for compensation. I guess I’m against it. That’s all I’m gonna say.”
Several people entered the discussion to try to determine if it was a state law or perhaps an IRS regulation, and the council decided to table Whittemore’s request in order to gather materials necessary to make an informed decision.
Filling in
Carter was scheduled to end a 13-year stint with the city this week, and one of the primary areas of discussion focused on how to retain her services to assist Whittemore, who will assume responsibility for many of the clerk/treasurer’s duties, and to help train her eventual successor.
“If you’re asking if I can step into Cheri's shoes, not at all,” Whittemore said. “But if Cheri’s willing to subcontract to help as needed that’s going to benefit you guys as a board more than it is anything else.”
Whittemore commended Carter for helping her ease into her position.
“Cheri's been an awesome support,” she said. “The institutional and historical knowledge that she possesses is amazing. I go home with my head aching every night with all the information she’s imparted to me.”
Former deputy clerk and current liquor store manager Laura Manai will be able to provide some additional support, Whittemore said.
“Laura has offered to help,” she said. “I’ve done billing once and the next billing will come out the Monday after Cheri leaves, so I’m definitely going to need help with that. This is a massive job.”
Ambulance director Donna Hoffer said that Carter has also been the contact person for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid, and that the process to update to change that is a cumbersome one.
There will also have to be extensive documentation of the ambulance service collected for federal and state surveys of the service, Hoffer said.
Carter indicated her willingness to continue to help out as her schedule allows, but also noted that she needs to determine what sort of hours and earnings limitations her retirement system has so that her benefits aren’t affected.
Council members agreed to start the search for Carter’s replacement immediately. Whittemore recommended the council look closely at the compensation and benefits for the clerk/treasurer position, as wages have increased over time and will likely impact the talent they will be able to attract.
In other business, the council:
• Approved a change order to amend the city’s contract with Utility Systems of America to include updated federal labor standards.
• Approved participation in the Minnesota Snowmobile Trail Assistant Program on behalf of Voyaguer Trail Society, Inc. The council gave its approval last year, but VTSI did not have all the necessary permits in place. They are now ready to reapply to DNR for trail improvements.
• Heard that assistant maintenance worker Christopher Kelly had submitted his resignation effective April 22. John Hess has been asked to fill in part time while a committee goes through the hiring process.
• Heard that assistant maintenance worker Christopher Kelly had submitted his resignation effective April 22. John Hess has been asked to fill in part time while a committee goes through the hiring process.

CORRECTION FROM PRINT EDITION: In the discussion about mileage reimbursement, this version has been corrected to reflect that comments originally attributed to Whittemore about  the legal obligation to pay were actually stated by Hoffer. Subsequent to the meeting, clerk/treasurer Carter contacted the state Auditor's Office and was told there is no requirement in state law obligating a government employer to pay mileage. State law does authorize governments to reimburse mileage to employees who use their personal vehicles to conduct requirements of their jobs if they choose to. The Timberjay apologizes for the error.