By Lori Ehde
Luverne Public Utilities Director Red Arndt submitted a letter to City Hall this week announcing his pending retirement.
"It is with great regret and anticipation that I submit this letter of resignation, effective Sept. 30, 2003," he wrote in a letter addressed to City Administrator Matt Hylen.
The letter was dated March 10, but received on file at City Hall March 17.
Arndt was hired as public utilities director for the city on Oct. 30, 1989.
"It has been my genuine pleasure to work for the City of Luverne for the past 14 years," he wrote.
"Many projects have been accomplished during that time with the help of knowledgeable staff and a progressive City Council."
His letter spoke of good times ahead for Luverne.
"The way it looks, the future will be just as exciting with the new hospital, the building of the Lewis and Clark Rural Water System and the completion of the electrical systems upgrade," Arndt wrote.
"All of these projects will definitely move Luverne ahead of other cities into the 21st Century."
He told Hylen the Sept. 30 effective date would give him time to wrap up several projects he’s currently working on.
"If I may be of assistance in the hiring process or training of my replacement, please know that I will gladly make myself available in order to make this a smooth transition."
Arndt’s letter makes no reference to the troubled city electrical department.
Gangestad:
‘It’ll be nice now’
His timing coincides with an arbitrator’s recent ruling to rehire electric worker Mike Gangestad, who had been "wrongfully terminated."
Gangestad’s termination last spring was issued in the wake of two OSHA citations and $58,000 in fines for the city of Luverne following accidents in October and December 2001 when one man was killed and another lost his forearm.
Arndt received a five-day suspension, but Gangestad told the Star Herald in a Feb. 27 story he thought Arndt should have accepted more responsibility for the accidents.
"I think he’s retiring to save his ass from getting fired," Gangestad said Wednesday.
"If they know he’s leaving voluntarily the incentive to fire him is greatly diminished."
Since the arbitrator’s ruling, the city has been negotiating with Gangestad’s union representative on a possible severance package instead of hiring him back.
Meanwhile, Gangestad remains on paid leave until that agreement is final.
"They have to pay me until the day I go back to work," he said, "so I’m sitting here getting paid."
With City Administrator Matt Hylen leaving his position (see related story) and Arndt’s notice of retirement, Gangestad said there’s more incentive for him to return to work.
"It’ll be nice now," he said. "It’ll be just like before, only better."
