In late December 2015, we posted about how Houston Co commissioners' move to ignore planning board term limits roils SE MN.
Now Caledonia Argus editor Daniel McGonigle reports in Kruse resigns from Planning Commission, BOA:
Glenn Kruse has submitted his resignation to the boards of both the Planning Commission and the Board of Adjustment.
Kruse submitted his resignation in the afternoon of Monday, Feb. 1.
“We thank him for his years of service,” said county commissioner Steve Schuldt.
No reason was given to the board for his resignation. However, the re-appointment to the planning commission seat became a contentious one in recent weeks.
On a 3-2 split vote, the county board voted to appoint Mr. Kruse to the commission.
This unleashed a flurry of attacks on the long-time official, who by all accounts served admirably in his time on the seat.
In recent weeks following several discussions, it came to light that the county has a rule in place that states “no more than one (1) voting member of the commission shall be an officer or employee of the county.”
Given that Mr. Kruse also serves as a drop site supervisor, commissioner Justin Zmyewski felt that the county was in violation on this matter as commissioner Dana Kjome who also serves on the planning commission would fill the role as that one “officer.”
It is not known if this is the reason that Mr. Kruse stepped away from the boards that he has served on as board chairman Judy Storlie stated he simply submitted his resignation with no reason stated.
As we had noted in December:
In 2013, the Houston County Board voted that anyone who serves three consecutive 3-year term on the planning and zoning board must sit out for one term at the end of that service.
In short: term limits.
Now the move by three Houston County board members to ignore those limits in re-appointing a board member to his fourth consecutive term is receiving sharp criticism in the largely rural county in Minnesota's southeastern corner.
Many critics believe the action illustrates a pro-frac sand mining bias on a county board that flouts its own rules.
Last week, the Caledonia Argus, the local paper, reported the news in Two appointed to Planning and Zoning Board: Now the rest of the story.
But the Argus editor didn't stop with reportage. On the op-ed page, Daniel McGonigle wrote in It’s beyond time for us to be represented by someone who governs fairly and doesn’t bend the rules for their own agendas.
Perhaps Kruse's departure, for whatever reason, will help the dust settle in southeast Minnesota.
Map: Where Houston County's at.
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