Alice Pickering
Wyoming Area Reporter

The city of Wyoming is moving forward in its search for a new city administrator. Discussions on Tuesday, Oct. 4 were about how to begin the search and also some mention of the qualifications for the job.

CM Blake Tiedeman urged the use of a human assets firm to help with the search. He said a comprehensive analysis of skill set is needed for the job and wants to be certain to fit the administration to the staff already on board. He also suggested council consider someone from out of state.

CM Ted Phillips believes the new administrator should have a minimum of five years experience, or 10 years duty as an assistant administrator. He said posting for a position could make it possible to have a new city administrator on board for the beginning of 2006.

Anticipating the merger of the city and Wyoming Township, ìit would be nice to have a person at the helm,î he said.

CM Joe Zerwas also suggested a professional company help with the initial search, narrowing down candidates for the city to consider. He said the cost outlay would be justified if the city can interview a ìqualified body of individuals.î

Council directed city staff to research about five firms from which one will be selected to do initial screening to select candidates.

Work is also to be done on a job description.

The vote was unanimous, 4-0 with support from Phillips, Tiedeman, Zerwas and Mayor Sheldon Anderson.. CM Tom LaBarre did not attend the meeting. No specific dates were set

Other topics

Carolyn Drude, Ehlers & Associates, touched briefly on a possible use for the final land payment from Polaris to the city.

One suggestion is to pay off the 1999 wastewater bond, a refinance of the original wastewater project. The bond has a call date of in Feb. 2008.

According to Drude, paying off this bond early when the money is available; would save the city nearly $665,000 in interest costs. A decision will be made at a future meeting.

As part of the consent agenda, council approved the rezoning property owned by Linda Kinney from R-1 to R-2. In a related motion, council approved the preliminary plat for Gables on the Sunrise.

The fire department requested a secondary access to the area. A good road base, covered with grass meets these requirements. The roadway is to be plowed in the winter.

Although he cannot move back into his house, city officials asked attorney Travis Stottler to arrange for Charles Vogel to remove personal property from his home. Vogel asked Oct 4 why the city is after his property. He had hired an attorney to find out what he needed to do to get back into his house.

Stottler identified the violations in the housing code that have been ìongoing for a number of years.î He told Vogel the issues have not been resolved. ìThe entire property is a hazardous area and is uninhabitable,î Stottler said.

Vogel said that when he was evicted he was given only one hour to leave. Power was then turned off to the house. No one told him the power would be turned off. Because of this he has lost the contents of at least two freezers. He wanted to know when he could enter his house to get personal property.

Tiedeman thanked members of the maintenance, fire and police departments for their assistance with the celebration of Wyomingís 150th birthday. All of them, moved mountains to help with the festivities, he said.

Council decided to continue using resolutions for all decisions at least until a new administrator is hired. Staff had asked them to consider using motions for minor decisions.

Other business

In other business, council:

ïApproved a change order for the sewer pipeline project. Widening shoulders on CR-36 will be paid by Chisago County. Installation of the geotextile fabric for the road grade is the responsibility of the city. The cost for the change is $3925.

ïApproved partial payment in the amount of $282,414.74 to S.R. Weidema, for work completed on the joint sanitary sewer pipeline.

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