Saturday, December 22, 2012
The City of Albertville is in flux after Mayor Mark Meehan asked for Larry Kruse's resignation earlier this week.
St. Michael Patch recaps highlights it has shared with the community over the past year. In our year in review, this article, published April 11, 2012, was the eighth most popular story of the year. ------- In what city staff and a council member are calling a "shocking" development this week, the mayor of Albertville has asked for that city's top staff person to step down from his position. According to members of the council and staff members from the City of Albertville, Mayor Mark Meehan visited Albertville City Hall Monday and asked City Administrator Larry Kruse to resign as Albertville's top staff person. Kruse told Meehan he would not resign from his post. Neither party involved in that meeting returned St. Michael Patch's …
Monday, April 30, 2012
After another heated meeting last week, the Albertville City Council begins the difficult task of moving forward after the recent termination of the city administrator.
With the recent termination of Larry Kruse as city administrator and city clerk, the Albertville City Council must move quickly and make swift decisions to hire replacement personnel to keep things running smoothly in city hall. Former Albertville Mayor Don Peterson asked to speak during open forum and expressed his "embarrassment and disgust with the three that voted to terminate" Kruse. "I hired him as City Administrator during my term and you aren't going to find anyone like Larry," he said. "I apologize if you are embarrassed but I am not," Jillian Hendrickson said. "I did my due diligence and we need to move forward as a united council and take this very seriously now," she added. City Clerk Former city clerk Bridget Miller moved into…
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City of Albertville
5975 Main Ave NE, Albertville, MN
/articles/albertville-council-begins-moving-forward
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Wednesday, April 25, 2012
With the recent termination of the city administrator, the council must make decisions quickly to hire the appropriate city staff.
The Albertville City Council will hold a special session meeting tonight to start the process of replacing terminated City Administrator Larry Kruse. His termination is effective May 1. Because Kruse was essentially holding two positions, city administrator and that of the city clerk, filling the position will be no easy task, fellow staff said. The city clerk position has been advertised, and applications are being accepted through April 26. Because the city is closing on some bond refinancing, an Acting City Clerk is expected to be appointed at tonight's meeting to sign any necessary paperwork. As for the city administrator role, the council can choose to go several different routes. Considering the hard feelings illustrated by last week…
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-93.653845
City of Albertville
5975 Main Ave NE, Albertville, MN
/articles/albertville-council-to-hold-special-session
1815373
/locations/6876277
Thursday, April 19, 2012
While many were surprised by the council's whirlwind decision to fire its city administrator, they agree the biggest question is what happens next.
In the hallway outside of the city council chambers at Albertville City Hall Monday night, emotions were still running fairly high. Elmer Eichelberg, Wright County Commissioner, credited Kruse for bringing the Interstate 94 ramp for the Albertville Premium Outlets to fruition. Kruse, he said, held countless meetings with adminstrators and the county commission to explain the merits of the ramp. Former mayor Ron Klecker, who came to the podium for Kruse, was speechless, and asked to wait to comment. Outgoing City Administrator Bob Derus of St. Michael said the incident was a reminder of one of the aspects of the job. "We enjoyed working with Larry [Kruse]. In this line of work, sometimes things change and you can wind up on the short end of…
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-93.653845
City of Albertville
5975 Main Ave NE, Albertville, MN
/articles/st-michael-businesses-react-to-albertville-council-s-decision
1815373
/locations/6835840
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Mayor Mark Meehan said in Monday's meeting the issue with Albertville City Administrator Larry Kruse had been "festering" for months, and he took action when confronted by another council member.
It didn't take long to delve into the issues at Monday's Albertville City Council meeting, as the public comment period became the only segment of the night where the dozens in attendance could weigh in on the city's latest controversy. Mayor Mark Meehan opened up the floor for public comment minutes after 7 p.m., and the first speaker-former mayor Ron Klecker-asked that Meehan wait. "I'd like to speak on Item 10A [City Administrator Performance Review], but I would like to save my comments until then," Klecker requested. However, Meehan didn't allow residents to wait, and referred to the rules of order for the meeting. He said all public comment would be taken at the outset. Council member Larry Sorenson asked for a motion to allow public…
45.237725
-93.653845
City of Albertville
5975 Main Ave NE, Albertville, MN
/articles/termination-meeting
1815373
/locations/6817926
Monday, April 16, 2012
The Albertville City Council, by a 3-2 vote, ended its contract with city administrator Larry Kruse, who had served the community since 2003.
A divided Albertville City Council voted 3-2 to end its relationship with Albertville City Administrator Larry Kruse, effective May 1, at its regular meeting held Monday night at Albertville City Hall. Despite comments in support of Kruse during the public comment portion of the meeting, Mayor Mark Meehan discussed openly a "closed door" Monday meeting he had with Kruse, where he said he raised several issues expressed to him by city staff members, local businesses and in particular council member Jillian Hendrickson. "Larry serves at the will of the council," Meehan said. "There was a consensus, among a number of people" that Kruse was not able to do the job as the council desired. In dissenting, members Dan Wagner and Larry Sorensen each…
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-93.653845
City of Albertville
5975 Main Ave NE, Albertville, MN
/articles/albertville-council-terminates-administrator-s-contract
1815373
/locations/6818113
While last week’s surprise resignation request is good for headlines, the Albertville City Council must be decisive when approaching its city administrator issue.
There’s a reason gossip, in its most simple nature, is popular. It’s fun. It gets you noticed by lots of people. After all, we’ve been playing that “I know something you don’t know” game since we were in second grade, right? But this isn’t a game. This is a decision that could have direct consequences on the future of a once-growing community. And one that's poised to grow again. Albertville’s decline into turmoil at the top last week came as a surprise to almost everybody. That alone made the issue worth talking about on St. Michael Patch, at the water cooler during work on Friday, and of course at Saturday morning’s government open house at Albertville City Hall (where, literally, no one was talking about it). But what happens next is …
A review of the city administrator has been added to Monday night's agenda, as the council addresses last week's events.
After last week's turn of events at Albertville City Hall, there is much anticipation for what many are saying will be an interesting council meeting. Last Tuesday, according to city staff and council, Mayor Mark Meehan asked Albertville City Administrator Larry Kruse, to resign from his position. The community has been abuzz and local residents, business members and council members are responding. "Personally, I had no idea," Council Member John Vetsch said late last week. "Mark hasn't shared anything with me. I'll be interested in Monday night's discussion." Guardian Angels President and CEO, Dan Dixon, was also surprised. Dixon has been working with Albertville to develop a possible new retirement community in Albertville along Wright …
45.237725
-93.653845
City of Albertville
5975 Main Ave NE, Albertville, MN
/articles/albertville-council-to-meet-tonight
1815373
/locations/6807276
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
The City of Albertville is in flux after Mayor Mark Meehan asked for Larry Kruse's resignation earlier this week.
In what city staff and a council member are calling a "shocking" development this week, the mayor of Albertville has asked for that city's top staff person to step down from his position. According to members of the council and staff members from the City of Albertville, Mayor Mark Meehan visited Albertville City Hall Monday and asked City Administrator Larry Kruse to resign as Albertville's top staff person. Kruse told Meehan he would not resign from his post. Neither party involved in that meeting returned St. Michael Patch's requests for comment. City staff was notified of the meeting and resignation request by Kruse Wednesday morning. Albertville Fire Chief Tate Mills, who reports directly to Kruse, said he was "surprised." "Larry …
45.237725
-93.653845
City of Albertville
5975 Main Ave NE, Albertville, MN
/articles/breaking-albertville-mayor-asks-for-administrator-s-resignation
1815373
/locations/6817859
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
The Albertville Lions welcome the St. Michael-Albertville community to it's February Fish and Shrimp Dinner and fundraiser. The group also recently presented the City of Albertville with a hefty gift.
The Albertville Lions will be sponsoring a fish and shrimp fry from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24 at Albertville City Hall. Along with fish and shrimp, the menu includes baked potato, baked beans, coleslaw, dinner rolls, and cookies. The cost will be $ 10 for adults and $6 for kids 12 and under. All proceeds from the event will go to the Lions Eye Bank of Minnesota. There will also be a collection bin for old eyeglasses that are no longer being used. Check donation to Albertville Monday, Feb. 6, Albertville President Ron Tiernan presented Mayor Mark Meehan and Albertville City Council with a $5,000 donation. City Administrator Larry Kruse said the funds would be used to fund operations at city hall. He called the Lions an organization…
Rick
10:34 am on Wednesday, May 2, 2012
I think certain members of this city council are dreaming. Hendrickson says she want's someone with a lot of different qualities. Meehan says he's not concerned about the strength of the new city administrator up front. OK, then what? You hire someone subpar and hope their strength/skill set improves markedly "after" they're hired? And how are they going to "sell" the undeveloped areas and to … more ›