Cold Spring City Council Approves Mutual Termination Agreement With City Administrator

COLD SPRING -- The Cold Spring City Council continues to discuss an ongoing issue about their current city administrator situation.

During tonight's (Tuesday) city council meeting, city attorney Tom Jovanovich brought a few options to the table after having previous conversations with Hetland.

Back in February, the council approved a 30 day unpaid leave for City Administrator Paul Hetland. Then in March, the council voted to give an additional eight weeks to Hetland's family medical leave, which expired May 1st.

Jovanovich says part of the family medical leave agreement requires Hetland receive clearance from the doctors to come back to work, which the doctors have not granted.

In an email to Jovanovich, Hetland proposed an agreement where the city would provide for six months pay, including health benefits, in exchanged for his resignation.

Jovanovich replied with a suggestion of two months severance pay and a recommendation that the city would assist in having Hetland collect his short-term disability pay from the insurance company, which Jovanovich says Hetland has already agreed to.

After further discussion the council unanimously approved the termination agreement that would provide Hetland with two months salary, waiving all claims against the city, and assist him in working with the insurance company to claim his short-term disability.

Cold Spring Mayor Bob Thelen says while this was a long process over the last several months, he feels this is the best option for all parties.

"It would have been a lot nicer for the city of Cold Spring, for Paul, for a lot of different reasons if we wouldn't be in this situation, but we are. So it is exciting that we are going to have a resolution that's good for both sides," says Thelen.

Thelen says the city is not looking at finding any replacements at this time, but instead making sure this chapter comes to a close.

"Everyone agrees that until we are done completely with one issue we are not going to open a new chapter, we are going to wait," says Thelen.

City finance director Kris Dockendorf has been handling most of Hetland's responsibilities while he's been away.

The agreement becomes official after signatures from all parties, which should be done later this week.