HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014 05-07 Chuck Ahl to retire MAPLEWOOD REVIEWLinda Baumeister/Review
After 30 years in city government,. Chuck Ahl .is retir-
ing from his latestposition as Maplewood City
Manager.
MAY Q'7 Z014
u C ,
.111... .; . -
MAY 0 4
•
O retire,
continued.from page 1 administrative assistant, "There is no past for - take ; advanta e- of -the
g
also. named, Shoreview me as 'an elected official.'proximity
City
Council members, that .doesn't have a.mark As he gets ready to
tion is the city manager - :City Manager
. Dwight by. Chuck Ahl. I have . a leave' his .post, the next
a ,position curreritly held Johnson, who had.. also hard time envisioning city' �rnanager is yet o_be
Maplewood city manacrQer� .
b
by Ahl: left .Shoreview before my position with you determined. But Ahl has
Once Ahl's retirement
"she
headingto Florida
the suit was filed and not here said. "You confidence. in the people.:
'was announced April 25 1. other. city officials in the have no�idea how.inuch, whofill in. until a'.
.,wilt.-
the closed session: was ..
suit, alleging she was , of what goes. on "here new person is hired
`canceled.
- . -.:. after,29,_years _ of
demoted afterher initial is; .attached to Chuck's "re've ; got a wonder-
Chuck Bethel, the complaint:and.later'.com--'efforts and dedication in ful staff here-. I have no
�"
`
government service
city's. human, resources pl It's g
aintswere gnored some, way. going to.. • concerns .a bout leaving
attorney, said h e The suit . was settled seemJar beyond weird things -behind. The city
couldn't
comment on before oin to tour "' »
the closed, session, call- g g . t and for him not.to be here. will be in good hands.
Tim wastaifsf
Maplewood; officials .say The decision. to retire
ing it "private data" the case has been sealed .came during, this year's Tim, Faklis can."`be
Bethel also said A.hl s
by a
City Manager Chuck Ahl started his career in
gag order.unusually, harsh win- reached`at651-748-'7814.
retirement benefits plan At th& _time of his ter, the- 59 -year =old Ahl br t aklis@lillienews.com. `
will be the same as every ', 1'I -
A.��R4•.�313J�,1 1 i.7 ... j`� � '
Maplewood, and three decades later he's finishing
his career in Ma lewood. Despite a 14 -year a
p p• Y gap
Y
a ,_ :oi i•1 m6.nf . to li.e -Said::' a and }fir
k>bi er�'`e np�l'oyee� o tie 3srr : u �.� a. r,c� . 5f; Qr_.T�� i� .) E T-,
r ' ` _ ,, ; -;;,.4 Iewooc .city'. nra.ne;f own a residence
city
-
away from the city, he says confidently than his
Prior to his tune as. ager,; Ahl .said the .`suit, ..in Florida; -and because
resolved ".Betsy
"baseball cap -will have a Maplewood logo on it."
Maplewood city man- was and; settled works from home,
Minnesota League
After 29 years working in city government,
" maim y in the east metro, Ahl decided to hang up
by the she has had the ability to
ager, Ahl's past in public of Cities with a .find- work in Florida during
service included -a sexual
that hat; announcing his retirement at the Monday,
y
A ril city council meeting,
p ty g•
g in �� ,
one has been awareVof Y the winter- months But
harassment lawsuit filed � -- - - - -
it : Ahl's duties as city man-
U.S:
_28
He has a wealth of knowledge about the city's
in District Court . when, I've moved to new - ager, didn't allow him
in 1993 in which Ahl »
infrastructure and leaves behind an impressive
.track- record, including overseeing the large-scale
was named as the lead cities. that option:
IThen -mayor will Ross "I got my finances din
defendant, along with 13.
County Road -D. realignment and. the number of
bath. said that .the law- order; and I. came to the
other Shoreview employ- suit was "non -issue"
attached projects that came along with it dixring his :.
tenure as public works director.
a conclusion that I wasn't
ees and officials: for the .Maplewood City going to. spend another
Ahl's work with the city dates. back- to -1983,
when he was, a Maplewood assistant city engineer
The lawsuit was filed `Council and staff: winter away from Flor-
sig months after Ahl 'When .Chuck was. ida," :he said. "I still.
resigned his position as hired
for four years._ Hethen made hzs_ way to Shoreview _
to take the role of director o£ public works and city
for the second time have some roots in Min-
public works director. ' . .
According a Star- (in 2001) it was very nesota, so I'll still spend
en sneer until 1992.. °
g
to out in the: open :and he some time here, but the
Tribune story. published :made
After a brief stint in, the private sector, he was
hired in'1994 994 as the Burnsville city engineer; a job
sure everyone in -. retirement for-. me is
at the time,: then -cit y the city knew what the.. about Florida. It's always
employee Sharon Men-
he held until 2001.. That same year Ahl returned
situation was," Rossbach been a dreain.'I'm ready
tes .accused Ahl of mak- said.
to Maplewood, and hes been . a fixture in the city
offices ever since, moving his way up to assistant
to move on."
ing sexual advances to Thecouple will be Iiv-
.,
her in person, via city p
city manager/community development director to
eventuallybecoining city manager.
Time for -a change ing in Fort Meyers, Fla.,
email and in newspa- A h T' s r e t i r e xn e ri t where Chuck intends to
His , last da at .Ma Maplewood Cit Hall : will -be Fri-
y y ,
per classified ads, hang -announcement brought . spend- the majority of his
ixig a "huge sign" in hex
.day, May 3o.
forth some fond stories, time golfing, and es,
; work area referring to $ g' ' Y
Before. Ahl's retirement. announcement there
�.
with perhaps the kind-- watching `spring training
her as a "blonde bimbo"
was aclosed session on the -agenda at the Apn1 28
"`allegations
est words. coming from' baseball. The Minnesota -
• and chasing her around longtime cit council
council meeting, with plans to discuss
against a person. under the authority of the city " `
'only
, .a desk and blocking g y _ Twins' .spring training
;her exit from a room, member. Kathleen'Juezi- 'facility is located in Fort
council." The city employee with., that distinc=
Mentes; who was �Ahl's , emann. Meyers, and he plans to. `
see -Ahl on page 3 ` .