Hallock Council hires Johnson as deputy clerk

By Anna Jauhola
The Hallock City Council held a special meeting last week to hire a deputy clerk, approve the annual airport manager’s contract and the fixed base operator’s contract. Councilor Naomi Larson is on the personnel committee, which interviewed candidates for the deputy clerk position, which was vacated earlier this fall.
The first time around, Larson, Councilor Mike Totleben and Clerk/ Administrator Kendra Kroening conducted interviews. The second time, Larson, Kroening and Mayor Dave Treumer interviewed the candidates.
“We came to the consensus we would like to hire Kara Johnson,” Larson said. “My recommendation would be to start her at Step 3, simply because we started the last one at step 2. This candidate has much more experience, working in the banking industry and working in insurance now.”
Treumer agreed, noting Johnson is used to handling difficult phone calls as well as money and deposits. The wage at Step 3 is $21.36 per hour.
“I assume it’ll be a six-month probationary period?” said Councilor Kevin Waller.
“Yes,” Treumer said.
Larson said Johnson just has to give her two weeks and she can begin after that time period.
“I think she’ll be a good fit. I make a motion to hire Kara Johnson at $21.36 per hour,” Larson said, with Waller seconding.
Kroening stepped out of the meeting to call Johnson and offer her the job. Kroening returned and said Johnson accepted.
Airport manager,
FBO contracts
The council approved annual contracts for airport manager and fixed base operator, Jeremy Seng, for 2025. The airport manager contract had changes due to the city remodeling the arrival/departure building, which includes removing the living quarters and making most of the space into an inviting lobby. It will also include a designated office space for the manager.
“There is no living quarters now, so that was removed from the contract,” Kroening said. “Flowage fees would be changed to paying them instead of a biannual payment in January and July, it’ll just be in January.”
Seng said the QTPod maintenance agreement was added to the flowage fees because it falls under reimbursements from the state.
As remodeling is ongoing, the city will return to Seng’s request for the city to pay for the heat in the lobby, as it will now all be public space. Kroening added the city currently plays 100% of the electricity at the airport and the airport commission discussed placing the main hangar on its own electricity source. No decision was made.
The council briefly discussed the hangar rental costs now, and the possibility of an overnight rental fee for unoccupied hangars. Seng said it happens five to six times a year that a pilot flies in, asks for hangar space overnight or for the weekend, and he will drive to Hallock from his home in Cavalier, N.D., to accommodate that pilot. However, they’ve never rented space, he has allowed them space in his own hangar at the airport. Seng said if the council were to allow this type of service, he’d like to have compensation for driving specially from Cavalier.
The council decided Seng and Kroening will visit more on the subject and come up with a solution.