Letters to the editor:Coffee group welcomed by former city employee at Muni

I’m one of a group of vets and senior citizens that go there on a daily basis for coffee. 

After Art’s closed, we were without a morning coffee place and Elaine welcomed us at the Muni and we have been meeting there ever since. 

We have found it a pleasant and hospitable place due to Elaine and her staff. They always made us feel welcome and we have always found it clean, shoveled. 

I believe Elaine went above and beyond and so did the rest of the staff. Over the years we have seen her promote many programs and community events.

I believe that she was being pressured by the board to bring in more money to the city by members of the city counsel and I assume the mayor.

She was trying, but also trying to keep the Muni competitive with other places, which I belive was working and under her guidance made more money in 2022 than in 2021 and was making a yearly profit during very hard times for these kinds of businesses. 

She also tried and I believe succeeded in making it a place to do more than have a drink. She has made it a place for the community to meet and use and not feel you need to drink.

The atmosphere has changed since she left. Her staff is still just as helpful, but are not saying anything about this and I have to wonder why. 

I would hope that they are being made to feel that they can be secure in their jobs and allowed to vent, a little anyhow! Under the cirucmstance’s it would be expected. 

It’s hard to work in a hostile work environment and there are laws and state and federal agencies that will look into it, if you feel you are. 

Call the Minnesota Department of Labor at 1-800-342-5354 and press no. 5.

Elaine was very close to retirement I understand. I hope that the community will look into this and talk with their elected and hired representees at the city about this.

Darwin Chester

Barnum