Lake Elmo council offers its city administrator a respite

Peace is threatening to break out in the Washington County city of Lake Elmo after weeks of turbulence.

The City Council is offering City Administrator Dean Zuleger a chance to stay on until at least next January.

The decision Tuesday night came after signs appeared all over town, protesting the idea of a "separation agreement." A rally drew hundreds, and a petition yielded 850 names.

"We listened to the residents," said newly elected council member Julie Fliflet. "What we did tonight was different from going in the direction of a separation agreement. Completely."

Mayor Mike Pearson expressed the hope that Zuleger would agree to stay, and that the stay would end up lasting beyond January. Fliflet said he feels confident he will. "I would imagine that this is what he wanted," she said.

Zuleger, reached Wednesday morning by telephone, said:

"I'm still waiting to have my attorney talk with the city attorney about what exactly was put forth last night. I don't understand the details, so I can't comment."

Zuleger had advanced the idea of a separation agreement in which he would step back into more of a consulting role for a period of time. But some residents suspected the move was ultimately in response to a chillier atmosphere facing him, now that a three-person majority exists that is hostile to the pace of development that the former council agreed to and that Zuleger and his staff oversaw.

Fliflet noted that a guaranteed contract through January makes life more certain for Zuleger than the open-ended arrangement that existed before, subject to being ended at any time.

"We were accused of not listening," she said, "and hopefully this shows that isn't so."

Zuleger supporters had circulated fliers from the last election, highlighting in bright yellow criticisms the two newly elected council members had made when it came to listening. Fliflet had said: "Our City Council continually ignores citizen input. Petitions are ignored. I will genuinely listen and be responsive to resident concerns."