Winnebago interim City Administrator Wendell Sande will fill in until a new administrator is hired.

After being short on help, the Winnebago City office staff breathes a sigh of relief as they welcome an interim administrator.

Austin Bleess’ last day as City Administrator was Oct. 19 and deputy city clerk, Megan Boeck is currently on family and medical leave, leaving only two part-time office assistants.

Wendell Sande of South Central Service Cooperative in Mankato attended the special meeting to tell the council about the services SCSC offers.

But, the council liked what Sande had to offer and hired him to fill the interimposition.

He started last Monday and has been helping out in the office all week.

“Austin left good notes of things that needed to be completed,”?he says. “And it has just been going really well.”

Sande has enough experience in the city setting. He began working in St. Peter in the early 1970s as the financial administrator. Then in 1981 he held the financial administrator position in Mankato.

Then he became the assistant administrator in 1996 and held that position until his recent retirement this past June.

Sande will be at the office in Winnebago several times a week.

“I will be available if anything comes up and I’m not in the office,”?he says.

Sande will also be prepared to help with meetings until a new administrator is hired.

“I hope that the hiring process goes well so the city can get a new administrator back in the office as soon as they can,”?he says. “Until then, I’m glad to be helping out.”