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RANDOLPH – Randolph’s city administrator and her husband, a city utilities employee, were fired Monday morning.
Mayor Dwayne “BoBo” Schutt confirmed City Administrator Sheila Korth-Focken and her husband, Kurt Focken, were “relieved of their duties.”
Beyond that, Schutt declined to comment on the reasons for the employment terminations.
“This was all employee confidentiality and so that’s how it has to stay,” he said.
The Fockens said they hadn’t been given a reason for their termination, however, had been recently dealing with a family emergency that required them both to be absent from work to attend court hearings in Omaha.
They both had vacation time to use but Kurt’s vacation request was denied. Since it was a family emergency, the Fockens had to make a tough decision.
“We were scrambling,” Sheila said. “They fired us and we were gone trying to protect our kids. It’s just unbelievable.”
The city’s employee handbook states employees will be granted time off without pay to appear in court when subpoenaed to appear or when a party to a case. In this instance, Sheila was a party in the case but Kurt was not.
Still, vacation time for both would be warranted, Sheila said.
“You don’t have to say why you take vacation time,” she said.
Sheila said she sensed some hostility from city council members about her relationship with Kurt from the beginning. The two started dating in September 2024 and then were married nearly two months later.
Employees who are members of the same family are eligible for city employment provided they are not in the same supervisory chain of command. Employees involved in romantic relationships or dating must also adhere to those rules, according to the city employee handbook.
“We told people right away and I took a step back from anything to do with him at work,” Sheila said, with Kurt reporting directly to John Dickes, Public Works supervisor.
Sheila said Mayor Schutt started treating her differently once she confirmed she was pregnant.
“He came out and asked me one day, ‘Are you pregnant?’ And I answered truthfully,” she said. “But I could tell a change in the demeanor ... from the mayor.”
Sheila had worked as city administrator for the last year and Kurt for the Public Works department for nearly four years.
Along with her city administrator duties, Sheila was appointed as the city’s zoning administrator, floodplain administrator, city treasurer, city clerk and liquor commission designee. “I grew up in this town and I care about the people in Randolph,” Sheila said. “They (city council) don’t like how I approach things but I’m trying to act in the best interests of the city.” The Fockens said they are contemplating legal action against the city for wrongful termination and also for unpaid overtime due to Kurt.
Mayor Schutt said the city council will meet to discuss filling the administrator position at its regular meeting Wednesday, April 9. Josh Rayford is currently the deputy city administrator.
The city Public Works department had an unfilled position prior to Kurt’s termination. Schutt said he wasn’t concerned about being down two employees and said the city would advertise to fill the vacancy.
The mayor and council will be looking to fill another vacancy soon.
Police Chief Pat Eller has previously said he would like to make an exit for retirement this spring. The city has advertised for the position for months but Schutt said no decisions have been made.
“Pat is still here. He hasn’t left the premises yet and we’re still looking. We have some options,” he said.
Schutt confirmed that Tony Backer, a longtime reserve police officer under Eller, has expressed interest in the police chief position.
Eller first retired as Randolph’s police chief in March 2024 after seven years of service but returned to the post six months later after his replacement, Kannesha Nept, was fired.
Mayor Schutt fired Nept in August 2024 after law enforcement was called to a domestic incident at her home. In the six months she was employed, Nept drew a full-time salary but never became a certified officer in Nebraska.
