Double-paid employee asks ND Industrial Commission for raise

MINOT — One of the most interesting stories from Gov.-elect Kelly Armstrong’s first term might be the tension that clearly exists between him and outgoing Gov. Doug Burgum, as well as sitting Attorney General Drew Wrigley.

The ongoing brouhaha around a member of Burgum’s cabinet, outgoing Securities Commissioner Karen Tyler, is not necessarily at the heart of the problem but is an illustration of it.

We’ll talk about that in a moment. First, an update on the ongoing drama surrounding Tyler. As I’ve previously reported, in addition to serving in Burgum’s cabinet, Tyler served as both securities commissioner and executive director of the North Dakota Industrial Commission, collecting salaries for both.

This arrangement, initially intended to be temporary, began after former NDIC Director Karlene Fine retired in 2022. In June, the commission voted to make this arrangement permanent. In September, the commission, made up of Wrigley, Burgum and Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring, voted to approve a $46,000-a-year increase in Tyler.

His combined compensation for both gigs was more than $246,000 per year. Whether Tyler’s staff at each position, who were undoubtedly picking up the slack while their boss ostensibly worked two full-time jobs, received bonuses or extra pay, I’m not aware of.

After my story about Tyler’s double dipping was published, it emerged that she also employed her daughter in her department at a salary of over $60,000 per year. The employment, intended to be temporary, lasted over three years and ended precisely two weeks after I found out about it. This happened despite a state law prohibiting nepotism.

Tyler responded to my report by placing two Securities Department employees on administrative leave, apparently for speaking to me about these stories, although I should note here that I had not spoken to any of these employees prior to their placement. leave.

Now, according to the agenda for the Dec. 12 NDIC meeting, Tyler could get a pay raise. A copy of the agenda provided to me by Tyler includes this item: “Consideration of Approval of Compensation for the Executive Director of the Industrial Commission.”

The agenda item refers to an attachment. When I asked Tyler for a copy of this attachment, she did not respond. I was, however, able to obtain a copy of a letter Tyler wrote to the commission requesting a pay increase for her job as executive director now that Armstrong has chosen someone else to run Securities.

“Since August 2022, I have served in two capacities for the state, as North Dakota Securities Commissioner and Acting Executive Director of the Industrial Commission, and after June 26, 2024, Executive Director of the Industrial Commission” , the memo says. , dated December 12.

“Effective December 14, 2024, I will serve solely as Executive Director. While serving in a dual capacity for the State, I have not received the full salary of the Executive Director position. With this change to come, I respectfully request that the Industrial Commission consider approving a compensation adjustment at least equal to the full salary previously approved for the Executive Director by the Commission, which is currently $151,380.00,” continued the note.

Tyler’s current NDIC salary is $106,144. His salary in the securities department is $140,808.

NDIC members have praised Tyler’s performance at public meetings. Wrigley, in particular, was zealous in his praise, telling me in October that Tyler was “simply an extraordinary woman.”

But Tyler is a polarizing figure at the state Capitol. A 2022 dispute between Tyler and the Insurance Department over Capitol offices turned sour, with Tyler berating an Insurance Department staff member to the point that the employee began requesting escorts in and out of the building , lest she meet Tyler.

Which brings me back to my point in this column. We cannot ignore the fact that North Dakota is about to have a new governor, and therefore a new NDIC president.

The decision to make Tyler’s position at the NDIC permanent and give him a substantial raise was made even after it became clear that Armstrong would be the next governor. Armstrong, for his part, removed Tyler from his cabinet, but now the NDIC, just days before Armstrong is sworn in, may well give Tyler another raise.

And has anyone asked the new governor who he might choose to be the top official on what is probably the most important commission in the state? If this consultation took place, I am not aware of it.

Publicly, these Republicans describe their relationships as beautiful dories. In private, things can be different. Let’s not forget that Burgum supported his lieutenant governor, Tammy Miller, against Armstrong in the gubernatorial primary and that Miller launched ugly and deeply personal attacks against Armstrong, including one that practically accused him of tolerating the pedophilia.

What is Wrigley’s interest in all this? Hey, maybe he’s just using this interregnum period to lock down personnel in key positions who are loyal to him.

And Goehring? He has been in power since 2009 and the key to his political longevity seems to be keeping a low profile. He may just be getting along for the sake of getting along.

Whatever the political motivations, from a taxpayer perspective, it is difficult to look at Tyler’s career history over the past two years and conclude that between the nepotism, unprofessional behavior and conflicts, and the reprisals against civil servants, she was an exemplary civil servant and a good manager of public resources.