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Duluth personnel committee interviews UMD professor for WLSSD board appointment
Summary
The Duluth City Council personnel committee interviewed Nathan Johnson, a professor in the civil and environmental engineering program at the University of Minnesota Duluth, for a seat on the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District board.
The Duluth City Council personnel committee interviewed Nathan Johnson, a professor in the civil and environmental engineering program at the University of Minnesota Duluth, on his candidacy for a seat on the nine-member Western Lake Superior Sanitary District (WLSSD) board, committee chair Councilor Azrin Al said during the meeting.
The committee heard that WLSSD (doing business as Resource Renewal) is governed by a nine-member citizen board with four members appointed by the city of Duluth, three by the city of Cloquet and one elected by Carlton County cities and townships that the district serves. "The makeup of the board is defined in Minnesota statutes within WLSSD's enabling legislation," Councilor Azrin Al said during the interview.
Johnson told the committee he has been on the UMD campus for about 15 years teaching and researching topics related to environmental and wastewater engineering. "The mission ... of what WLSSD or Resource Renewal is trying to do is very close to my area of technical expertise," Johnson said, adding he has worked with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency on research projects.
When asked how his background would benefit the board, Johnson described his degrees and applied research experience. He said he holds a bachelor's, master's and Ph.D. in environmental engineering and that his recent work has shifted toward engineered systems and wastewater topics.
Councilors asked about diversity, equity and inclusion work. Johnson described committee and search work at UMD intended to broaden faculty recruitment: he said he had chaired committees that worked to recruit applicants from diverse backgrounds and to meet departmental guidelines and goals on representation.
Councilor Dirwachter (phonetic spelling in transcript) praised Johnson’s interest and noted family ties to the wastewater field. Johnson acknowledged limits in his administrative experience and said, if appointed, he would rely on existing board members and staff to learn organizational and administrative duties.
No formal vote or appointment occurred during the interview. Councilor Al said the appointment — "alongside the other appointment" — will be brought forward on the council agenda scheduled for Aug. 1 for formal consideration and any vote.
The personnel committee concluded the interview after questions from councilors and staff.
