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Minot council accepts city manager plan; former police chief will not return, interim chief to be hired
Summary
City Manager Harold Stewart recommended that Chief John Klug not return after an independent investigation; the council unanimously approved hiring an external interim chief for 6–12 months and temporarily moving oversight of central dispatch to a management team.
The Minot City Council voted unanimously on Jan. 6 to accept city manager Harold Stewart’s recommendations following an independent investigation into the Minot Police Department, including that Police Chief John Klug will not return to the position and that the city pursue an external interim police chief for six to 12 months.
Stewart told the council the investigation examined allegations of a hostile work environment, staff confidence in leadership, retention, morale and inconsistent disciplinary decisions. “I have considered all the facts, issues, and concerns over the past few months,” Stewart said, urging the council to back recommendations he described as “the best and most responsible path forward for the Minot Police Department, the city of Minot as an organization and our community.”
The council also approved a temporary delegation of oversight for central dispatch to a management team led by Fire Chief Kelly Kronchnabel, Assistant City Manager Tom Joyce and a Minot Police Department representative. The team will review the independent investigation’s findings related to dispatch and recommend any changes or restructuring to the city manager.
Stewart said details of the transition with Klug were being finalized and will be presented to the council for approval. He recommended an external interim chief on an expedited process; he and staff have opened conversations with a recruiting firm and plan to give interested interim candidates the CPSM study and the external report findings to inform their work.
Councilmembers emphasized speed and thoroughness. When asked whether 12 months was sufficient for an interim, Stewart said recruiting discussions indicated an interim longer than 12 months could effectively become a permanent appointment and that the city would consider returning to the council to expedite a nationwide search for a permanent chief if necessary.
City attorney Steph said any written agreement negotiated between city management and former Chief Klug would be memorialized and presented to the council.
A member of the public used the personal-appearance period to criticize conduct by members of the police department while Klug led it, describing incidents of what the speaker characterized as harassment and misuse of official capacity.
The council approved Stewart’s recommendations by unanimous vote and directed staff to proceed with the interim recruitment and the temporary dispatch oversight arrangement.
