×
×
homepage logo

W’bago council hires police chief & officer

Hire contingent on background check

By Fiona Green - Staff Writer | Jan 15, 2024

The Winnebago City Council had glad tidings at a meeting held on Tuesday, Jan. 9.

The council was presented with two candidates to approve for hire to the Winnebago Police Department – one police officer candidate, and one police chief candidate.

The hire of both applicants is contingent on their successful completion of a background check and physicals.

City administrator Judi Hynes reported that police officer candidate Darren Bettin has completed his background check but still needs to complete a physical and agility test.

“We’re looking at the third or fourth week of February when he could start,” Hynes said.

Nathan Goette, the police chief applicant, is undergoing the background check process.

Goette is currently an employee of United South Central School District and a Wells resident. Before moving to Wells, he was a deputy for Scott County and a police officer and member of the SWAT team for the city of Shakopee.

Bettin is currently a part-time officer for the city of Blue Earth.

Bettin would be hired at step two on the union wage scale, with an hourly wage of $31.20. Goette’s pay, at step six of the compensation scale, would be $40.99 per hour.

“Pending any background, we just hired a police chief and a full-time officer,” council member Calvin Howard observed. “That’s big news. I’m optimistic everything will work out as it should.”

The city will continue advertising for a full-time police officer, as the department is meant to function with three full-time officers.

A full-time officer candidate the city had been putting through a background check recently withdrew her application, but the council hopes the position will become more attractive to applicants once additional officers are hired.

Faribault County Chief Deputy Scott Adams also observed, “We’re four to five months away from a new crew of students graduating from colleges.”

In other business, the Winnebago City Council:• Conducted a public hearing for amendments to an ordinance regulating special vehicles in Winnebago, and approved the amendments after receiving no public comment.

The ordinance was updated to address mini trucks, along with golf carts, Utility Task Vehicles (UTVs) and All-Terrain vehicles (ATVs).

• Conducted a public hearing for updates to an ordinance establishing the regulation of trees and shrubs in boulevards, and diseased trees in the city, as well as an updated ordinance for residential agricultural districts in the city.

The council approved both updated ordinances after receiving no public comment.

• Received an update from Bolton & Menk engineer Matt Cole, who said that construction for the Cleveland Avenue Improvement Project is expected to start in early to mid-April.

Cole also clarified that Bolton & Menk has provisions to remove trees in the project’s right-of-way as necessary, as well as any remaining ash trees.

“We have provisions to replant those trees as part of the plan, as well,” he said.

• Clarified that residents can contact the Cleveland Avenue Improvement Project contractor if they are interested in having an ash tree located on private property removed as part of the project.

The cost of the removal would either be assessed to the property owner directly, or paid directly to the contractor by the property owner.

• Learned that the city has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Releaf Program. The funds will support the establishment of an emerald ash borer (EAB) management plan and the removal and replanting of 20 ash trees located on city property.

• Approved a contract for animal control services with Paws for Cause owner Ava Tvedten.

Among other things, the contract stipulates that Paws for Cause charges a $35 per hour rate and 75 cents on the mile. Paws for Cause also charges $20 per day for impound services.

Hynes clarified that owners of impounded animals will have to pay the incurred fees before getting their animal back.

• Denied the union’s request that public works assistant Ashley Bleess be paid an extra two to three dollars per hour while filling in for wastewater plant operator Darold Nienhaus, who will be on medical leave effective Jan. 18.

The union had submitted a statement to the council suggesting there has been a long precedent of increased pay for union employees stepping up and performing work outside of their classifications when the city is short-handed due to extended absences or personnel leaving employment with the city.

However, the council determined that Bleess’s job description includes filling in at the wastewater plant when necessary.

• Approved a total of $7,386.16 in back pay to Muir Library director Nicole Krienke.

“It was recently brought to our attention that Nicole Krienke had missed some steps in the union pay scale starting back in 2021,” Hynes explained, adding that a federal law states the amount must be paid on Krienke’s next paycheck after approval.

• Approved Hynes to put $390,000 in funds currently located in the 899 Fund in a nine-month CD at First Financial Bank in Winnebago.

The funds will be used by the Winnebago Fire Department for a new fire truck.

• Approved a request from city clerk Kendra Reineking to attend the 2024 MFOA Annual Conference in St. Cloud, for a total of $935.35.

• Accepted a total of $6,459.90 in donations to the city of Winnebago.

• Appointed the election judges for the Primary Presidential Election on March 5, with an hourly wage of $11 for election judge training and time served on election day.

• Established the Winnebago Municipal Center as the polling place in Winnebago for all elections taking place in 2024.