Fort Collins and Utilities Director Kendall Minor are parting ways
Fort Collins Utilities Director Kendall Minor is leaving that position later this month, just shy of two years after joining the city.
A statement released Friday said Minor and City Manager Kelly DiMartino "mutually agreed that a change of direction is needed at Fort Collins Utilities."
Minor's last day will be Jan. 23, Nick Combs, the utility's communications and marketing director, wrote in the statement.
“Over the last two years, Kendall has brought both positive energy and professionalism, and the City is grateful for his commitment to the organization," the statement said.
Deputy City Manager Tyler Marr will become the acting executive director.
On Tuesday, City Council will consider a resolution naming Marr to replace Minor as one of Fort Collins' two representatives on the Platte River Power Authority Board.
Mayor Jeni Arndt is the board's other representative from Fort Collins.
Prior to joining Fort Collins Utilities, Minor was vice president of construction for Cherry Street Energy, an Atlanta-based company that produces renewable electricity for cities, businesses and institutions. He started his career in water and wastewater, according to previous Coloradoan reporting.
The utility has experienced several changes in its top leadership in the past few years.
Kevin Gertig left the job in 2020 after six years as director. Now he's director of Loveland Water & Power and serves on PRPA's board. Theresa Connor served as interim director for nearly two years until Minor's hire. In addition, the department had lost three of its seven upper-level managers in 2020 and 2021.
All of this was happening as the city was in the midst of a dispute with Open International, the company it had hired to create a new utility billing system for electric, stormwater, wastewater and broadband services from the city.
A jury ruled in favor of the city last year after a lawsuit and countersuit were filed.
Fort Collins Utilities has also been under pressure recently from environmental groups that are concerned about PRPA's plans to pursue a permit for a methane gas turbine facility when it has committed to work toward being carbon free by 2030. The utility is owned by the four cities it serves: Fort Collins, Loveland, Longmont and Estes Park.
The Fort Collins Sustainability Group has said the plans run counter to PRPA's efforts to pursue 100% carbon reductions by 2030. Dozens of residents have written letters to City Council and made public comment at council meetings asking the city and its PRPA board representatives to push the utility to try harder to add only carbon-free alternatives.
Editor's note: This is a developing story and could be updated as new information becomes available.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Fort Collins Utilities and director Kendall Minor are parting ways
