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Thursday, November 27, 2008
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CMCC director ends stormy tenure
Senior Reporter Michael Kafka, Central Minnesota Community Corrections director who had a tumultuous tenure, resigned by mutual consent Wednesday.
Kafka weathered a number of storms - including criticisms about his leadership - both from area county commissioners and his staff. Aitkin, Crow Wing and Morrison counties operate Central Minnesota Community Corrections through a joint powers group. Central Minnesota Community Corrections handles adult and juvenile probation and previously operated the Central Minnesota Juvenile Center in Brainerd, which closed in May 2007.
Kafka could not be reached by phone Wednesday afternoon. Kafka became CMCC executive director on Feb. 11, 2005. He was currently making an annual salary of $79,000.
In March, Kafka was directed to produce a written plan to address three main areas: staff morale; trust and confidence of CMCC's partners such as judges, probation officers, county staff and commissioners; and a leadership direction. When criticism arose, Kafka repeatedly said at the time that resistance comes with change. Kafka was hired to help turn the juvenile center around. The center had history of losing money and there were concerns about its programming.
Kafka, hired to turn the center around, had supporters and critics. In 2006, Kafka survived a vote calling for his ouster. The joint powers board defeated a vote to recommend Kafka's firing with seven members voting to keep Kafka and five voting to let him go. Critics said Kafka tried to do too many things alone and created timelines he could not meet. Before its closure, the juvenile center was found to have numerous safety concerns following a three-day inspection by the Minnesota Department of Corrections.
On Nov. 19, a Central Minnesota Community Corrections meeting included a closed session to evaluate Kafka's performance. In a statement Wednesday, Crow Wing County Commissioner Paul Thiede, who is the CMCC Executive Board chairman, said Kafka's departure was mutually agreed upon. Rachel Reabe Nystrom, Crow Wing County Board chairwoman, and Administrator Tim Houle referred all comments on Kafka's resignation by mutual agreement and his tenure to Thiede.
"Community Corrections has a vitally important public safety role in our community and this will provide for a timely examination of our current performance and options to improve," Thiede said in the written statement. "The executive and joint powers boards are committed to ensure we set a course that is aligned with the expectations of the public we serve."
In a phone interview, Thiede said the mutual decision on Kafka's resignation came as a result of the ongoing discussion since March.
"We came to the mutually agreeable position he is going to move on and explore other things and we'll continue to move on," Thiede said.
Community corrections will establish an interim management team, which will meet with the joint powers board in January to talk about the position. Interim management team members are: Tom Rosenthal, Crow Wing County probation office manager; Elizabeth Biggs, Aitkin County probation office manager; Larry Falk, Morrison County probation office manager; Jean Wegen, CMCC central office manager.
RENEE RICHARDSON may be reached at renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5852.
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