HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014 10-22 FBI, sheriff's office combing Maplewood operations MAPLEWOOD REVIEW FBI, sheriff's office combing Maplewood operations
Holly Wenzel request an outside investigation and put original allegations came from a citizen
Review staff together a case for the FBI,along with the or city staffer.
Washington County sheriff's office, and "The investigation may take an und.eter-
FBI and Washington County Sheriffs they are doing it jointly." mined amount of time and whether it will
Department investigators are probing City Asked when Maplewood began its own yield anything is unknown,"Schnell said.
of Maplewood operations,although official investigation, Schnell declined to answer, Asked about a daily newspaper's linking
sources say they cannot say why or even other than to say the FBI and Washington o the FBI investigation with the departure
'`" characterize what's being investigated. County have been involved "within the in April of longtime city staffer Chuck
last couple of weeks." Ahl, Schnell said, "My view is that's truly
'` City requested FBI He would not characterize the nature speculative...they appeared to try to make
Maplewood Police Chief Paul Sch- of the investigation—financial or other- some connection of the dots."
Chuck Ahl ICJ' 2 2 �014 nell said in an interview Friday "We did wise—and would not say whether the
see FBI on page 5
FBI••• OCT 2 2 2 014 council i legal and newspaper classified
t tintich they accepted
about pending litigation or if it be dis- ads; o han hanging a "hug s g n" in her A to en's retirement.
cussing personnel matters about employees area referring to her as a "blond bimbo" Asked about the appointment, then-
continued from page 1 that would fall under data practices laws and of chasing her around a desk and block- Mayor Will Rossbach said, "An external
Maplewood Mayor Nora Slawik also protecting privacy ing her exit from a room. search is probably a $50,000 event. And
declined to say when Maplewood began Ahl announced his retirement prior to Mentes, who was Ahl's administra- nobody knows Maplewood and what's
investigating or what the allegations are the meeting, on April 25, and the meeting tive assistant, also named Shoreview City important to the city better than Chuck."
that concern the city to this extent was canceled. Council members, City Manager Dwight Antonen also praised Ahl as he left
"There's an investigation underway His last day in Maplewood was May 30. Johnson (who had also left the city before the city. "Chuck was the interim city
and I expect an extensive investigation of the suit was filed) and other city officials manager and director of public works
any allegation of illegal activities and there Achievements,settlements in the suit,alleging she was demoted after when I got here, and I promoted him to
needs to be prosecution of anyone involved In a story written prior to his departure her initial complaint and later complaints assistant city manager. I've been putting
to the fullest extent of the law,"she said. "If in May, the Review detailed his history in were ignored. him in positions all around City Hall
any illegal action is proven the city must do the public sector. The suit was settled by Shoreview's ... He's got a really good handle on this
a thorough review of our policies, proce- He started with Maplewood as an assis- insurance carrier, the League of Minnesota city's functions and operations."
dures and internal controls so we can pre- tant city engineer in 1983,a post he held for Cities, before going to court, and Ahl, at Ahl said of his retirement that at 59,
vent this from ever happening again." four years. the time he was appointed Maplewood city he wanted to spend more time at the Fort
He then took a post as city engineer and, manager,said it was sealed and there was a Myers residence he owns with his wife
The Ahl connection later, public works manager for the city of finding of no fault. Betsy. "I came to the conclusion that I
The incident that has attracted attention Shoreview,where he worked until 1992. "Everyone has been aware of it when I've wasn't going to spend another winter away
from City Hall watchers is a scheduled, It was in Shoreview that Ahl's career moved to new cities,"he told the Review. from Florida,"he said.
then canceled, closed-door meeting the city was marked by lurid sexual harassment Ahl spent a brief stint working in the He said some of his more challenging
council had scheduled for April 28. allegations. In 1993, a lawsuit was filed in private sector,then was hired in 1994 as the projects with Maplewood included over-
All that was known about the meeting is U.S. District Court by former Shoreview Burnsville city engineer. seeing the realignment of County Road D
that the council planned to discuss "allega- employee Sharon Mentes,who named Ahl while he was public works director.It was a
tions against a person under the authority as the lead defendant in her case. She also Return to Maplewood major undertaking with myriad impacts on
of the city council." listed 13 other Shoreview employees and In 2001, Ahl returned to Maplewood, neighboring properties.
The only city staffer under the direct officials as defendants. moving up to assistant city manager and He also took pride in his former staffers.
authority of the city council in a Plan B That lawsuit was filed six months after community development director. "We've got a wonderful staff here.I have no
Minnnesota city such as Maplewood is the Ahl had resigned as Shoreview public He was appointed interim city man- concerns about leaving things behind.The
city manager--at that point Chuck Ahl. works director. ager after Jim Antonen retired and then city will be in good hands."
Closed sessions of local government According to a Star Tribune story pub- was hired by the council as permanent
councils or boards,under Minnesota public- lished at the time, Mentes accused All of city manager. Holly Wenzel can be reached at review@
access laws,can generally only be held if the making sexual advances to her in person, The council appointed Ahl to be lillienews.com andby calling 651-748-7817.
city manager in the same May 13,