Fired police officer to resign instead

Following a closed meeting with legal counsel Tuesday night, the Cloquet City Council signed a separation agreement and full and final release of claims Tuesday with a police officer they originally voted to dismiss in February.

The next morning, city administrator Tim Peterson provided the following statement in response to the Pine Knot News: “The council made and unanimously approved a motion to accept the agreement reached with Officer Silgjord on May 20th and to accept her resignation from the Police Department effective June 7, 2022.”

CPD officer and K-9 handler Laci Silgjord had been on paid administrative leave since May 12, 2021 when the city council and Mayor Roger Maki voted unanimously to fire her on Feb. 2, after closing a virtual council meeting for more than 45 minutes as they discussed the recommendation. However, because Silgjord appealed her dismissal, the action was not considered final.

Under the terms of the separation agreement with the city, Silgjord’s employment with the city was to end with her resignation on June 7. She would be paid her wages and benefits through that date. In return, Silgjord will “discharge” all current and future claims against the city relating to her employment with the city — with the exception of a pending workers compensation claim — as well as a long list of other possible claims.

The agreement also includes a payment of $49,200 to Silgjord, in addition to her wages and benefits. That payment is described as “damages in a case involving humiliation, damage to reputation or emotional harm arising from employment.” The city will also pay Silgjord’s attorney, Haller Kwan LLP, $32,800, which is a full settlement of attorney’s fees. The city will also provide COBRA notice for eligible benefits.

K-9 Vader will remain with Silgjord.

Silgjord signed the agreement May 20. Peterson, on behalf of the city, signed it Wednesday, June 8.

Reasons unknown

The reasons behind the council’s vote to dismiss Silgjord in February as well as the police chief’s earlier decision to place her on administrative leave were not provided in February, when city officials said copies of the complaint or investigation wouldn’t be made public until after Silgjord had the opportunity to complete the grievance process.

Silgjord had appealed the dismissal through her union in mid-February, requesting arbitration under the Veterans Preference statute, a slow-moving process. According to Minnesota Bureau of Mediation Services records, a list of possible arbitrators had been provided but no meetings had been scheduled.

As part of the separation agreement, Silgjord also agreed to withdraw her Veterans Preference hearing request and otherwise dismiss those proceedings.

Cloquet police officers and the city have seen mixed results through the Bureau of Mediation. Jeff Palmer was reinstated to his police officer position after arbitration in 2008. Most recently, former detective Scott Holman lost an arbitration case in November 2019 regarding his dismissal by the city council.

Silgjord had been disciplined twice before. On March 5, 2018, she was given a verbal reprimand and on Nov. 7, 2019, she was given a written reprimand.

The 2019 discipline came in response to Silgjord “inadvertently” posting comments to Facebook writing as the Cloquet Police Department that reflected poorly on the department.

Because Silgjord is resigning without any final disciplinary action, city records of the complaint and investigation that led to the city’s action will likely remain private.

Peterson said only the terms of the separation agreement were public in response to questions from the Pine Knot News.

In other matters Tuesday:

-New library director Courtney Dietsche introduced herself to the council. Although new to the director position, Dietsche has been the Adult Services librarian in Cloquet for the past two years.

-Councilors voted to hire a company to revise the city’s 2016 water supply plan to include the Lake Superior waterline to Sappi, with Ward 5 councilor Lyz Jaakola voting against it.

-City administrator Tim Peterson said the new landfill host committee had approved using up to $600,000 of landfill host fees to extend city water to the Antus Addition and Braun Park, freeing up local sales tax funds to be used for other projects, Peterson told the council.

-Councilors also heard an update on the July Fourth celebration plans and approved related street closures and the fireworks permit.