I think that Mr. Altenburg is completely unwilling, and perhaps unable, to work constructively with you folks.”

City Attorney Mitch Brunfelt

Related

Investigation showed negligence, favoritism, financial mismanagement

TOWER— By a unanimous vote, the city council here terminated Steve Altenburg from his employment with the city. The move came with relatively little discussion following the completion of a 40-page investigative report that highlighted a pattern of negligence, favoritism, and financial mismanagement by the ambulance director and fire chief. City attorney Mitch Brunfelt told city council that it also reflected Altenburg’s unwillingness to accept the election of Orlyn Kringstad as mayor in 2018.
Altenburg, a longtime political ally of former Tower Clerk-Treasurer Linda Keith, ran unsuccessfully for mayor that same year, losing to Kringstad by a wide margin. Altenburg then launched a campaign of defamation against Kringstad, telling some in the community that he intended to run Kringstad out of town.
That’s an unusual and unacceptable response city attorney Mitch Brunfelt told members of the council on Monday. “What happens in these small communities, every couple of years, the leadership changes, right?” he said. “The voters go to the ballot box and they vote in a new mayor or new councilors. A new administration comes in. A professional department head will respect the will of the people… and work in good faith with that leadership team to advance the interests of city government.”
Based on the findings of his law firm’s investigator, Brunfelt said that hasn’t been the case with Altenburg. “That’s never going to happen here,” he predicted. “I think that Mr. Altenburg is completely unwilling, and perhaps unable, to work constructively with you folks. In fact, not only is he not going to work with you in a constructive way, he, I think, has gone about his business to actually undermine and disrupt city government on a daily and weekly basis. As long as he is a presence in this government, it is going to hold you back considerably and he will continue to be an incredibly disruptive presence in your city government. And guess what, you as the elected officials here, do not have to tolerate that.”
While Brunfelt offered few details about Altenburg’s conduct towards other staff, he said the report is deeply troubling. “The pattern of retaliatory, intimidating, vindictive kind of behavior. I’ve never seen anything like it in local government.”
Kringstad gave Altenburg the opportunity to speak to the report, but Altenburg declined.
Moments later, when prompted by Mayor Kringstad, councilor Rachel Beldo made the motion to terminate Altenburg’s employment with the city, effective immediately. But as Beldo spelled out her motion, resident Karel Winkelaar jumped up to interrupt. “I call bulls___ on that!” he said. Referring to Brunfelt, Winkelaar continued, “I think this guy here is giving his opinion, not a summary, but I call bulls___ on that.”
Kringstad twice tried to gavel Winkelaar out of order and some in the audience also attempted to end his disruption, but Winkelaar continued for a moment more, suggesting that Altenburg was indispensable, before turning and walking out of the council chamber. “I’m out of here,” he said.
Beldo then repeated her motion at the request of clerk-treasurer Victoria Ranua. Councilor Sheldon Majerle seconded the motion for discussion, but later suggested that the matter be tabled until the council could discuss the investigation’s findings in detail in closed session.
“You wouldn’t be able to do that,” said Brunfelt, citing the state’s Open Meeting Law. “You’re beyond the point in this process where you could have a closed meeting.”
With little more discussion, Kringstad called the question and the vote was unanimous to discharge Altenburg.
Kringstad then advised Altenburg that he was not to return to the ambulance and fire hall without two city councilors present and that he should turn in his city equipment, including his radio, laptop computer, and keys.
The council then approved motions to elevate Dena Suikhonen as interim ambulance director and Lance Dougherty as interim fire chief.
Altenburg had no comment during the process and remained in the council chambers through the rest of the meeting.
In related business, the council approved the hiring of Christopher Gianlorenzi as a new paid on-call staff member for the ambulance service, although it remains unclear if Gianlorenzi will be accepting the offer. He had indicated he would need housing during his shifts and the city has since been informed that the ambulance crew would need to vacate the rental house they’ve utilized for the past two years.
Kringstad and councilor Mary Shedd had questioned whether it made sense to hire a new paid on-call staff person given that the council is planning a review of the program, which has sharply increased costs to the ambulance service. But Majerle suggested that the service is shorthanded and could use another EMT. Beldo said the potential new hire should be informed that the program is going to be reviewed.
The council also discussed, but took no action, on a proposal to hire an outside consulting firm to develop a business plan for the ambulance service, which is something that area townships have repeatedly requested as part of discussions over a new agreement to help fund ambulance replacement. At the request of Ranua, two firms did provide detailed proposals to analyze the service’s current operations and produce business plan alternatives. But Ranua acknowledged some sticker shock, with prices ranging from $23,000-$30,000.
Kringstad suggested the city might have the ability to develop a business plan in-house. “Otherwise, we need to determine where we can find the money to do this,” he said.
The council did support a motion by Kringstad to have the clerk-treasurer, mayor, ambulance commission representative, and the ambulance director assess the current status of the paid on-call system and recommend how to proceed with a review.
In other ambulance-related business, the council approved a resolution clearly spelling out that the city’s ambulance replacement account is designated as a restricted fund and that funds can only be drawn from the account with the support of the ambulance commission with subsequent approval by the city.
Other business
The council also greenlighted the drafting of a long-term trail agreement with the Prospector Loop ATV trail group as well as the issuance of a work permit for the project, to allow for a limited amount of tree clearing for a portion of the trail that crosses city property. Club volunteer Dan Broten noted that a route has already been identified and is acceptable to the Howard Wagoner trails club, which manages the city’s cross-country ski trails.
Project Manager Ron Potter told the council that the tree removal work needs to be completed by May 1 in order to meet the requirements of new rules put in place to protect the threatened northern long-eared bat. The city and the trail group will need to work out the terms of a long-term trail agreement, but Potter said that the paperwork likely won’t be done until after the May 1 deadline, which could prevent trail work from getting underway this year as planned.
The Prospector Trail has obtained $3.3 million towards the work. “This was going to be a construction year,” said Potter.
Ranua said the work permit made sense under the circumstances and noted that the trail was consistent with the city’s comprehensive plan, which cites the desire to increase recreational opportunities.
In other action, the council:
• Heard an update from Richard Hanson about the Blandin broadband group’s work. He noted that local funding, combined with matching dollars from Blandin, has generated $112,320 for a feasibility study. Hanson noted that the committee has selected the consultant NeoConnect to develop the study.
• Heard from prospective RV park developer Dave Rose requesting a letter of approval for a conditional use permit so he can begin to move forward with his proposal. Rose said he’s been informed by legal counsel that based on the city’s previous failure to process his requests in a timely fashion, state law automatically grants him his conditional use.
• Approved a quit claim deed to transfer a parcel of land from the city to the Tower Economic Development Authority. TEDA already owns the rest of the property in the newly-created harbor plat and Ranua said the mixed ownership is unusual and could complicate future real estate transactions within the harbor area.
• Approved a resolution to establish a separate bank account for the Hoodoo Point Campground’s operations and a separate money market account for the campground’s capital reserve account, which is financed by a camper surcharge.
• Approved a resolution defining the purposes of several existing money market accounts, including accounts for police car replacement, accumulated sick leave, and fire department capital purchases. Those monies were used in the past for other purposes, without council approval, but the resolution would help clarify that funds from those accounts can only be utilized for their intended purposes.