Fulton accepts mayor, police chief's resignations, business manager to retire

FULTON – The Fulton City Council on Tuesday accepted two resignations and a retirement that will reshape the city’s leadership.

Mayor Wendy Ottens' letter of resignation, which was read at the council’s Nov. 25 meeting, was approved, as were the resignation of Police Chief Nick Neblung and the retirement of Business Manager Tammy Garibay.

Ottens’ resignation will become effective Dec. 30. The City Council in turn approved of appointing 3rd Ward Alderman Keith King to serve as mayor pro tem, effective Jan. 1. Fulton’s next mayor will be decided at April’s consolidated election.

In her resignation letter, Ottens said the city has accomplished much during the 3½ years she served as mayor: The city sold all the land in the industrial park, started and completed Friendship Park and established a bandshell in Drives Park.

But, she wrote, she faced challenges along the way.

“The lack of acknowledgement of what we accomplished by all departments has given me no other choice than to resign,” she wrote in her letter. “The stress of constantly being questioned and challenged at every turn has made me weary of trying to do my best.”

The city at the same time has been weighing whether to hire a city administrator, which it currently does not have but has in the past. Mindy Burggraaf, who was mayor pro tem at the Nov. 25 council meeting, asked the council at that time to make a motion to begin researching the position of city administrator to fit the needs of a city the size of Fulton. First Ward Alderwoman Barbara Mask made that motion, which died for lack of a second, according to meeting minutes.

Neblung had told the council in November that he was interviewing with another police agency and would possibly be leaving the department. Neblung cited four years of stressed duties, a lack of personnel at the agency and a concern for his health as reasons for leaving.

“Despite our best efforts, the inability of elected officials to recognize and address the needs of our community first and, secondly, the agency over the last 20 years has been disheartening,” Neblung wrote in his resignation letter. “These factors, coupled with the inadequate compensation for the position, the heavy workload and lack of ability to hire or promote a second in command have made it increasingly difficult for me to continue in this role.”

Neblung’s resignation goes into effect Jan. 6.

The council now will move forward with finding an interim police chief to fill his role. The council also went into closed session to talk about how to replace Neblung.

The council next month is due to receive a letter for police union negotiations, and as such, discussed who from the city would sit at the table for those negotiations. The council tabled a motion to budget money from the city’s video gaming fund to help pay for landscaping at Fulton’s new bandshell until a discussion can be had regarding the impending police union negotiations.

Garibay’s retirement will become effective Jan. 3. City employee Aley Hamling is the city’s business manager in training, according to the city website.

The City Council also approved a resolution to update who could sign checks for the city, which Ottens noted in her resignation letter had to be done.

The council discussed possible grow facility license fees according to Ordinance 1673, amending Chapter 119 of the Fulton Code of Ordinances for the regulation of recreational cannabis and cannabis business establishments. The discussions have been added to the next budget meeting agenda.

The council also scheduled days for budget sessions. Currently, the tentative meeting times are set for 6 p.m. Jan. 20 and Feb. 3.