New Deputy Sheriff, Law Librarian introduced

By Robert Williams

Editor

The Becker County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on Tuesday, Jan. 16, to support an Active Transportation (AT) Infrastructure Program grant application by the City of Frazee to seek state funding in the amount of $650,000 for the construction of trails within Wannigan Regional Park.

The State and Minnesota Department of Transportation requires that an AT project must have a sponsoring agency to review, approve, and if necessary, maintain the project.

The City of Frazee has committed to funding and maintaining the project as it is an essential part of its local infrastructure.

The county agreed to act as sponsoring agency for the project and James Olson, County Highway Engineer, was authorized to act as agent on behalf of Becker County.

New Law Librarian

Josh Haugen was introduced by County Attorney Brian McDonald as the new Law Librarian. Haugen has been an attorney in the county for the past 12 years.

A Fargo native, Haugen enlisted and served three years of active duty in the United States Army. Josh was a soldier in the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. 

After completing his enlistment term, Haugen returned home to Fargo and attended North Dakota State University where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. Haugen then worked at a bank for three years before attending law school at the University of North Dakota. During law school, he also interned with Legal Services of North Dakota. Haugen is licensed to practice law in the state of Minnesota and is also admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, and the White Earth Tribal Court. Haugen is a past president and a member of the Becker County Bar Association and a member of the Minnesota State Bar Association. 

Haugen replaced Bill Wilson, who retired late last year.

New Deputy Sheriff

Sheriff Todd Glander swore in Becker County Deputy Sheriff Eugene Clark.

Clark’s father Eugene Clark, Sr., was a veteran of the county sheriff’s office for more than 30 years and pinned the badge on his son during the ceremony.

Clark introduced himself and gave a brief history of his work with the county that began in 2005 aS a boat and water officer. He worked as a White Earth Police Officer for 18 years.

“It’s always been my dream to work for the county and follow in my dad’s footsteps,” Clark said. “It’s fulfilling a dream to be able to retire from where my dad retired from.”

Glander performed the ceremonial oath.

County Administrator

The evaluation of County Administrator Pat Oman, which had taken up much of the past two board meetings, with bickering between commissioners, was an unusually quiet topic on Tuesday.

Oman was rumored to be accepting a position with the city of Fort Meade, Fla., but a report from the Lakeland Ledger newspaper reported that the offer to Oman was rescinded after new commissioners came on board following a recent election.

Oman’s evaluation by the Becker County board is scheduled to be completed at the Feb. 6 meeting.

During Tuesday’s open forum, the treatment of Oman by members of the board was addressed by Detroit Lakes resident Brian Ahlsten.

Ahlsten had attended the Jan. 2 meeting and appeared Tuesday demanding the board issue an apology to Oman.

Oman has been the center of criticism from multiple members of the board as the commissioners have attempted to complete a job evaluation of Oman dating back to December. Those attempts have turned into finger-pointing and insults hurled between commissioners and also at Oman.

“It’s normal in somebody’s career to look for other job opportunities; that’s something that happens in everybody’s career and it’s expected,” said Ahlsten.

Oman had been entertaining a city position in Florida and was questioned whether he had accepted the position or signed a contract with Fort Meade by Commissioner Barry Nelson during the first meeting of the year on Jan. 2.

Ahlsten addressed Nelson’s questioning and shared his opinion on such an inquiry.

“The question to another employee of, ‘Are you looking for work? Have you signed a contract?’ is, to me, improper,” said Ahlsten. “I can’t imagine, in my prior employment experience, an employer coming and asking me that question. That just does not seem correct.”

Ahlsten also stated the multiple tabling of Oman’s job review was inexplicable.

“The move to do that was hostile, in my view; it shouldn’t have been done,” Ahlsten said. “It looks like a disruption to an employee’s life. That’s the only thing I can come up with why that was done. It is my belief that the board owes Mr. Oman an apology.”