LETTER to the Editor

Facts are facts

At the January 18th Hastings City Council meeting, a motion was brought forward to adjust compensation of key, non-represented city staff positions such as our Community Development Director and Parks Director to name a few. Several of these positions according to research done by city staff are missing the annual compensation mark by double digit percentages compared to their counterparts in neighboring cities. The objective of the motion brought forward wasn’t a final solution merely a step in the right direction until a full, compensation analysis of city staff positions is to be completed here early this summer.

Councilmember Vaughan seemed to be confused by the motion and asked if each position was looked at before this motion was brought to a vote by council. Why would staff spend time looking at numerous represented positions that compose a majority of our employees that vote on their contracts including compensation? This effort was brought forward to address non-represented, leadership positions by and large. In short, the council voted down the motion and will wait 6 months for a study to tell them what they already know. Let that sink in. We know there’s a problem, but we’re going to wait 6 months to fix it instead of doing anything about it now in the spirit of what is right and just, and more importantly owed to these hardworking folks.

In case you’ve missed it, Hastings has fallen victim to higher than normal levels of turnover in the last several years in key positions within the city by employees who are nowhere near retirement age. What message do you think this sends? Our City Council and Mayor just approved a pay increase for themselves but then voted down doing the same to key leaders in our community who are fairly obviously underpaid in their roles and have been for quite some time to allow a double digit departure from market average to become reality.

I’ll also be curious to see how much this analysis costs taxpayers when I think it’s perfectly within reason to have our Finance/ HR staff do the same thing with the help of the League of Minnesota Cities in the spirit of being financially responsible. This dysfunction needs to stop. It’s no secret we couldn’t fill our vacant Public Works Director position with this lack of leadership. I commend the few of you that voted to approve this and balk at the rest of you as I’m sure others in the community do as well.

I’ll formally be announcing my candidacy for Hastings City Council in the next coming months because I have grown tired of seeing 3 hour meeting after 3 hour meeting of senseless questions, bickering, and being a wall instead of a bridge to progress for this great city.

Respectfully submitted, Ian T. Martin Week of January 23, 2022 STATEWIDE Central South North Metro