Minneapolis community safety commissioner Todd Barnett is out.
He announced Monday that he is leaving the post he's held for nearly three years. He'll stay until the end of the year and serve as interim commissioner until a replacement is named.
Last April, Minneapolis city council voted 7-6 to reject Mayor Jacob Frey's reappointment of Barnett.
Some council members had been critical of Barnette's management style, which at least one council member called "disconnected." Frey urged council members not to mistake Barnette's calm demeanor for a lack of urgency.
"The guy is urgent," Frey said. "He works tirelessly."
City leaders had until Monday to make a final decision on Barnette, and Mayor Jacob Frey had suggested he's veto council's rejection.
"Commissioner Barnette has not fulfilled the responsibilities of this position," said Councilmember Robin Wonsley in April when the reappointment was rejected. "My time on council has been trying to prevent the office of community safety from neglecting or sabotaging key pieces of the (city's) comprehensive public safety system."
Barnette had been Hennepin County chief judge and has a thirty-year background in public safety.
"It has truly been an honor to serve the City I love and to work alongside the dedicated staff who show up every day to keep people safe in their homes, neighborhoods, and communities," Barnette said in a written statement. "Their commitment inspires me, and I'm grateful for the trust our residents and the mayor have placed in me."
