Cold Spring Public Works Director Moving On After 20 Years on the Job

COLD SPRING - After working as the Cold Spring city public works director for the past 20 years, Paul Hoeschen is moving on to a new job in Sauk Centre.

Hoeschen is leaving to become superintendent of public utlities in Sauk Centre in early July. The new job requires him to move within 20 minutes of town. He says it was a tough decision to leave Cold Spring.

"It's bittersweet-my wife and I don't want to leave Cold Spring. We really like the whole community and the people, we're very deep rooted here, so it's very difficult to leave."

Hoeschen says it's been rewarding for him to watch the city grow over the last two decades.

"We have just grown dramatically, the city has grown to over 4,000 people. We're building a lot of homes and businesses and we've added a $7 million wastewater plant expansion."

The Cold Spring City Council will discuss the public works chain of command during their meeting on Tuesday night. Hoeschen has recommended the city hire more supervisors for the department.

Hoeschen says he and his wife are exicted to start their new adventure and adds that helping people was the most rewarding part of the job.

"I just like helping people. As a director, I'm kind of the complaint department but I just like helping others and I try to envision myself in their boots."