Posted: 7/20/06
City development planner resigns
By Joel Stottrup
City development planner John Tofte has resigned from his job with the city of Princeton following his termination, with pay, on May 11.
Neither City Administrator Mark Karnowski, who recommended the termination, nor the council, would publicly give a reason.
The council passed a motion last Thursday to authorize Mayor Brian Humphrey and Karnowski to sign the resignation agreement.
The only public comment that might have given an idea for the action came from council member Lee Steinbrecher.
Tofte was "very good technically but does not aggressively sell the city," Steinbrecher said in May.
Tofte had been on the job for five and a half years.
Tofte, in a telephone interview with the Union-
Eagle a few weeks ago, said he didn't know the reason for the termination.
Tofte acknowledged then that his attorney was working with the city attorney on a resignation agreement. "I don't have a choice," Tofte said.
Tofte, in return for the financial package that includes severance pay and owed benefits, has agreed to help the city by training people on how to work with numerous graphic files that Tofte created.
The severance package is not the standard type because instead of being paid in a lump sum, it will be spread out through the last pay period in September. That way Tofte can stay on the city's medical insurance plan through that time.
Tofte has explained the graphic file information to city finance officer Steve Jackson and has promised to do the same to Tofte's successor, who has not yet been named.
Princeton Union-Eagle
P.O. Box 278
Princeton, MN 55371
Telephone: 763-389-1222
Fax: 763-389-1728