A call to the city attorney Nathan Miller of Weld Riley regarding dismissed City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer Nicole Pilgrim was not returned by press time, with Mike Henke not responding as well.
Pilgrim was given three weeks to resign or be terminated on March 4 and was not present at the March 16 City Council meeting, a new direction taking hold at city hall.
Among them is a new feature coming to city of Stanley called ‘You Ask, We Answer - Stanley Edition,’ which aims to improve city communication with residents.
Deputy Clerk Maggie Keeku updated the council in her report.
“Alderman Wald and I have been working on a segment that will answer questions directly made by Citizens for Council, DPW, City Hall, etc.,” she wrote. These questions can be received at City Hall via phone, email, letter, in person, etc. The questions will then be answered in our Quarterly Newsletter and possibly in video form on the website/Facebook.”
As for the larger report, change was in store with Keeku reporting an ongoing transition, payroll made successfully and reach out made with regards to auditors, vendors, and insurance contacts regarding “the recent change in city hall.” Keeku reported in addition that Mayor Mike Henke now has online access to approve the payroll file for department heads, while department heads will approve payroll for their departments.
“I will confer further with BSA to reduce possible issues in the future,” she wrote. Keeku will be attending additional training through UW-Green Bay this summer after approval at the last city council meeting.
Other work completed in the last two weeks at the clerk’s office has included funds analysis with Henke and fielding customer concerns. Keeku additionally reported that meeting minutes will be posted to the city website “once able,” with plans to upload recordings as well. Keeku reported that a letter and email had been sent out to the community endowment, with ‘You Ask, We Answer - Stanley Edition” coming soon.
“As of now, I do NOT have access to the City Facebook page,” she wrote. “I will continue to work on it, but I may have to build a new one. More information to come about this.”
Also reported by Keeku from the Clerk’s Office were plans to reimplement Department Head meetings in order “to further strengthen communication within different city departments, as well as a general employee meeting to discuss recent changes and how it affects employees. Keeku wrote that she and Henke were going to have the department heads including library get together to learn how to utilize accounting software to their advantage and to select GL accounts, input posting dates, and upload invoices for approval along with time sheets. A list of items tabled by council previously and not revisited is being collected by Henke and Keeku, with the list once completed on an upcoming agenda.
There was also spring cleaning.
“It was also brought up to have spring cleaning one evening after regular office hours,” Keeku wrote. “More information to come later on this option!”
As for other office work Keeku reported water manual readings, industrial billing, printing and folding of newsletters as well as water bills for March, and application of new water rates to utility bills, processed but not posted on March 25.
“Note the utility bills will be processed (but not posted) on March 25,” she wrote. “This means the new water rates will NOT be on the April bills.” Keeku wrote of plans to post and mail utility bills April 1, along with council meeting prep, invoice entering, and GL Account Approval March 30 to April 2. The first of two April Council meeting will be April 6, with the spring election Tuesday, April 7. A certified survey map (CSM) was in the works for Development Drive.
“Mayor Henke and I are currently looking for information on this,” Keeku wrote.
As for items concerning the council, Keeku wrote that she would need people in the office in the upcoming weeks to assist as she quickly learns the necessary job requirements.
“This is my first time running an election,” she wrote. “That being said, I will need people in the office during these upcoming weeks to assist with bills, newsletters, and general office support. My focus is to complete the more in-depth tasks required of this office and to further my understanding of these tasks.”