Maplewood / Welcome to Maplewood. Don't dis the management.
Please click onto the COMMENTS for the story.
posted by Bob at Monday, January 28, 2008
Custom Search
Monday, January 28, 2008
A DEMOCRACY TOWN HALL HOME
Do you have a topic you want to discuss at the Town Hall? Email your request to A_Democracy@yahoo.com
“A DEMOCRACY” Disclaimer- While the administrators and moderators of this forum will attempt to remove or edit any generally objectionable material as quickly as possible, it is impossible to review every message. Therefore you acknowledge that all posts made to this forum express the views and opinions of the author and not the administrators, moderators (except for posts by these people) and hence will not be held liable.
You agree not to post any abusive, obscene, vulgar, slanderous, hateful, threatening, sexually-oriented or any other material that may violate any applicable laws. Doing so may lead to you being immediately and permanently banned
THE ROOF GUYS
Mickey's Diner 1950 7th Street West, St Paul, MN
(651) 698-8387
AX-MAN SURPLUS
1639 University Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55104
Tel:(651)646-8653
LANDLORD.COM LINK HERE
SHHHH! While we listen to words of wisdom from a wise man.
Conscience is the light of the Soul that burns within the chambers of our psychological heart. It is as real as life is. It raises the voice in protest whenever anything is thought of or done contrary to the righteousness. Conscience is a form of truth that has been transferred through our genetic stock in the form of the knowledge of our own acts and feelings as right or wrong. A virtuous and courageous person can alone use the instrument of conscience. He or she can alone hear the inner voice of the soul clearly. In a wicked person this faculty is absent. The sensitive nature of his / her conscience has been destroyed by sin or corruption. Hence he or she is unable to discriminate right from wrong. Those who are leading organizations, business enterprises, institutions and governments should develop this virtue of the ability to use their own conscience. This wisdom of using the clean conscience will enable them to enjoy the freedom.
Dr APJ Kalam, President of India given during the inauguration of the seminar on “THE EFFECTS OF CORRUPTION ON GOOD GOVERNANCE AND HUMAN RIGHTS
Previous Posts
- Saint Paul/ GESTAPO within city government.
- St. Paul / Streetscape renewal finally gets dollars
- Saint Paul/ New Lawsuit Update
- "I HAVE A DREAM!"
- St. Paul / 1 project sinks as another swims
- Keillor's clash with neighbors over garage sent to...
- St. Paul parking ramp back in business
- Saint Paul Police Taze Unconscious Intoxicated Man
- Mayor Coleman Sees Premier Development Opportunity
- Not So Infectious: Saint Paul Shows Strength in To...
13 Comments:
City Council questions nondisparagement clause in ex-manager's contract
BY ELIZABETH MOHR and JULIE FORSTER
Pioneer Press
Article Last Updated: 01/26/2008 09:47:02 PM CST
When the former city manager of Maplewood was hired, he wanted to be sure he wasn't bad-mouthed on his way out. It was laid out in his original employment contract.
If Greg Copeland lost his job, any disparaging or "negative comments" by City Council about his character or job performance would cost the city $100,000. The unusual nondisparagement clause took many in Maplewood City Hall by surprise, leaving council members who recently voted to oust Copeland to question its validity and legality.
Nondisparagement clauses are not rare, especially in the corporate world. But they are often fashioned in the opposite direction: A former employee cannot speak negatively of a company or its products as part of his or her termination, said Carl Crosby Lehmann, a Minneapolis employment attorney with Gray Plant Mooty who represents management.
Pacts that put the clamp on bad talk about the employee in a contract when hired, though, are rare. Especially among public employees.
"We've never heard of such a thing," said Tom Grundhoefer, general counsel for the League of Minnesota Cities.
Monday, the Maplewood City Council is expected to hire a lawyer to investigate Copeland's contract. The city's police chief already has been asked to find an outside agency to investigate. It is the latest flare-up in a suburb familiar with political drama.
There was never any discussion of a nondisparagement clause for Copeland, and it was never approved by the City Council, said Erik Hjelle, the council member who made the Nov. 13, 2006, motion to hire Copeland.
Somehow, though, it made its way into Copeland's contract, which was signed by the mayor on behalf of the city.
But because the council did not originally intend it to be one of Copeland's "benefits," the clause is invalid, Hjelle suggests. Debating the clause is "a moot point," he adds.
Copeland's appointment as city manager was controversial from the get-go. He replaced a fired city manager in 2006 on an interim basis until being formally appointed six months later.
Some City Council members and Maplewood residents said that he'd been hand-picked by the mayor and that no formal search process was ever completed.
"This is obviously a person who was taking a job in a sea of controversy," said Ellen Sampson, a lawyer with Leonard Street and Deinard who specializes in employment law and contracts.
"I've never seen anything like that in an employment contract, ever," she said.
Such clauses are difficult to interpret and police, said Crosby Lehmann. And most employers would be reluctant to commit to paying out large sums of money if such a vague deal was violated.
And there are plenty of other problems such a deal poses. Does limiting City Council members from disparaging a former city manager run afoul of their right to free speech? Does a council member elected after the contract was signed have to abide by the clause as well?
Maplewood officials now find themselves trying to decipher the agreement and its ramifications.
Copeland was fired when the newly elected City Council had its first meeting Jan. 14. It was the first order of business. The employment contract surfaced three days later.
City attorneys H. Alan Kantrud and Charles Bethel would not comment on the details of Copeland's contract. Neither would Chuck Ahl, the acting city manager and the public works director. Maplewood Mayor Diana Longrie could not be reached for comment.
The employment contract was signed by Longrie and Copeland.
A legal battle over the document is likely, Sampson said.
Now thats funny! I love it!
Just another typical crooked government agancy. They sign the contract and then change their mind saying that the contract wqs supposed to be something else. Try that with your car payment or any other contract and see what happens to a ocmmon person!
I think the real story here is the city council of Maplewood would like to spill the beans on this copeland guy, and the contract they have with him prevents them from even talking about how this guy operated.
Longrie and copeland are buddies.
It sounds like a money making deal to me.
Get fired, get a payout.
7:52,
What proof do you have that Greg Copeland was nothing other than a model government employee.
8:08, months ago Bob posted a story about this Copeland guy.
If I recall a person calling themselves the Maplewood Mouse came here and spilled the beans on this guy.
I tried to search the blog for the story and I couldn't find it.
Maybe he is a model city employee. I don't recall. I'd like to hear from the Maplewood Mouse.
Cha Ching for copeland!Just pay the guy.Learn from your mistakes and never do it again.
St.Paul take some pointers.
Well the way it was explained to me, if I post something about Mr. Copeland now, then the city of Maplewood will be on the hook for $100,000.00.
I would not want Mr. Copeland to earn one dime from his past behavior as city manager. I stand by my past posts.
Only if the walls at city hall could speak.
Nancy, you are very quiet.
Maplewood Mouse
6:26 PM,
The contract language is, "not to disparage or make negative statements." If the city council or city employee makes statements about Mr. Copeland, he gets $100,000.00
It has nothing to do with people speaking up, it has to do with we don't want Mr. Copeland to get the $100,000.00.
BTW, It is not a matter of not speaking out, but one of contract language, just like a court order, we can't say anything. Please note there is a Maplewood Blog called Maplewood Voices (http://maplewoodvoices.blogspot.com/) that has some very good information on Mr. Copeland and the mayor.
Lastly, don't you ever think for one minute that we did not keep notes on this mess. There are smart ways of going about this situation without loosing your job. Many department heads and employees did loose their jobs. Don't you think there were phone recordings made. Those little pocket tapeless recorders work well.
Maplewood Mouse
It is great to see that Maplewood is emerging from its experiences with sleaze, dysfunction, and stagnation.
Let Maplewood be a model for St. Paul to follow, before St. Paul destabilizes the Metro.
Hi All,
I received a very pleasant email from the Mayor of Maplewood expressing her opinion concerning anonymous post.
I don't think she is a fan of the Maplewood Mouse.(just my opinion, she didn't mention you Mouse)
She stated she believes there is no value in an anonymous post. And if she were to post at A Democracy she would use her name.
You are welcome here anytime MAYOR.
9:27 AM
The Maplewood Mayor has her own TV program. Maybe she would let all of us anonymous posters, (including Maplewood Mouse)on her program with bags on our heads.
Post a Comment
<< Home