Resignation of mayor is sought by councilman in Spicer

SPICER -- Councilman Troy Block asked for Spicer Mayor Perry Wohnoutka's resignation Wednesday.

Block made the request in the form of a motion at the end of Wednesday's Spicer City Council meeting.

"I think moving forward now, seeing as we are losing some of our employees, we need to keep this as positive as we possibly can," Block said. "And so along those lines, I would make a motion that Mayor Perry Wohnoutka resign his position immediately."

There was no second for the motion.

The mayor later said he intends to continue serving.

"I was elected to do this position and I will continue to do the best job I possibly can," Wohnoutka said.

In the last month, two city employees have notified the City Council of their resignations. City Administrator Kimberly Wothe resigned from her position Feb. 13 after nearly 12 years as the city's manager and financial officer.

Wothe has accepted an administrative position with the Let's Go Fishing with Seniors organization. Her last day with the city of Spicer is Friday.

Jean Spaulding, director of the Spicer Economic Development Authority since 2000, has notified the council of her resignation, though no date has been set. Spaulding has been chosen as the assistant director to the Kandiyohi County and City of Willmar Economic Development Commission.

Councilman Ron Schneider followed Block's motion by saying he would "discourage the mayor" from resigning from his post.

"I have no plans of doing so," Wohnoutka responded.

Schneider said during discussion that making such a decision "would set a very dangerous precedent" for the city of Spicer. Schneider also said he was not trying to protect anyone but was more worried about the citizens' confidence in their city government.

Council members Terry Holmquist and Robert Lindahl did not speak on the matter.

Following a short discussion by Schneider, Block and Wohnoutka, Block's motion was still on the table. The motion never received a second.

"That's funny," Block said. "Well then. Personally, that's my belief."

Wohnoutka's recent court cases were not part of the discussion Wednesday evening. He is currently on probation for a misdemeanor assault conviction stemming from a bar brawl after a night of drinking Sept. 1 at Melvin's on the Lake in Spicer. Wohnoutka told the judge during his Feb. 15 sentencing on the matter that he had achieved just under 100 days of sobriety and apologized for embarrassing his family and constituents.

Wohnoutka had entered treatment at Project Turnabout in Granite Falls in early November.

Also on Feb. 15, a harassment restraining order against the mayor expired. Dan Haats, the Spicer public works director, had sought the order following numerous confrontations between the two.

Block said he appreciated Wohnoutka's efforts to get his personal life in order, but he said he had been getting a lot of negative feedback from citizens.

"I've got nothing but positive feedback from every individual I've talked to in the city," Wohnoutka said. "No one has ever asked me to resign. From day one, nobody has ever asked me to resign or have I ever heard from a single citizen, other than yourself right now, that they would want me to resign."