TRF Workers No Confidence Vote 04 Jul 12

Thief River Falls City Workers made their own Declaration of Independence last night, attempting to deliver a Resolution of No Confidence to the Thief River Falls City Council.

Flanked by representatives of the Electric, Street and Sanitation and Police Departments – Mike Spears – with the Thief River Falls Fire Department, was cut short by Mayor Steve Nordhagen as Spears attempted to read the Resolution of No Confidence brought against City Administrator, Jodie Torkelson. The group had requested time on last night’s City Council Agenda but were unable to read the full resolution, Mayor Nordhagen saying it appeared to be a personnel matter that should be forwarded to the Labor Committee.

Spears said after the meeting employees are determined to be heard.

With 69 of 73 employees in favor, City Workers passed the Resolution of No Confidence, blaming Torkelson’s management and leadership style for on-going conflict and an adversarial climate that has wasted time and resources.

The resolution claims the fallout has brought employee morale to a low point that resulted in the unprecedented no confidence vote. The Labor Committee had not previously been scheduled to meet this month, up-coming meetings including Utilities, Park and Rec, Public Works and Administrative Services all scheduled next week. Spears was joined at the table by Brian Jacobson with the Electric Department, John Cervantes with Street and Sanitation and Officer Seth Vettelson, with the Thief River Falls Police Department – each chosen by their co-workers to deliver the resolution last night to the City Council.

The council have chosen not to hear it but you can catch the entire context of the letter when it is read this morning on Open Line and you can see it all for yourself when last night’s meeting is rebroadcast tonight, in living color, at 8pm on Sjoberg’s Cable Channel #13.

  • Thank You

    Thank You city employees and key teeters as well. It is a good thing that the truth comes out and not everything is swept under the rug. Hopefully this brings change… But then again I dont think there is much confidence in the city council either!

  • jellodirt

    I am ashamed of our City government but my hat is off to the employees for trying to stand up to these people. This is a public forum where citizens, employees, and anyone else that requests and audience with the council has the right to be heard. Mayor, Administrator, and Council, you have no authority other than that given to youself by yourself to cut people off and send them away because you don’t like what you’re hearing.

  • Anonymous

    FINALLY!!!!!!!!! The general population of TRF lead by the city employees has had enough of Jodie Torkelson and her extremely poor people and management skills. In addition to everything stated in the letter of no-confidence, she tries to keep the city residents in the dark on MANY issues while she devises her own plans for driving her own agenda. She could care less what anyone thinks and has no regard for concerns that have been brought up in the past and currently. This includes all these low-income TIF districts and trying to ruthlessly take over Annie Street Park. The Mayor is responsible for creating this Monster and not keeping her in check. The Mayor needs to go as well. It’s time for a house cleaning at city hall and it is clear that that is what the residents of Thief River Falls want. They both should step down and avoid more of a mess. The city council members that don’t have a backbone (and you know who you are) and fail to use their common sense also should resign or start listening to the residents that elected them!
    As well, has anyone ever wondered why our city planner (Mike Moore) doesn’t seem to care about concerns that have been brought to him or the city council? I believe he is being “instructed” directly by Jodie Torkelson on what to do and say.

  • Tvviewer

    Thanks to Key Teeters, Listen to KTRF find out what is happening in your city.
    For those of you who were not at the Council Meeting, I encourage you to watch it on Channel 13 at 7 or 8. I watched it on TV and it was an education.
    The city employees took the courage to do what they did. Now it is time for the citizens of TRF to stand up for them. Stop letting the Mayor, the City Council and City Administration make decisions that are going to affect your future. They do not raise the tax levy, they just raise the values of your homes and so therefore you pay more taxes.

  • Anonymous

    Typical response by the Mayor—-”oh no they are about to say something bad about my dictator, I’m going to stop them before everyone hears it”. Let’s say it’s a Labor issue, which IT’S NOT, then the public can’t hear my lies & promises I won’t keep. The city council is almost as much to blame. Other than Floyd, there isn’t a backbone between the rest of you. The Mayor nor Jodie has the power you guys do….stand up for yourself for the love of GOD!! I am excited that people are seeing the light & election time will be welcomed.

    Leroy Stumpf is a model politician that The Beaver can only dream of being. Good luck, & maybe Leroy will let you answer his phones.

  • NANNY

    HOW ABOUT GOING ON STRIKE TO DEMAND FAIRNESS AND TO THROW OUT DICTATORSHIP TYPE LEADERS……

    TIME TO TAKE OUT THE TRASH AND BRING IN AIR FRESHENERS!!!!!!

  • Hockeyguy530

    We would be in a lot worse shape if we didn’t have Jodie. She is good at what she does. This whole issue isn’t about one person but 69 employees are mad that they haven’t gotten there way. I have all the confidence in Jodie and her abilities to continue doing her best to help this city.

  • PROUD OF MY JOB

    Most and I WILL SAY MOST CITY EMPLOYEES ARE VERY PROUD OF THEIR JOBS AND ARE RESPECTFUL OF THEIR MANAGERS AND FELLOW EMPLOYEES . THEY ONLY ASK THAT THEIR ADMINISTRATOR HAS TRUST AND RESPECT FOR THEM ALSO . THIS TRUST AND RESPECT HAS NOT BEEN SHOWN BY THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR . SHE HAS DONE SOME GOOD THINGS FOR OUR CITY BUT HAS ALSO ACTED LIKE A DICTATOR RATHER THEN THE
    TEAM LEADER THAT SHE SHOULD BE . EVERY THING THEY GET IN SALARY AND BENEFITS HAVE BEEN NEGOTIATED FOR DURING CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS . THESE HAVE NOT BEEN DEMANDED FOR AND JUST GIVEN TO THEM .

  • Anonymous

    I’m glad you think wasting THOUSANDS of our dollars to fight her ego is doing good for the city. Call me crazy, but we could use that money for something else. The bad out weighs the good. Mutiny doesn’t usually happen because of good leadership. (in reply to Hockeyguy530)

  • Leroy simpson

    she submitted her letter of resignation today

  • Anonymous

    A bunch of spoiled city employees who work when they feel like it and can’t believe a professional told them they couldn’t work 35 hours in the summer “because that’s how we’ve always done it” finally got what they wanted? Well, congratulations. While the rest of us work for a living, I guess you can all feel great about popping in and out whenever you want. It isn’t dictatorial to tell someone to get to work on time and put in a decent day.

  • kirby puckett

    How can the mayor say that he is blindsided by this matter. Maybe instead of sitting back in your chair, try interacting with city employees or just walk around town and bring up Jodie’s name. Kudos to the City Employees for sticking up to the wan-a-be dictator. Comming up here to TRF and telling everyone that you worked in DC and had all of these employees under you mean JACK to us

  • Coach

    You should change your name to ignorant! The city workers have never worked less than 40 hours a week. They use to work longer hours during the week so they could get off at noon during the summer. They still put in 40 hours. This wasn’t part of the issue. You should get your facts straight.

  • Proud of my job

    You should check facts before commenting . The issue with the liquor store manager , he already had forty plus hours in before taking time off for a charitable event on friday afternoon . Plus he went in the next sunday morning to do some paper work that he did not receive extra compensation for nor did he expect it .

  • kirby puckett

    If you knew how she treated the hockey community you might think differently. If she would have been administrator when Ralph was alive and giving us this wonderful arena, he would have pulled the plug on the whole operation. And its not just the hockey, its any sport that has to deal with the city.

  • Truthier1

    Nor should he if he is a salaried employee. Much of the rest of the community contains salaried employees and most don’t act like this. Irrelevant whether it was a charitable event. Not at work, period.

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