Two Hutchinson City Council members are facing a complaint and possible discipline for allegedly disregarding city policy by not wearing a mask within a city building.
Under a June 5 executive order from Gov. Tim Walz last year, government entities were required to adopt a COVID-19 preparedness plan. Hutchinson city’s plan was created by City Administrator Matt Jaunich and members of the city’s human resources department. Within that plan is a policy that states “all employees, customers and visitors are required to wear a face covering while within city buildings,” Jaunich said.
According to a formal complaint submitted to the city by John Lofdahl, a former City Council member and current member of the city’s Planning Commission and Sustainability Advisory Board, Council Members Brandon Begnaud and Dave Sebesta violated city policy while attending meetings of those groups at the City Center.
Dave Sebesta
320-583-2964
Brandon Begnaud
The complaint alleges Begnaud did not wear a mask while attending the Sustainability Board meeting April 19, and Sebesta did not wear a mask while attending a Planning Commission meeting April 20.
“Their irresponsible behavior put the health of all individuals present at those meetings at risk,” Lofdahl’s complaint said.
Sebesta and Begnaud declined to comment for this story.
All council members have been reminded of the city’s mask policy on multiple occasions, including recently at the April 13 City Council meeting.
During that meeting, council members voted on whether or not to end the practice of conducting their meetings virtually and return to in-person meetings. Jaunich reiterated the city mask policy during that conversation, and in the end the council voted 3-2 to continue holding meetings virtually until the mask mandate is lifted. Sebesta and Begnaud were the two nay votes.
What consequences the councilmen face, if any, remains to be seen. Under the governor’s mandate, violation of the mask requirement is a petty misdemeanor, but Jaunich said it was unlikely charges would be filed. It is possible that the two men may be disciplined by other members of the council.
“Elected officials are a little different because they’re not employees of the city,” Jaunich said. “So it’s the responsibility of the council itself to govern themselves. So the formal complaint will be passed on to the City Council, and then it’s up to the City Council on how they want to handle that.”
According to Section 21 of the Hutchinson City Council bylaws, “The mayor or a council member who intentionally and repeatedly does not follow proper conduct or who violates any provisions within these bylaws and/or other city ordinance, charter provision, or city policy may be reprimanded by the council, lose committee assignments (both within the city and with intergovernmental agencies), lose council pay or other privileges afforded by council.”
The bylaw also states that infractions could lead to other measures such as censure.
The council’s next meeting is Tuesday, April 27, at which the complaints may be discussed.
