The Ely City Council reconvened their meeting from Tuesday, Oct. 6 on Monday to discuss a personnel issue pertaining to a second-step grievance filed by former Deputy Clerk Patti Wellvang.

According to Mayor Roger Skraba, the Oct. 6 meeting was recessed to allow council members time to review information regarding the matter that had been presented to them at that session.

As for Tuesday’s meeting, City Clerk Terri Boese explained that Wellvang had originally submitted a first-step grievance to the council’s employer representative Warren Nikkola, but the grievance was denied.

However, Wellvang’s union contract stipulates that because the first grievance was not resolved, she can request the issue be presented in writing to the city council for their consideration. A second-step grievance must be acted on by the council no later than their second regular business meeting after it was given to them. Boese forwarded the grievance to the council on Sept. 15.

City officials have been reluctant to specify the nature of the grievance. Skraba said he didn’t remember its exact wording, but he has seen it and the council disagrees with Wellvang’s position.

At Monday’s meeting, Nikkola made the motion to deny the second-step grievance. He reminded the council that the time had come for them to take action.

“You’ve all been [made well-aware] of a good number of the facts, or you’ve been able to obtain them and go over them at your leisure,” he said.

He also recommended they not discuss the matter in light of data privacy issues, the ongoing investigation and in fairness to all of the legal representatives involved.

In a meeting that lasted under two minutes, the council voted 5-1 to deny the grievance by Wellvang. Council member Mark Zupec was absent and Jerome Debeltz voted in opposition to the motion. No discussion took place.

In a later interview, Debeltz said he voted against the denial because he hadn’t seen anything previously to indicate there was a reason for Wellvang’s termination.

“I want to have facts in front of me before I can make a sound decision,” he said.

Skraba said he voted to deny the grievance based on the information he received and Nikkola’s recommendation. He explained that Nikkola, as the chair of the employee relations committee, is the only councilor to see all of the information in the investigation.

As for council debate, he said there was nothing to discuss regarding the vote. What’s more, not everyone on the council saw the information that was offered to them, but that was by their choice.

However, he said if charges are filed and the case is no longer under investigation, the situation changes.

“After the county attorney makes his charges, we can say a lot more about the case,” Skraba said.

He also said he hopes to hear from the county attorney next week regarding the matter.

“It’s been going on long enough and we have to start making decisions. This grievance was part of it,” he said. “As far as strategy, everyone is done posturing and the attorneys will take over. The county attorney will decide if and when he files charges.”

Wellvang was placed on unpaid leave in April and terminated from her position as deputy clerk in June.