TRACY —  Citing a new job opportunity, Kris Ambuehl has submitted his resignation as city administrator for Tracy.

The city council is holding an emergency meeting at 6:30 p.m. today “to discuss the city administrator position.” An email was sent out early Monday afternoon from city Deputy Clerk Diane Campbell announcing the meeting to Mayor Anthony Dimmers, members of the city council, Police Chief Jason Lichty, Economic Development Authority Director Jeff Carpenter, City Attorney Matthew Gross and members of the media.

The meeting’s agenda was sent late in the afternoon by Deputy Clerk Diane Campbell. The agenda has four items on it: Call to order, accept resignation from Ambuehl, advertise for city administrator position and description, interim and hand off the duties.

Council member Tony Peterson, when reached by phone, confirmed early Monday afternoon that Ambuehl’s letter of resignation was in his email inbox early in the morning.

“The letter of resignation had no explanation,” Peterson said.

But Ambuehl responded to an Independent email late Monday afternoon. He confirmed his resignation due to a new job opportunity and said his last day in Tracy would be Aug. 9.

“On Friday I  accepted the city administrator position in St. Joseph,” Ambuehl’s statement said. “St. Joseph is 28 miles from my home and the city is about three times the size of Tracy. I am excited for the opportunity to move back home and spend more time with my children and wife and join a bustling community.”

Ambuehl’s resignation comes on the heels of a tumultuous week that included two city council meetings. Monday’s meeting featured a sometimes heated debate over conflict of interest concerns involving Peterson participating in a hearing held Wednesday to decide if Jeff Salmon should be removed from the Economic Development Authority board. Peterson is employed by Salmon at Salmon Motors.

The other members of the council ended up voting to censure and suspend Peterson from the hearing. In that hearing, the council voted to remove Salmon after more than four hours of testimony, questioning and deliberating on multiple counts of allegations involving Minnesota Open Meeting Laws, conflict of interest and city codes.

The hearing was sparked by a complaint Ambuehl received from businessman James Mattson who alleged Salmon “sabotaged” his business “and character. Ambuehl conducted an investigation and forwarded it to City Attorney Matthew Gross.

During the hearing, Salmon named Ambuehl, Mattson and EDA President Dennis Fultz in “taking and running” with a “witch hunt.”

Ambuehl told the Independent after Monday’s meeting that city officials followed Minnesota state statutes, city charter and city codes throughout the whole process.

“Even with the current turmoil I have the deepest respect for the people of Tracy,” Ambuehl also said in his statement to the Independent on Monday. “I wish the city of Tracy continued success and growth.”

Ambuehl was appointed city administrator in May of 2018. He replaced Shane Daniels who was acting as interim city administrator since Madonna Peterson resigned in September 2017. Daniels is the current city maintenance manager.