Cape Girardeau city manager withdraws his name from consideration for city management job in North Dakota

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS) - The Cape Girardeau city manager withdrew his name from consideration for a city management job in another state.

According to city leaders in Fargo, North Dakota, Dr. Kenneth Haskin was one of four finalists for the city administrator job there, and had been set to interview for the position on Friday morning, December 16.

Haskin’s decision comes after we spent 12 hours going back and forth with him, the city of Fargo and the recruiter involved with the open position.

A news release posted on the city of Fargo, North Dakota’s official website Wednesday afternoon shows the search for a new city administrator entering its final phase.

It lists four finalists, including current Cape Girardeau City Manager Dr. Kenneth Haskin.

It also lets residents know Haskin will take part in an in-person interview Friday morning, shown live on Fargo’s access channel.

When we saw the release, we reached out to Dr. Haskin. In several phone calls Thursday night, he emphatically denied applying for the job, knowing he was a finalist, or that he would take part in that live interview.

We tuned into Fargo’s livestream at 7a.m. and this is what we saw.

“Well, you know these open meeting laws are kind of crazy.” said Fargo Mayor Dr. Tim Mahoney. “Because what happens is, the candidates kind of discover some things. And realize this is open. This is open to the public. And so, we’ve had a startling thing happen, is one candidate dropped out last night and one candidate dropped out this morning.”

We reached out to Mayor Mahoney Thursday night and talked to a city spokesman who said they stood by their news release.

Mahoney went on to say this: “I got a phone call last night from the press in Missouri. And a reporter was anxious to know what was going on, which I could say nothing about. And a half hour later, I got a message this candidate dropped. And he had flown up here, was ready for the interview.”

The city identifies Sharon Klumpp with Baker Tilly as the recruiter for the open position. In a written message, Klumpp confirmed to us Haskin is the candidate who withdrew his name Thursday night.

That brings us back to Dr. Haskin.

He spoke to our news director Friday morning and said he was, in fact, recruited for the Fargo job. He said he downplayed the situation, had been as honest as he could be and expected to take part in a virtual interview.

We also reached out to Cape Girardeau Mayor Stacy Kinder.

She said she spoke to Dr. Haskin Friday morning about the Fargo situation.

Kinder also said she’s not surprised Dr. Haskin would be recruited for or considered for a city leadership position in another town.

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