By Sarah Nigbor

RIVER FALLS – The River Falls City Council took care of business at its Tuesday, April 19 reorganizational meeting, the meeting at which it’s decided who serves on what committees.

City Clerk Amy White performed swear- ing-in oaths of ovce for re-elected Mayor Dan Toland, re-elected Alderperson-at-Large Scott Morrissette, re-elected District 4 Alder person Todd Bjerstedt and newly elected Al- derperson-at-Large Jeu Bjork. The council voted to elect Morrissette as the council president and Diane Odeen as the comptroller, who in turn named Bjerstedt as the deputy comptroller. Toland then appointed Odeen as council parliamentarian. Council members then elected Odeen to the Plan Commission, which is chaired by the mayor.

The council then unanimously approved the following mayoral appointments:

• Bjork to Historic Preservation Commission • Sean Downing to Library Board

• Alyssa Mueller to Parks & Recreation Ad visory Board

• Morrissette to Design Review Committee

• Nick Carow to Utility Advisory Board

• Bjerstedt to the Housing Authority Board

• Morrissette to RF Creates Public Art The council then confirmed the following banking institutions as public depositories for the city (Morrissette abstained as he works for a bank):

• US Bank NA – P-card transactions and for holding the city’s long-term investments

• State of Wisconsin Pooled Investment Fund – Holding the city’s long-term investments • First National Bank of River Falls – Holding the city’s Section 125 deposits

• River Falls State Bank – Retained as public depository for possible future debt issues • Security Financial Bank – General operating and payroll accounts

• The city’s investments are managed by Prudent Man Advisors.

Stang

City Administrator Scot Simpson provid- ed the council his annual stavng update. Six new positions have been added to the city since June 2021, including a planner, a planning and engineering technician, a public works maintenance worker, an IT specialist, a limited-term management analyst and a human resource specialist.

New employees are also filling positions vacated by retirements, succession planning, resignations, or promotions. Since June 2021, the city has had 19 new employees fill and retain full/part time positions. From June 2021 to April 2022, the following new employees were hired: Kathryn Paquet, management analyst fellow; Tyler Galde, planning and engineering technician; Todd Nickleski, assistant city engineer; Amanda Furlong and Nathan Herum, public works maintenance; Kendra Ellner and Sam Burns, planners; Emily Shively, city planner; Kathleen Larson, youth services librarian; Lisa Benedict, customer service representative; Jennifer Smith, assistant to the city adminis- trator; Josh Solinger, finance director; Brandt Johnson, limited-term management analyst; David Paynotta, Josh, Penovich, and Brent Wiersma, water/waste water operator; Ster – ling Hackney, IT specialist; Ellen Massey, management analyst fellow.

The following employees retired or resigned in the past year: Brandy Howe, city planner; Jacob Gilles, mechanic; Jeu Sather, police sergeant; Rhonda Davison, utility program coordinator/HR assistant; Jennifer Knutson and Thomas Overland, police ov – cers; Mary Zimmermann, communications manager; Scott Jensen, public works maintenance; Kenneth Thatcher, library assistant; Sarah Karlsson, finance director; Crystal Ra leigh, city engineer; Theresa Swinburne, library clerk; Jaden Barnes, IT specialist; Greg Dietsche, SCADA engineer; Greg Koehler, lead water works operator; Jeu Crooks, water works operator; and Fire Chief Scott Nelson.

Date changes

The Board of Review will meet at 6:15 p.m. May 24 to adjourn until 4-6 p.m. Aug. 16.

The Aug. 9 city council meeting will be held instead Aug. 10, while the Nov. 8 meeting will be moved to Nov. 9. Both date changes are due to elections.

– zational meeting. Pictured are (from left) Sean Downing, Nick Carow, Alyssa Mueller, Diane Odeen, Mayor Dan Toland, Todd Bjerstedt, Scott Morrissette and Je Bjork. Photo courtesy of Kathryn Paquet