By Sara QuamThe recall election of Councilman Maynard Lafrenz is a dead issue, with no petition turned in to Luverne City Hall by the Monday deadline.Lafrenz said he didn’t want to comment on the recall, but acknowledged the support of many constituents throughout the last month.David Hauge led the recall effort, saying he would file to run against Lafrenz if enough signatures were collected.He said the committee got 378 signatures, but 500 were needed by Monday morning for the recall process to continue.Then, the signatures would have been verified and a special election held.Other people on the recall committee are Gary Kurtz, Shirley Akkerman, David Meyer and Jason Johnson.Hauge said he shut down the signature-gathering after a Rock County Star Herald editorial said the paper would publish names of people who signed the petition."It was a clear-cut intimidation tactic," Hauge said.After the editorial, a handful of people said they wanted their names removed, and he was "torn" about having other people’s names published, too.Even though the petition didn’t get the results Hauge hoped for, he said he doesn’t regret bringing up the issue. "I still think we need some change and some new direction," Hauge said.The petition and recall effort was started after City Administrator Greg La Fond was terminated without cause.Although Mayor Andy Steensma and Council member Esther Frakes also voted in favor of the termination, Lafrenz was the only one petitioned to recall.The formal statement from the committee to start the recall said in part, "City Council Member Maynard Lafrenz has, with no factual basis to support his position, voted to terminate the Employment Agreement of City Administrator Greg La Fond. "Such unwarranted action by Maynard Lafrenz will result in City of Luverne taxpayers and rate payers making payments to La Fond in excess of $50,000. Such expenditures of city funds is neither necessary nor fiscally responsible."The statement also said Lafrenz violated open meeting laws by discussing the termination in closed sessions of small groups of council members to avoid a quorum, even though votes were tallied in those meetings. La Fond had also requested that the meeting be conducted in open session.The committee statement said the actions of Lafrenz opened the city to further litigation and legal liability and has damaged employee morale and efficiency.It’s estimated that the special election would have cost about $2,000 to $3,000. Hauge said, "I love this city. I hope to God in the end that this council does a good job, gets a new administrator and does good things for this city."
