by April Scheinoha
Reporter

The Thief River Falls City Council approved a few personnel matters at its meeting Tuesday, Oct. 15.

The council approved filling a full-time lineworker position. Mayor Brian Holmer noted that a part-time employee is nearing 1,664 hours and there is still work that needs to be completed. The city plans to eliminate the part-time position and replace it with the full-time position.

Lead Lineworker John Kinsman noted that the Electric Department is suffering from growing pains, much like the city. He indicated he would ask for three lineworker positions if he could. Kinsman further noted that Digi-Key’s new building, when totally online, will account for one-third of the city’s power usage.

City Council approved filling the vacant administrative assistant position in the Public Works Department. Ashley Hejlik is transferring to the position. She was previously employed as the arena/recreation secretary. That position was eliminated after the city contracted with VenuWorks to operate the arenas.

Council member Curt Howe gave Hejlik credit for the extra work she handled after the resignation of Arena Manager Missy Sletten earlier this year.

In three separate motions, the council approved several items related to the city’s Advanced Meter Infrastructure. It approved seeking a request for proposals related to technical requirements to improve usage of the city’s AMI, directing staff to work on a contract with The Shpigler Group, and directing staff to update a job description for the position of billing clerk.

Those motions came after the council met as the Committee of the Whole earlier that day to hear the results of a Shpigler Group study to evaluate strategies to improve the city’s AMI. City leaders wish to continue working with The Shpigler Group to better utilize data currently collected by the city’s AMI.

The billing clerk position is vacant, and the council had previously tabled filling that position until after the results of the study. Now, the council would like to ensure that the job description includes AMI-related duties.