Two candidates vying to become Winnebago’s next police chief have been interviewed.
Makeup of the committee questioning the candidates may be a little surprising.
“I was involved, but did not sit in on the interviews,” says Eric Olson, former police chief.
After resigning last September, Olson agreed to serve as the city’s Chief Law Enforcement Officer (CLEO) until a new police chief is hired.
As a CLEO, Olson can perform administrative duties and be involved in the hiring process for police chief and officers.
Mayor Scott Robertson and Council member Jean Anderson, both members of the city’s personnel committee, did not participate in the interviews.
“A council member on the personnel committee should be involved,” says Robertson. “I don’t know why we weren’t.”
Robertson says City Administrator Judi Hynes told him she did the interviews with Faribault County Sheriff Mike Gormley and Chief Deputy Scott Adams; Blue Earth Police Chief Tom Fletcher; and, council members Calvin Howard and Paul Eisenmenger.
Winnebago continues to seek applications for a full-time officer on the Minnesota POST board and city websites. So far, three have applied to fill two vacancies and have been undergoing background checks.
The council is scheduled to hold their next meeting beginning at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 14, at the Municipal Center.