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Luverne city administrator announces Dec. retirement

Lead Summary
By
Lori Sorenson

Luverne City Administrator John Call formally announced his retirement at the Tuesday, May 24, city council meeting.
“The last 17 years in Luverne have been the highlight of my 35-year career in city management,” Call wrote in his resignation letter to the council.
“With a progressive mayor and council and highly competent department heads and employees, we have been able to move the city forward in many areas of economic development, housing and quality of life while at the same time delivering great city services on a daily basis.”
Mayor Pat Baustian thanked Call for his contributions.
“You’ve done a phenomenal job and we have been privileged to have you as an administrator,” Baustian said.
“I look back on the projects we have done the last 17 years, and it is remarkable what we have all accomplished. Because of your relationship-building, your communication ability … you’ve always put our community first. Thank you.”
The list of projects includes nearly $50 million in city capital improvements.
“Some of them were generational things, in terms of just needing to be done,” Call said. “Hopefully what we’ve accomplished together will be there for the next 40 to 50 years.”
Call’s retirement will be effective Dec. 31, 2022, which will allow six months to fill his position.
At Tuesday’s meeting, the council also took action to establish a city administrator recruitment committee to fill Call’s position.
Committee members include Craig Oftedahl, Mike Cox, Ashley Kurtz, Tim Gust, Caroline Thorson, Mayor Baustian and Connie Connell.
City Clerk Jessica Mead has also been working with the League of Minnesota Cities and other professional development colleagues to establish a recruitment plan.
Call, 63, said he and his wife, Brenda, will continue living in Luverne, and he will work with the council to ensure a smooth transition to the next administrator.

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