Darrel Olson is Back as Mayor of Baxter

Baxter’s Mayor Darrel Olson got a rare 30 days away from the mayor’s desk this month. It happened after the Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) of Minnesota informed Mayor Olson last year that while filing for his retirement benefits a year and a half earlier a rare loop hole was discovered and he had to resign for 30 days or pay back he already received retirement benefits and lose future benefits.
During those 30 days city councilman Tom Holman filled in for Mayor Olson as acting mayor. Holman says it was tough to fill the void Olson left at the Mayor’s desk.
But last night justice returned to the City of Baxter. After a month of taking applications for Mayor, only Mayor Olson’s name was in the hat and the city council unanimously voted to appoint him back to his position as mayor.
Mayor Olson says he was pleased with how the city council was able to respond in his absence.