Get the Facts on MPEA

YourMPEA has identified the following issues with current MPEA Board practices:

Board Meetings – The current MPEA Board operates behind closed doors.

• In March of 2023, President Andrew Weyer kicked two MPEA members out of the meeting. After March’s meeting, without consultation or feedback from the entire Board, Secretary Ann Thelen – without consultation from the Board – moved meetings from the centralized and publicly accessible Public Service Building to offsite locations, like the Federal Building and Animal Control, to prevent members from attending Board meetings.
• YourMPEA backed Board members Rebecca Gaida and Stacy Sorenson motioned to allow virtual attendance of members and voted against closing Board meetings.
• YourMPEA supports transparency of Board meetings and full member participation in the Union.

Membership Meetings – In 2023, there was only ONE membership meeting held by MPEA and online attendees were not allowed full participation in the meeting.

• YourMPEA supports more frequent membership meetings including a virtual option with full participation from both in-person and virtual attendees.
• Absent from the ONLY membership meeting were Vice President Janna Beard, At Large Members Siiri McNulty and Eric Gustafson. Not on the Board, but notably absent was MPEA’s attorney Jim Michels.

Committees – As of now, there are no committees for members to get involved in MPEA.

• In June of 2023, the Board discussed the future of the engagement committee. Board member Stacy Sorenson motioned to continue the engagement committee. Board member Rebecca Gaida was absent from the meeting. The motion was not seconded so it failed.
• YourMPEA supports the creation of committees so members can get involved and take on leadership roles in the Union.
• YourMPEA specifically calls for the creation of a grievance committee, negotiations committee, elections committee, and engagement committee. A grievance committee and negotiations committee are required by the MPEA Bylaws, however, none exists.
• YourMPEA backed Board member Rebecca Gaida – with support of Stacy Sorenson – has repeatedly called for the creation of a grievance committee and has pressured President Andrew Weyer to submit his appointments to the Board for a vote. The inaction from the Board to create a grievance committee leaves members vulnerable to contract violations and unfair labor practices from HR and management.

Financial Transparency – Even Board members don’t have full access to the financial statements of MPEA.

• On multiple occasions, YourMPEA backed Board member Stacy Sorenson – with the support of Rebecca Gaida – has asked for a printed financial report so Board members can do their due diligence. The first and only time the Board and the members saw a full financial statement was at the October 2023 member meeting. This statement included a $170,000 error, which treasurer Chip Teigen could not explain. Dues-paying members deserve to know where their money is going.
• In 2023, Board stipends and parking reimbursement are on track to be the second biggest expense to MPEA. By hiding financial statements from Board members and dues paying members, the MPEA Board gets away with paying themselves without accountability to its members.
• In November of 2023, YourMPEA backed member Stacy Sorenson motioned and Rebecca Gaida seconded, for an investigation into the banking relationship with Wells Fargo after they had been fined by the federal government.

For more information on the votes and issues listed, you can read the MPEA minutes here.

Membership meeting minutes from 2022 and 2023 have not been posted to the website. Members who missed the only membership meeting of the year have no way to read or reference the meeting.

There are no December 2022 minutes posted by MPEA. If a meeting happened, there is no record of it.

February 2023 minutes are incorrect and posted as February 2021. If a meeting happened in February 2023, there is no record of it.