Council hires Sugden as Hallock city clerk

By Anna Jauhola
In a special meeting, the Hallock City Council voted to hire Aimee Sugden as the new city clerk.
On Thursday, Oct. 24, the council met to discuss the personnel committee’s recommendations on the final two candidates for the job recently vacated by Angela Grafstrom.
Councilor Naomi Larson called Sugden on Thursday evening to inform her of the council’s decision and Sugden accepted the position.
The city received 14 applications for the position. The personnel committee of councilors Larson and Kevin Waller went through those resumes and pared the selection down to five interviews, and then pared it back to two for a final decision – Sugden and Albert “Woody” Arrowood.
“With these two, you can’t make a bad choice,” said Mayor Dave Treumer.
The council members all agreed each final candidate held great qualifications to be city clerk.
Arrowood possessed more of a financial and human resources background while Sugden held more of a marketing and public relations background.
Treumer, Waller, Larson, Mike Totleben and Jen Peterson all said they’d heard from the public that they’d prefer someone who is personable and meshes well within the community.
“I think we have that in both these people,” Waller said.
Waller recommended to the council they hire Arrowood for his financial and human resources background. Larson recommended they hire Sugden.
“I just think she is so enthusiastic about this. She delves into everything,” Larson said. “I was very impressed. She’s excited to get things going in the community, and that’s part of the job, too. They’re both good candidates though.”
Peterson said she felt Sugden is “goal-oriented with the community in mind.”
Totleben motioned to hire Sugden as Hallock city clerk.
Larson seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
Larson and Waller will now meet with Sugden to discuss a start date and negotiate salary, which will be approved at the regular city council meeting on Monday, Nov. 4.
In other business, the council:
• Approved resolution 2019-16, the Anderson Sanitation Agreement, which needs to be approved as a resolution per state statute.