Local candidates to interview for county admin. job this week

Published 8:00 pm Sunday, August 27, 2017

Internal candidates for Freeborn County administrator will interview for the position on Tuesday afternoon.

Interviews will occur after the Freeborn County Board of Commissioners earlier this month unanimously approved interviewing Brian Buhmann, Human Services director; Sue Miller, Public Works director; Tom Jensen, Court Services director; Ryan Rasmusson, Freeborn County assessor; and James Everhart, court security officer, for the position after interviewing six outside candidates.

The board plans to discuss the administrator position at its Sept. 5 meeting, said interim Freeborn County Administrator Kelly Callahan. The board could restart the interview process, decide to interview more candidates, hire one of the six outside candidates or five internal candidates, or conduct a second round of interviews with certain candidates.

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As of earlier this month, the six outside candidates for the position were:

Shaun LaDue, former West Des Moines chief of police

Gail Levorson, who as of last month was a graduate assistant in e-learning at Bemidji State University, owner and manager at North Central Development Services and city clerk for the city of Sebeka.

Tom Burke, former Aitkin County Health and Human Services director.

Laura Elvebak, who as of last month was a public sector management consultant and former administrator in Steele and Waseca counties.

Ken Osmonson, whose most recent work experience as of last month was North American operations manager for Valicor. A southern Minnesota native, Osmonson recently moved back to the area.

Tom Meyer, coordinator and attorney for the city of Manly, Iowa.

Callahan has been filling in as interim administrator since former administrator John Kluever resigned in early May after being arrested for driving while intoxicated in Albert Lea.

District 4 Chairman Chris Shoff said he is still open to hiring an outside candidate, saying interviewing internal candidates is “standard practice” in counties across the state.

The next administrator must show enough leadership to help department leaders, help make human resource decisions and help facilitate the direction of the board, he said.

About Sam Wilmes

Sam Wilmes covers crime, courts and government for the Albert Lea Tribune.

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