So I’ve seen some weird things in small town SD government, but this takes the cake. In one short meeting in August in the little town of Baltic, Mayor Weldland calls the meeting to order, resigns, swears in a new mayor than takes a PAID position of city administrator for $65K a year.

No I didn’t make this stuff up (DOC: 081418_Baltic)

THE BALTIC CITY COUNCIL MET IN REGULAR SESSION ON AUGUST 14, 2018. Mayor Wendland called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM.

g. Mayor Wendland presented his letter of resignation as Mayor effective immediately. Grunewaldt made a motion to accept his resignation and thanked him for his service. Second by Drayer. All Ayes.

h. Jenks made a motion to appoint Scott Grunewaldt as Mayor to serve a term of 10 months until the next regular election. Second by Hotzler. All Ayes. Hoefert gave Grunewaldt the Oath of Office.

i. Grunewaldt nominated Tracy Petersen of Baltic for appointment as Alderman Ward 2. Drayer made a motion to appoint Tracy Petersen as Alderman Ward 2 for a term of 10 months until the next general election. Second by Hotzler. All Ayes. Hoefert administered the Oath of Office.

j. Personnel – deferred until after Executive Session.

Personnel – Jenks made a motion to appoint Mike Wendland as City Administrator/Economic Development Coordinator at an annual salary of $65,000 with a start date of September 4, 2018. Second by Hotzler. All Ayes.

Oh, and the rumors get even better. Mr. Wendland is said to be the preferred candidate to be appointed to the Minnehaha County Commission if one of the elected Republican incumbents chooses to resign shortly after being re-elected.

Weird Sh*t indeed.

8 Thoughts on “Baltic Mayor resigns then becomes PAID administrator

  1. D@ily Spin on October 14, 2018 at 7:12 pm said:

    That’s entertainment. Instead of celebrity impressions, this guy does political impressions. Can he do Trump?

  2. Interesting, if someone did resign who would it be? Isn’t there a selection process to for the county commission?

  3. T – A county commissioner can resign for ANY reason. So after the November election, a re-elected commissioner can resign, or wait for two years to resign (than the next commission election would happen). If they resign before than, the CC would pick a replacement. The last time they did this was with Jean Bender. They did an application process and behind closed doors picked ‘finalists’ to vote on. It is really quite easy to get appointed to the CC if you have the right connections. Just ask Bender.

  4. Next you are going to tell me that a School Board Member will end their term and then get a “Golden Parachute Job” with the Board…. Oh never mind, that’s already happen…

    Then next, you will tell me that a teenager, who is re-elected to the PUC, will then resign to become a Governor’s Chief of Staff, but then resign from that position when the FBI shows up to investigate EB5….. Oh never mind, that’s already happen, too….

    But it is a good thing that only about 17% of the current legislators in Pierre were initially appointed to their legislative position by the Governor. Because that means that only about 1/6 of the our state legislators are actually bona fide members of the South Dakota House of Lords legislative branch…. Whew……

  5. during the time he was Baltic’s mayor, he was also a manager at CB

    maybe he knew he was going to get caught up in the down-sizing that is happening at citi

  6. It would be a shame to think that a vote for Beninga was actually a vote for someone else, or better yet, a waste of a vote…. Best vote for the Dems, they plan to stick around….

    (“I’ve never voted for a resignation before, well, actually not since the time I voted for Nixon in ’72, that is…”)

    (“Say, where can a guy get one of those stickers?…That says, ‘Sticking Around?'”)

    #StickingAround?

  7. I never said it was Beninga, but if I was a guessing man that would be the one since I doubt Cindy wants to leave the commission, she’s a lifer.

    I also know that Beninga’s employer, Active Generations are on the fence about him on the CC. And he had to get permission to run this time. Makes you wonder how that conversation went.

    If ‘someone’ does resign after the election, it will be interesting hear their ‘excuse’.

  8. I am hearing its Beninga.

    (“Been through Beninga, but now who?”)

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