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SE City Council OKs investigation of councilor complaint

SLEEPY EYE — After nearly an hour of discussion Monday night, the Sleepy Eye City Council approved a resolution to consult with legal counsel to investigate allegations against city councilor Larry Braun.

Action came on a a 4-1 vote with councilor Doug Pelzel voting against the motion by councilor Joann Schmidt, seconded by councilor Gary Windschitl. Braun asked that the preliminary hearing against him be an open meeting.

Two weeks ago, the city council determined that a July 1, 2019 email from River View Sanitation co-owner Brent Kucera to Public Utilities Director Bob Elston constituted a complaint against Braun as a Code of Conduct violation.

Kucera filed a written complaint July 1 alleging Braun threatened his contract with the city, saying the City of Sleepy Eye would get a lawyer involved, and that Kucera was not abiding by the contract.

Sleepy Eye Mayor Wayne Pelzel said according to the Code of Conduct, officials shall recognize their roles and not interfere with the city, city manager, or city employees. City officials are refrain from abusive conduct and personal matters intended to disrupt and not further city business. The city council agreed the allegations are correct.

“If there was something that I did that was so bad, why didn’t the city manager handle it?” Braun said. “I don’t believe the complaint was filed in good faith.”

Braun said he had a tape of the July 10, 2018 Sleepy Eye City Council meeting (when the city council approved a five-year contract with Riverview Sanitation) and Kucera said new, larger trash containers on wheels are easier to handle, would be supplied at no charge to city residents and replaced for free if they break.

Braun said he received a number of complaints from city residents about having to wheel the larger trash containers to the street and called Kucera about it.

Braun denied saying the things to Kucera that he was accused of.

“It’s he said, she said. The truth is the only thing I have to stand on. All I want is a fair hearing,” Braun said.

Councilor Nate Stevermer said trash container pickup is at the discretion of the company.

On July 10, 2019, the Sleepy Eye City Council tabled action on garbage pickup sites after hearing from a number of residents about street pickup being difficult to deal with.

Kucera said his new, bigger, heavier garbage trucks may have damaged paved alleys and power lines. Kucera said he was willing to work with people and that disabled residents could call the company about special accommodations including garbage men grabbing trash containers for them.

(Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com)

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