Becker County wage study implementation in jeopardy after 3 county commissioners voice disapproval during meeting; discussion expected to continue at Oct. 17 meeting

Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – A Becker County class and compensation study that was completed this year and used by county staff to craft the 2024 budget may be in jeopardy after three of the five county commissioners signaled they were not ready to support implementing the new wages yet.

In a discussion at the end of the Tuesday’s county board meeting, Erica Jepson, commissioner for District 1, said it didn’t seem right to pay all the human services supervisors the same wages when they all have different job descriptions and tasks.

“I will not vote for the class and comp study if we are going to have all of our social services supervisors at the same pay scale,” said Jepson. “Because we don’t pay the workers in human services the same, so we shouldn’t be paying the supervisors the same. That’s my opinion.”

Another sticking point is in the county attorney’s office, where some assistant county attorney’s wages would be frozen unless they move into a new grade since they already earn more than the new wage study says they should, based on their time in the position.

Jepson said she, and the other commissioners, should have access to the position analysis questionnaires, PAQ, that were filled out by county employees and turned into David Drown Associates, the company that compiled the class and compensation study.

“I guess I would like to see the PAQs for, specifically, the assistant county administrator position that we now have,” she said. “I would like to see the PAQs that were used for the social services supervisor, the deputy human services director that we now have that we’ve never had before. Those are the concerns.”

Barry Nelson, chair of the Becker County Board, said he doesn’t support implementing the new study in its current state and added they should take the data and handle the new wage structures in-house.

“We’ve got the study now and that’s what was required,” said Nelson. “.We needed to do the comp study for our unions to see and for our employees to see where everyone was. We can continue with our old band and grade, use the knowledge that we’ve gained from this and adjust salaries that way. And that’s where I’m leaning because I just don’t want to hire another agency to do, basically, what we’ve been doing … but I have reservations when we accept something like this, and we hope the appeals process fixes all these problems.”

David Meyer, commissioner for District 2, said he also doesn’t support the measure in its current state.

A spokesperson for David Drown Associates said they put the wage scales together based on a proprietary points system crafted from the questionnaire responses from Becker County employees and didn’t factor job descriptions to heavily into their wage calculus.

The Becker County Board is expected to continue discussing the class and compensation study at their next meeting on Oct. 17 after they are able to study more of the data the contractor used to create the grade and wage system.

Fergus Falls man with a shotgun arrested following standoff

An armed Fergus Falls man surrendered to law enforcement after a four-hour standoff following a welfare check on Sunday evening.

On Oct. 1, the Fergus Falls Police Department received a call to check the welfare of an individual at a residence on the 700 block of West Lincoln Avenue.

The caller was concerned about comments the individual was making and his references to firearms.

At 6:00 p.m., officers made contact with 41-year-old Nathan Linn Miller of Fergus Falls by phone and found him to be in an agitated state and Miller told them he was armed with a shotgun.

The only other occupant in the home was able to safely leave the residence within five minutes of the original emergency call and met an awaiting officer down the block.

Officers had learned that the individual had been drinking heavily and been making threats to harm others as well as himself.

Miller and officers spoke by phone for several hours.

At one point, Miller is believed to have discharged the shotgun within the residence.

A short time later, officers were able to convince him to come outside and surrender to awaiting officers.

The incident concluded around 10:00 p.m.

Miller was evaluated at Lake Region Hospital before being booked in at the Otter Tail County Detention Center.

He is charged with Second Degree Assault, Reckless Discharge of a Firearm, and Domestic Assault.

No injuries or use of force was reported during the incident.

Story by Zakk Daniels / KBRF

ND state senator honored by colleagues following plane crash on Sunday

North Dakota lawmakers on Tuesday remembered a late Senate colleague, who died in a plane crash Sunday, along with his wife and two children, for his service to others and love of hosting events.

State Sen. Doug Larsen, his wife Amy and their two young children died Oct. 1 in a plane crash near Moab, Utah. The plane crashed shortly after taking off from Canyonlands Airfield near the desert recreation town and the senator was reportedly flying the plane, according to the Grand County Sheriff’s Office. 

The National Transportation and Safety Board is investigating the crash of the single-engine Piper plane, with a preliminary report expected in two weeks.

The weather at the time was mild, with scattered light showers, wide visibility and gentle winds in the area around the airport, according to the National Weather Service.

State Rep. Paul Thomas and state Sen. Cole Conley offered tributes Tuesday to Larsen before a routine meeting of an interim study committee of the Legislature. The room observed a moment of silence for the Larsen family.

Thomas and Conley both entered the Legislature in 2020 with Larsen, a fellow Republican, and recounted their early days at the Capitol with him.

Thomas said: “Sen. Larsen was what we all here aspired to be as servants to our members and our district as well as our friends and family.” 

Conley said Larsen loved to host events, inviting colleagues to his home in Mandan, and cooking tacos, chili and other meals for Senate caucus meetings. Larsen also once offered to find Conley a car when his broke down.

Larsen was a lieutenant colonel and 29-year member of the North Dakota National Guard. 

District Republicans will appoint a successor to fill out the remainder of Larsen’s term, through November 2024. 

Story by News Staff / KFGO

Becker County Board approves purchase of $330k snowplow for 2024

The Becker County Board approved the purchase of a new $330,000 snowplow during their meeting on Tuesday morning.

Becker County Highway Engineer Jim Olson, told commissioners the purchase is a budgeted item and will replace a 2013 snowplow with more than 212,000 miles and 8,100 hours of service time.

He also said they are making the request early due to longer-than-normal lead times, so they can have the new truck for next winter.

“It’s just that long lead time to get these trucks so that’s why we’re requesting this now,” said Olson. “We’re seeing it in all equipment, so it’s not like we can shop around and find different brands. And some of the different brands can’t deliver as fast as the Mack trucks.”

The new 2025 Mack Tandem Plow truck is expected to need an additional $181,000 in equipment costs and installation.

Olson said they plan to sell one of their older plow trucks to offset some of the costs, but he isn’t sure which one is going to be sold yet and wants to see the condition the trucks come back to the garage in after the winter.

“We haven’t decided which truck we’re going to sell,” he said. “Until we get through the winter, we might actually keep an older truck that we put a new motor in recently. So, we’ll decide that next summer when the truck comes in.”

In his expenditure request form, Olson stated plow trucks are subjected to adverse conditions due to the chemicals used for snow and ice control, which deteriorates and rusts the cab, frame and chassis.

The new truck is expected to be in-service for winter 2024.

Kensington man to challenge Fischbach in MN CD7 GOP primary

A rural Kensington, Minnesota man announced he is running in the Republican primary for the District 7 U.S. House seat held by Rep. Michelle Fischbach.

Steve Boyd, who brands himself a “Christian conservative,” said his platform includes protecting life, border security, restoring the family and abolishing the U.S. Dept. of Education.

Boyd said: “The federal government has no business in public or private education, it was never meant to, and the bureaucracy of the Department of Education needs to be abolished.”

Boyd said he admires Fischbach’s determination, but also said “with the problems we are facing in this nation, business as usual just won’t get it done.”

Story by Ryan Janke / KFGO

Dozens of tires slashed in Grand Forks in widespread vandalism

Grand Forks Police are asking the public for help in finding the person or persons responsible for slashing numerous tires early Monday morning.

Authorities said they have responded to dozens of complaints on the 1700 to 2300 blocks of 9th and 10th Avenue North in Grand Forks for vehicles that have one or more tires damaged and deflated. 

Law enforcement said it appears as if the vandalism occurred between 11:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 1 to 12:30 a.m. on Oct. 2. 

Anyone with information – or has video of the incidents – is urged to contact police.

The case is under an active investigation.

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