Firing of Twin Cities watershed chief leads to backlash, questions

The firing of a longtime leader of one of Minnesota's largest watershed districts has set off questions from residents and west metro cities about the future of an agency that oversees some of the most iconic waterways in the Twin Cities — from Minnehaha Falls to Lake Minnetonka.

In a split decision in April, the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District's board of managers fired district administrator Eric Evenson-Marden after 15 years in the top spot.

Now, more than five months later, that decision is still deeply dividing the board, triggering questions about its transparency and drawing criticism from city officials, residents and a former legislator.

"I've never seen any organization in Minnesota in my 40 years with more dysfunction and lack of good governance," said Greenwood resident Michael Osterholm, a state infectious-disease expert who is on a committee of citizens advising the board.

The watershed district, which will post the job for a new leader Oct. 27, is also looking to hire a mediator. The board's split, some of the managers say, has affected the district's public work, which is partly why Osterholm and others want Hennepin County to intervene.

Although the board approves taxes on residents — next year's preliminary levy is $8.3 million — its managers aren't elected; the county appoints six of the seven. But county commissioners have declined to get involved.

"Policy decisions about District management and water quality have obviously been impassioned to the point of becoming personal," Commissioner Mike Opat wrote in August to watershed leaders. "However in the normal course of policymaking, strong personalities clash and Boards sometimes struggle to reach consensus. I trust that the current clashes in the MCWD can be worked through internally."

On April 24, after congratulating Evenson-Marden on the district winning an award, the board reviewed his performance in a closed session. He said in an interview he knew some board managers had communication concerns, but, "I thought, 'Good, we can resolve this.' "

Instead, the board voted 4-3 to terminate him and immediately relieved him of his duties. Managers Sherry Davis White, Richard Miller, Brian Shekleton and Jeff Casale voted to fire him; Jim Calkins, Pamela Blixt and Bill Olson opposed it.

In a letter in the Sun Sailor, Davis White wrote that "a majority of the MCWD Board concluded we needed new leadership to take the organization to a higher level of effectiveness in future years."

But Evenson-Marden said he was blindsided after 15 years of reviews that he said were satisfactory or exceeded expectations. "I loved the work I was doing," he said.

He could be dismissed without cause, and, as a result, the board hasn't given a reason — something citizens on the watershed's advisory group have questioned.

"We're just asking for what happened," said Tom Casey, a Mound attorney on the volunteer committee. "I do think the public deserves to know, certainly because of the expense of a replacement. … We as taxpayers should have a good idea if this is a wise thing to do."

According to the watershed district, it has spent nearly $57,000 on legal fees and public relations related to firing Evenson-Marden; $100,166 for his annual salary through Oct. 24, which was required by his contract if he was dismissed with less than 90 days' notice; $50,083 for his severance package, and $39,000 to $58,000 for interim administrator Jeff Spartz's six-month contract — totaling about $250,000 for the leadership transition.

Now the controversy has stretched beyond the boardroom and beyond being about Evenson-Marden.

Orono, Spring Park, Minnetrista, Deephaven, Independence, Shorewood, Victoria and Greenwood have urged the district to broadcast its meetings to be more transparent to its residents. Last Monday, Excelsior became the ninth city to make the request.

The board plans to discuss a proposal for videotaping its meetings on Nov. 6.

After the board fired Evenson-Marden, the three board managers against it didn't attend several meetings, until June. Governance policies haven't been followed, Calkins said. Committee meetings, Blixt said, have been canceled.

"It's very disappointing to be part of a dysfunctional government," she said. "It's clear the work just isn't getting done. We'd rather be spending our time [on] … invasive species, water quality issues, flooding. And here we are, dealing with this issue."

Added Olson: "For crying out loud, it's water. How can you possibly introduce politics or corruption into something so fundamental?"

Davis White, Casale and Shekleton, who's also an aide to County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin, all disagree, saying that the district is moving forward with its work, responding to record-level flooding last summer and an increase in permits.

"I've seen a level of political theater that extends beyond honest disagreement," Shekleton said of the advisory committee. "I would hope they'd focus more on water quality issues instead of attempting to say there are governance problems when our experience this summer shows there wasn't."

In July, the advisory committee approved a vote of "no confidence" in the board. It also requested that Hennepin and Carver counties' boards do a review of the Watershed District and asked the Hennepin County Board to consider removing Casale because of his behavior toward Jon Monson of Deephaven, who questioned Evenson-Marden's dismissal. The committee said Casale was "abusive" toward Monson at a meeting, repeatedly swearing at him and refusing to let him speak.

Casale issued an apology and said in an interview that he "just became a lightning rod."

"Things have calmed down dramatically," he said of the watershed board, saying they are now reaching consensus. "The only turmoil has been on one decision."

In letters to Watershed District leaders, Opat and Commissioner Jan Callison said Casale's behavior didn't rise to the level of removal.

"I don't appoint managers and then expect them to take direction from the County Board," Callison said in an interview. "I expect them to make good judgments and do their work."

Evenson-Marden said he has hired an attorney and is "keeping my options open." The district has hired St. Paul-based Springsted Inc. to conduct a search for a new district administrator, who's expected to start in February. In January, Hennepin County will start accepting applications for two board spots up for reappointment — Davis White's and Casale's. And the board will continue to discuss finding a mediator.

"This is like seeing a good therapist or a marriage counselor," Spartz said. "Just left to itself, I don't think the board will heal." Osterholm and others agree, but say the county needs to get involved.

"It's sunk to new lows," Shorewood Mayor Scott Zerby added. "It's [the county's] responsibility to have a functional board."

Retired legislator Gen Olson, who got to know Evenson-Marden while on the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee, agreed.

"[Evenson-Marden's firing] was the trigger that revealed [the board's] polarization," she said. "To see this come into turmoil and you see it as a power struggle, over what? It's not that everyone has to agree with everyone, but there has to be some civility."

Kelly Smith • 612-673-4141