A private attorney and former state labor relations official will investigate alleged misconduct in the paving office of St. Paul's Public Works Department.
A KSTP-TV report on Monday that showed workers taking frequent and lengthy breaks outraged Mayor Chris Coleman, led to the resignation of the department's director, Bruce Beese, and prompted the employee investigation.
Laurie Steiger, a former state Department of Transportation labor relations official, and Paul Larson are scheduled to begin their investigation Thursday.
It's expected to take a month and cost between $10,000 and $15,000. It will focus on the 55-person paving group of the street maintenance division, from Beese down to the crews. Each employee will be interviewed.
Aside from uncovering the depth of any misconduct, the probe might provide guidance on changing policies and work processes.
When the information is compiled and reports are completed on every employee, the city's Human Resources Director Angie Nalezny will review them. Then she will pass them on to interim Public Works Director Rich Lallier, who will deliver any discipline.
The city needs to have sufficient cause and evidence to discipline or fire the union employees, and there's a grievance process that needs to be followed.
"We can't fire someone based on one television story," said Bob Hume, mayoral spokesman. "If we don't do [an investigation] correctly, we can't take the disciplinary measures we want to do."
