Council blasted over city taking over Fun Days

Dec. 7—NORTH MANKATO — Residents blasted the North Mankato City Council for the city taking over Fun Days from the not-for-profit group that has for decades organized the town's most popular event.

Several residents accused City Administrator John Harrenstein of orchestrating a single-handed "hostile takeover" of Fun Days from the Civic and Commerce Association.

Harrenstein left the council chambers Monday before the public open forum. The forums are held immediately after the council meeting is adjourned. His absence drew fire from commenters.

But Councilman Billy Steiner, the longest-serving member of the council, said such a big change in the city's premiere event should have been brought to the council.

"It should be a City Council decision; it shouldn't be the decision of one person to do something like this. Why aren't we as a City Council asked to make a decision on something this important? I think it was totally out of our hands," he said at Monday's meeting.

But the mayor and other four council members all defended the process in a written statement Tuesday to The Free Press.

"There was no action or hostile takeover of this event on the part of our city administrator. Any actions taken by his office or city representatives were communicated with the city council beforehand. We were well informed of the discussions and proposed changes to the organization of our annual Fun Days event," Councilman Jim Whitlock said in the statement.

"It is disappointing the conversations are being mischaracterized at the expense of our staff members."

Councilwoman Diane Norland said in the statement that the city was "engaged in conversation" with the association when "the Civic and Commerce Board voted to end their involvement with the event. There was no action to be taken on the part of the City Council."

Tense forum

The showdown during the public forum also was permeated by tensions between Harrenstein and two former city employees — Lucy Lowry and Lynette Peterson.

Lowry was library director for 16 years before leaving after a series of disagreements with Harrenstein after he became city administrator in 2013. Lowry ran for mayor in 2018.

Peterson was not at the meeting. For 20 years, she was the co-chair, along with the late Denny Kemp, in heading up Fun Days.

Peterson had served for more than a decade as deputy city clerk for North Mankato but left the job shortly after Harrenstein was hired.

Lowry was the first speaker to address Fun Days during the open forum Monday. "I understand that most of the council has had nothing to do with the takeover of Fun Days, but that it's been orchestrated by John Harrenstein."

Anger over letter

During the forum, Mayor Mark Dehen told the residents the city took an interest in the future of Fun Days because they knew Kemp was terminally ill and his death would bring changes to the Civic and Commerce Association. The city asked attorney Randy Zellmer, who is also a member of the association, to be a "liaison" to work with the association to see how the transition and the future of Fun Days would unfold.

Dehen said it was likely the city would have a bigger role — and more liability — in Fun Days and wanted to learn details about the association, such as its legal structure, liability insurance coverage and contracts with groups participating in Fun Days. Zellmer sent an Aug. 12 letter to Kemp and at least some on the association board seeking that information.

Sending the letter to Kemp just prior to his death in late September drew rebukes from several residents.

Pam Habinger, a member of the association board, said sending the letter to a terminally ill man who dedicated his life to Fun Days was a slap in the face. "Shame on you."

Dehen apologized for the timing of the letter but said the city, through Zellmer, reached out to people at the association but got no response.

But others in the association questioned who was contacted.

Brent Blair has been a member of the association for 25 years and said he and, as far as he knew, other members weren't contacted by the city. "It was an insult. Our president was never contacted."

Blair also said that when some association board members and Zellmer finally met at a first face-to-face meeting Nov. 19, it seemed the city already had decided to take over the event but said the association could continue to organize the parade. "Zellmer was not nice. It was 'We're taking over and you can do the parade or not.'"

Others said the parade is a lot of work and brings in no revenue, while other parts of Fun Days brought in revenue the association used to donate to other nonprofits.

The written statement from the city said the communications between the city and association were misrepresented by the speakers at the forum.

"Communication about changes to the event occurred during the pandemic when the event was cancelled and surrounded ideas about reintroducing the event after the cancellation. These meetings were held via Zoom during 2020 with the event organizer. Additional communication includes a July 2021 email to Denny Kemp, a meeting with Board Member Dave Mutch, and subsequent letter based on that conversation sent to the Civic and Commerce Association Board on August 12 by Randy Zellmer, who was retained by the city for the purpose of reaching out to the association," the statement said.

Mutch, a retired business owner and longtime association member, said at the forum that the city could have gotten information about the association and its Fun Days work.

Mutch said Harrenstein came to his house to get comments. "I said Lynette Peterson has the particular information and he should talk to her," Mutch said.

"His response, and I quote, 'That's a nonstarter,'" Mutch said.

"He asked my input and I gave him a direct answer."

In response to Mutch, Harrenstein said in the statement: "My conversation with Mr. Mutch was held at his home and was arranged at the suggestion of Councilor Steiner. We discussed managing the transition of leadership for the event. He raised the idea of contacting a single board member about the transition and I suggested it would be best to send a letter to the entire board. He agreed and the result was the August 12 letter. That letter was an open and honest request for re-engagement with the organization to increase communication and coordination for future events. It is clear the Civic and Commerce Association did not desire any changes."

At the forum, resident Kristi Montandon told the council she was going to make an official request to the city for all records showing exactly who in the association was contacted and when.

She criticized the city for thinking that with Kemp's death the rest of the association would be unfit to carry on Fun Days.

Lowry said Peterson has the experience and is fully capable of continuing to the lead the organizing of Fun Days but implied that Harrenstein simply didn't want to work with her.

Offer to talk

In the written statement, Dehen and Harrenstein said they are committed to a successful 2022 Fun Days, and that while it will be operated differently, they are willing to keep talking with the association.

"The event will be organized differently than in the past, but we look forward to exploring options for their continued participation," Dehen stated.