Fairmont city administrator on leave as outside investigator looks into expiring cases

A longtime administrator in southern Minnesota is on paid administrative leave as an outside investigator probes the city’s role in dozens of criminal cases that were allowed to expire.

Fairmont City Administrator Mike Humpal was put on leave indefinitely after a two-hour closed city council session Monday night. The council is set to revisit the matter at its Oct. 28 meeting.

Nothing about his leave was made public, and the city’s mayor declined to comment to 5 INVESTIGATES.

The move comes after the city hired an outside investigator to review the city’s role in dozens of criminal cases that were allowed to expire.

5 INVESTIGATES revealed the extent of the problem back in September. The report, Out of Time, found that City Attorney Elizabeth Bloomquist sat on at least 36 criminal cases – including investigations of domestic violence – for so long that they can no longer be charged.

The three year statute of limitations had ran out on the cases.

Bloomquist reached a separation agreement with the city this past spring, but now the city is left searching for answers.

During the public portion of Monday’s meeting, Mayor Deb Foster said the outside investigator expects to wrap up her report within two weeks and will report back to the council.

Humpal has previously denied having any knowledge of the city attorney allowing criminal cases to stack up.