By Nikki McKim
City Administrator Anthony Nussbaum addressed concerns raised by citizens regarding the city’s utility crew. The concerns surfaced following allegations circulating on Facebook about the Falls City lineman offering their two-week notice due to alleged mistreatment by city officials.
When asked about the resignations of utility crew members, Nussbaum stated, “Employee resignations are considered personnel matters and are subject to privacy. The City can confirm when a position is open, but it is typically not appropriate to disclose the names of employees who have resigned without their consent. At this time, the city has posted advertisements for job openings within the electric distribution linemen team.” The City of Falls City website currently lists openings for a “Full-Time Electric Distribution Lineman and Line Foreman (Apprentice/Journeyman).”
Regarding the allegations of mistreatment, Nussbaum indicated that the City Administration has not received any formal complaints. “I have not received any formal complaints from employees regarding mistreatment. Until a formal complaint is filed, an investigation into hearsay allegations is not warranted. The City takes any claims of workplace issues seriously and encourages employees to utilize existing channels to report concerns,” he stated. He further added,”I have not received any harassment complaints from any employees during my tenure as City Administrator. Additionally, there have been no reports submitted regarding the use of inappropriate language by management or elected officials. Employees covered by collective bargaining agreements have specific rights and processes to address workplace concerns, and no such grievances have been filed at this time.”
In response to questions about recruitment and retention plans, Nussbaum explained, “If vacancies occur within the utility department, the City will work diligently to recruit and train qualified replacements. We remain committed to maintaining a professional and capable workforce to ensure the continued delivery of essential services.” He also addressed emergency preparedness, saying, “The City of Falls City has multiple mutual aid agreements in place with other utilities and contracting firms that specialize in electrical work. These agreements ensure that we can respond effectively to emergencies or workforce shortages, particularly as we approach severe weather seasons.”
Nussbaum also highlighted the city’s commitment to a professional workplace environment and the availability of workplace policies and employee protections. “The City has a formal harassment policy in place, and employees covered under collective bargaining agreements have additional rights to file claims if they believe a violation of their agreement has occurred. These policies provide clear pathways for employees to voice concerns and seek resolution if needed,” he stated. He concluded by saying, “I want to reassure the community and Falls City Utility customers that the City of Falls City is committed to maintaining reliable utility services and fostering a professional workplace environment. If any employee has concerns, we encourage them to follow the established procedures to ensure they are properly addressed.”
Unconventionally, the Mayor made an announcement in a post made on the Falls City Sanitation Facebook page, “Mark Harkendorff the Mayor of Falls City would like to make an official announcement. The Mayor of Falls City has not Spoke to ANY of the linemen in over 2 years. The Mayor had even gave noticeable appreciation of all the hard work the Linemen and Power Plant has done at the Council meeting held last month in February. There has been various amounts of misleading and false statements. One fact that should be apart [sic] of the discussion is the linemen were asked to stay and come up with plans to work with the city. They then put their two weeks in.”
The Mayor’s statement seems to confirm that the linemen have put two weeks’ notice in with the city.
The concerns had originally stemmed from social media and Change.org posts alleging that the lineman had given their two-week notice after being told they were “lazy and overpaid” by city officials. The Change.org petition related to the situation had nearly 300 signatures as of this morning at 10:00 a.m.
Anthony Nussbaum can be contacted at 402.245.2851 or a.nussbaum@fallscityne.us. Mayor Mark Harkendorff can be contacted at Phone : 402.245.2851 Ext. 213; Phone: 402.801.9415(c) Email – m.harkendorff@fallscityne.us. Trevor Campbell, Public Works Director can be contacted at 402.245.2851.
