By Eva Herscowitz
The city of New Prague, Minn., recently hired a contractor to build a nearly $10.8 million police station, banking on a tax hike to cover the cost.
But city officials skipped a crucial step: the required public hearing.
And by the time they corrected the error and invited residents to weigh in, the city had already spent at least $575,000 on the development, which a group of residents is attempting to halt.
Now the new station鈥檚 construction is at a standstill, and the situation is roiling the small city, where the mayor abruptly resigned in May with about a year and a half left in his term. A news release announcing Duane Jirik鈥檚 departure didn鈥檛 mention the police station but alluded to simmering tensions at City Hall.
鈥淭he position is more than showing up at City Council meetings 鈥 to be criticized and accused amongst other things that I am not doing my job,鈥 he wrote. 鈥淚 guess that is where the old saying goes, it鈥檚 鈥榯he straw that broke the camel鈥檚 back.鈥欌
Charles Nickolay, who previously served as mayor, was quickly appointed to fill the vacant seat. But divisions have emerged between a City Council member sounding alarms about New Prague鈥檚 handling of the project and other elected officials who argue that an aging facility needs to be replaced.
Nickolay defended the project in an interview, saying it 鈥渟erves the future of New Prague鈥 and won鈥檛 substantially raise taxes.
The situation is adding up to a tense moment in a city otherwise known for its small-town charm and Czech heritage.