By MaryHelen Swanson

Thereís no one answering the phone at Harris City Hall.

City Clerk Kim Hugger has been suspended from her job. She is the primary employee at City Hall.

Last Tuesday, the Post Review was notified by Harris City Attorney Peter Grundhoefer that there was to be an emergency meeting that night to consider the suspension of clerk Hugger.

The full council met at 6:30 p.m. and within 15 minutes had adopted a resolution suspending Hugger from her position as city clerk/treasurer.

Hugger has been served papers early Tuesday morning telling her of a special closed meeting for the purposes of reviewing specific allegations of her performance.

Mid-morning Tuesday, Councilmember Kathy Olson accompanied by fire chief Will Lacina went to City Hall to post the notice of the special closed meeting and found the door locked and a sign said City Hall was closed for the day. The two saw people inside City Hall, including Hugger. According to reports, the people appeared to be going through papers.

Later that day others in the community say they saw people knock on City Hallís door and be let in.

Based on this information, and after conferring with legal counsel and the League of Minnesota Cities, the mayor called an emergency meeting.

Councilwoman Olson and Councilor Doug Chaffee moved to adopt the resolution of suspension; the vote was unanimous.

Hugger was suspended with pay pending further action of the council. She was to turn over keys and passwords to computers and not be allowed to enter city property. Her pay during suspension was contingent upon her complying with the terms of the suspension.

Repeatedly at the emergency meeting Tuesday night, Councilman Wayne Buisman, who himself said he had been inside City Hall Tuesday, asked if the emergency meeting was legal.

He was reassured that it was.

Councilwoman Olson said she too was inside City Hall Tuesday as well as the city maintenance supervisor. Olson said there were also some citizens inside that day.

Mayor Rick Smisson said Tuesday night he was unable to get a hold of Hugger by phone during the day.

He said the adopted resolution would be served to Hugger by deputy either that night or the following morning.

The mayor commented that when City Hall is closed you donít allow people in it to go through papers.

Deputy Kris Scott was at the emergency meeting as was one citizen.

As the meeting closed it was noticed that citizens were outside City Hall photographing license plates of cars parked there.

On Tuesday, April 25, the Post Review was notified by FAX of a special closed meeting of the City Council for Friday, April 28 to give preliminary consideration to allegations of performance of a city employee.

On Friday, the Post Review was notified late in the morning that the special closed meeting set for 1 p.m. that day had been rescheduled to
May 4.

A group of citizens were again outside City Hall and took note that although it was closed, there were people inside.

On Monday of this week, the Post Review talked with Kim Hugger who said she was advised not to talk about the situation by her attorney.

She said her attorney was preparing a statement for release.

The Post Review has not seen that statement yet.

Hugger did say that she had been at City Hall all day Monday and Tuesday of last week.

She did not wish to comment any further.

The Post Review contacted Chisago County Sheriff Todd Rivard about happenings in Harris.

Regarding having a deputy present at all meetings, Rivard said the council wants one at all meetings but doesnít want it to count as contract hours.

Rivard said the department will have someone present at the beginning of each meeting, but if things look calm, will probably not have the deputy stay.

Rivard said Councilwoman Kathy Olson had called several hours before the emergency meeting and asked for a deputy to be present.

Rivard said he has gotten calls from citizens about people being inside City Hall.

He said there had been complaints even before Hugger was suspended that the mayor was in City Hall taking stuff off the computer.

He said he gave this to investigation. Rivard believes, however, the mayor is allowed to be in City Hall.