HRA board fires another director

For the second time in 14 months, the board of commissioners for the Cloquet/Carlton Housing & Redevelopment Authority fired its executive director. Trisha Osborn, formerly Trisha Morgando, was terminated effective July 26.

The Pine Knot News learned of Osborn’s dismissal earlier this month. In response to a public data request, attorney Donald Erickson shared the dismissal letter and another letter denying the appeal of her dismissal. Erickson is a labor and employment law specialist with Fryberger Law Firm in Duluth who was hired by the Cloquet/Carlton HRA.

According to the letters, following an investigation Osborn was dismissed specifically because she added her husband to the HRA health insurance policy without board review, knowing that adding him was contrary to the board policy on family member health insurance.

“You have violated the trust of HUD and the Cloquet/Carlton Housing Redevelopment Authority and therefore we are terminating your employment effective Friday, July 26,” the letter stated.

The local HRA works to find affordable housing opportunities in Cloquet, Carlton and Carlton County. The HRA runs the countywide Section 8 housing voucher program and others that provide funding for those needing help paying rent. It also plays a part in housing at Aspen Arms and the White Pine apartments in Cloquet and Woodland Pines in Carlton. It owns and manages the 76-unit Aspen Arms.

Osborn was hired as executive director of the local HRA on Oct. 15, 2023, after longtime executive director Debra Shaff was dismissed in May 2023 after 17 years with the agency. When Shaff was “released from her duties last year,” board chairwoman Cynthia Slater said, the HRA had done some fact-finding and determined “we couldn’t fix it.” It was more of a bad work environment than any particular act, she said.

Prior to being hired to replace Shaff, Osborn was employed by the Cloquet/Carlton HRA as the Section 8 coordinator from Dec. 31, 2021 to Oct. 14, 2023.

In response to the Pine Knot, Erickson said there had been other complaints filed against Osborn, but none of those resulted in disciplinary action. Meeting minutes show Osborn was absent from both the May and June board meetings. The July meeting minutes are not yet posted online.

According to the appeal letter, Osborn’s appeal was denied because she was an at-will employee of the HRA and not an employee of the city of Cloquet. Osborn did not respond to a request for comment from the Pine Knot.

The interim executive director of the Cloquet/Carlton HRA is currently Shari Olson, who said the team at the local HRA is pulling together and moving forward. Olson is also an HRA board member, but is stepping back while she fills in as executive director.

“The communication with residents has improved, so they know what we are working on,” Olson said. “It will take us some time to catch up on items not attended to, but HUD (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) has been great working with us to help us get back on our feet.”