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Police chief out Boser's resignation accepted Staff Writer PIERZ - Steve Boser is no longer Pierz's police chief.
The Pierz City Council, in an unanimous vote Monday, accepted Boser's resignation effective March 3 - the day Boser submitted his letter of resignation at Pierz City Hall.
Boser had been on paid administrative leave since Feb. 19 as the city council investigated allegations of misconduct by the former chief.
City Administrator Michael DeRosia said Boser's letter of resignation was not to be considered a public document and he did not release it.
DeRosia also said he couldn't discuss the details of the allegations against Boser or whether there was an active investigation against the former police chief.
"I wish I could, but at this time we cannot," DeRosia said following Monday's council meeting.
Boser was the department's only full-time employee and served as police chief for almost 20 years. The police department also has four part-time officers, one of whom, Doug Rekstad, will serve as interim police chief until a new chief is hired. The council Monday approved raising his pay from $16 to $20 an hour.
DeRosia told the council he would be working on a severance package for Boser in the coming days, per city policy.
The council Monday also unanimously approved the process to find Boser's replacement. To be competitive, Mayor Toby Egan suggested a starting salary of $40,000 to $50,000 be advertised. The council also agreed to set up an interview committee consisting of council members, a school board member, the Pierz School District Superintendent and the Pierz fire chief, among others.
"I've had a lot of people ask me whether we're going to fill the chief's position," Egan said. "I think we need a police chief and we're going to need a lot of help. We're starting from scratch."
Added council member Herb Broschofksy: "I think that position is a big asset to the city."
It was the consensus of the city council that the police chief position be filled by mid May.
"I think if you get a number of good applicants, you can move as quickly as you want," DeRosia said.
In other action, the council:
Agreed by a 4-1 vote to pay an increase of $300 a month for rent on the building housing the Pierz Area Library. Voting against was City Clerk Kathy Kahlhamer. The council also agreed to send letters to townships within the Pierz School District to gauge interest in helping to pay the rent increase. The increase puts the rent on the building at $575 a month.
Accepted the 2007 annual audit from Mary Backlund, a Little Falls-based certified public accountant. In a brief presentation before the council Monday, Backlund said the city's audit showed strong fund balances.
Was informed by the Minnesota Department of Transportation that the reconstruction of Highway 25 through Pierz would be delayed until 2010. The project was originally scheduled for 2009 but was delayed because of a city-requested change in project scope from a simple mill and overlay to a reconstruction that would include utilities, sidewalks curb, gutter and lighting that would raise the project cost from $500,000 to $3.5 million.
MATT ERICKSON may be reached at matt.erickson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5857.
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