Long Time St. Cloud Health Director Resigns

ST. CLOUD -- The long-time Director of St. Cloud's Health and Inspections Department, Lisa Schreifels resigned Monday. Schreifels had been the director since 2007.

The resignation comes after it was discovered Val's Rapid Serv had a violation that went unnoticed. The restaurant fixed the violation when the health department found it. The health department inspects everything from restaurants to rentals.

Mayor Dave Kleis says it's important to the city that residents have 100% confidence in their health department.

"It's important at this point, this juncture in time that we have 100% [public] confidence, so we came to the agreement."

Kleis says the agreement for Schreifels to leave was a mutual one. He says her resignation came after the city inspected the health department.

"[We] determined at that point to look at and evaluate the department and inspections, and went through that process, which we completed on Monday."

Kleis adds after the Val's incident, the health department changed its policy immediately. Now asking the question about food storage, where before it was assumed the business was in compliance.

"That precipitated a change that we now asked that question. That [food storage] was always assumed because it's a requirement of the license holder, but we made changes, it's no different than any other aspect of public safety."

Kleis says he has full confidence in the health department, and public safety is his top priority.

The mayor appointed Assistant Director Matt O'Brien to the director role on an interim basis. O'Brien had been the assistant director since 2015.

The city will advertise the assistant director position immediately.