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FAIRMONT-- Mayor Deb Foster settled four tie-breaker votes at the Fairmont City Council meeting on Monday. The board was divided, in the absence of council member Bruce Peters, when it came to several matters including approving the agenda and approving official designations.
Another matter the board was divided on was approving a policy regarding Covid-19 mandatory vaccination and testing.
City Administrator Cathy Reynolds said city staff has been following what's happening regarding the federal OSHA standard and adopted Minnesota OSHA standard for Covid-19 mandatory testing.
"We realized it was time we needed to put together a city policy on this," Reynolds said.
On Jan. 3, MNOSHA adopted the federal Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) and said they would follow federal OSHA's timelines for enforcement of it.
"The enforcement timelines the were issued by federal OSHA, now MNOSHA as well, is Jan. 10, so today, for having a policy in place and having vaccination status for employees as well as looking at face coverings and those parts of the policy," Reynolds said.
The ETS requires employers with 100 or more employees to develop, implement and enforce a mandatory Covid-19 vaccination policy or a adopt a policy requiring employees to either get vaccinated or choose to undergo weekly Covid-19 testing and wear a face covering while at work.
"Our policy would be for the city to conduct weekly testing," Reynolds said.
She asked council to approve the policy so staff can move forward with compliance. At the same time she said they will continue to monitor the Supreme Court's ruling.
Council member Randy Lubenow asked if they know the vaccination status of city employees. Reynolds said they have been waiting for a policy to go into place before it's made a requirement.
Foster asked for a motion to approve the policy as presented. Council member Wayne Hasek voted yes but no other council member seconded.
Lubenow asked what the option was if the council didn't approve a policy.
"If we don't approve it, we don't have a policy in place and don't move forward with any of the testing... which means we could be fined by OSHA. I've seen fines up to $13,000 per employee and it could be as much as per," Reynolds said.
Admitting he wasn't in favor of it, Lubenow seconded the motion.
"We don't really have an option. I think it's in the best interest of the community, and being a good steward of the tax payer's dollars, not putting us in a position where we could be subject to daily fines per employee is our role and obligation," Reynolds said.
The council voted, 3-2, to approve the policy with Hasek, Lubenow and Foster for it, and council members Britney Kawecki and Michele Miller against it.
In other news, the board heard from economic development coordinator, Linsey Preuss, who requested the council call for a public hearing for the establishment of proposed tax increment financing district 28.
Local business, Advanced Drainage Systems, is looking at an expansion of about 30,000 sq. ft. and 20 jobs over the next five years.
"They have submitted an application for TIF. The expansion would also require additional property. The company does currently have a letter of intent signed with the property owner of the 14-acre site next to them," Preuss said.
She said the total project cost is $15.1 million and that they have requested a nine year TIF, which is allowed for an economic development district.
Finally, Preuss said that FEDA has reviewed the application and recommended approval of the TIF application by the city council for nine years with a maximum of $1.4 million.
The council set the public hearing for 5:30 p.m. on Feb.14 at city hall.
In other action, the council:
-- Designated Council Member At Large, Michele Miller, as Mayor pro-tem.
-- Designated City Clerk Patty Monsen as Council Secretary.
-- Designated Mark Rahrick of Smith, Tollefson, Rahrick & Bass as city attorney.
-- Designated Bank Midwest as the deposits of city funds.
-- Designated the Sentinel as the city's official newspaper for 2022.