(Spirit Lake)– Pete Hegeman still has a job as Spirit Lake City Administrator.
Following public comments that went for about an hour and a closed session that laster almost an hour. the Spirit Lake city council voted five-to-nothing late Wednesday afternoon to reappoint Hegeman.
Of the 30 or so people who spoke, only one spoke in favor of the council NOT reappointing Hegeman.
In addition to the unanimous vote to reappoint Hegeman, the council also voted unanimously for the city to pick up any legal expenses Hegeman has incurred.
A commonly asked question as to what it was that led up to the council considering terminating Hegeman was never answered by council members.
Councilman Jeff Thee, who vigorously defended Hegeman, described efforts to oust him as a “witch hunt” saying it’s “schoolyard mentality of we don’t like that guy, let’s get him”.
Councilman Kevin Bice told KUOO news he believes the matter was the result of a misunderstanding some council members had in the past, and admitted there had been an error in judgement, saying irrational decisions had been made. Bice apologized to Hegeman and his family.
Emotions ran high during Wednesday’s meeting that was attended by a crowd that overflowed the city council chambers.
Hegeman has been Spirit Lake City Administrator 26 years.
