Maple Plain Mayor Censured By City Council

MAPLE PLAIN, Minn. (WCCO) --The Maple Plain City Council voted unanimously on Friday in favor of censuring and limiting the duties of Mayor Roger Hackbarth, according to city officials.

In January, a female city employee filed a complaint charging Hackbarth with making unwanted physical contact and using suggestive and vulgar language.

Hackbarth denied the claims and said it was part of a vendetta to get him to resign.

The city council held a special meeting on March 7, where an investigator gave a report on Hackbarth's conduct. The council immediately went into session and asked the city attorney to create a resolution of censure, including limits to Hackbarth's duties.

The resolution was voted on and passed with a 4-0 vote, with its stipulations effective immediately. Mayor Hackbarth was not in attendance.

The details of the resolution contain other allegations against Hackbarth, including his "exhibition of extreme anger" while representing Maple Plain at a Lake Minnetonka Communications Commission meeting.

Hackbarth is also accused of "outburst of anger and vulgarity in public" directed at city council member and staff, as well behavior which creates "an unsafe and unfriendly atmosphere in the workplace."

The mayor's appointments to committees, boards and commissions were immediately rescinded, and he is now forbidden from representing the city at municipal and multi-municipal events.

Hackbarth is also not allowed to have any direct personal contact with any city employee without another employee present, and he must keep copies of any written or electronic correspondence with city employees.