Paul Sparks could be out as Albert Lea city manager under a developing plan, but he would remain in control of the city’s port authority, and some residents say that’s a bad idea.

An advertisement placed in the Tribune this week criticized the city council for a proposal which would make Sparks the full-time head of the Albert Lea Port Authority and hire a new city manager. Sparks is now the head of the port authority in addition to his city manager duties.

Elected officials confirmed that a move is underway to replace the city manager and allow Sparks to run the port authority, while still drawing the same salary.

That doesn’t sit well with Tom Leland of Albert Lea, a real-estate developer who placed the advertisement in the Tribune Tuesday.

&uot;There is a group of concerned citizens that is helping to pay for this ad,&uot; Leland said. &uot;We are all very unhappy with (Sparks).&uot;

Leland did not disclose the names of the group members. &uot;It is a group of developers and people from the community and outside the community,&uot; he said.

He said the group would like to see others interviewed for the port authority position.

The council has been preparing for changes in the city’s charter that would allow for a port-authority director separate from the city manager job.

Monday night, the city council is expected to vote on a resolution to make a decision which would put Sparks as head of the port authority effective Jan. 1, 2004.

Sparks, who has been the city manager for 26 years, would be paid the same salary as he currently is, around $90,000.

&uot;I don’t know that I’d want to get paid less than I am,&uot; Sparks said.

Sparks said that he would be &uot;up for it&uot; if the council were to make the decision to move him to that position.

He did not comment on whether he was happy about the possibility.

City councilor Jeff Fjelstad said the council has been considering making this move since the council retreat.

Fjelstad said that because Sparks is knowledgable in economic development, the move would be good for the city.

&uot;The biggest reason would be to oversee the new pork producing place,&uot; he said. &uot;That’s the no brainer. I think he would be very useful there.&uot;

Sparks has been the target of criticism for years from people who say he’s too entrenched in his job.

Leland said Sparks has been a problem for the city, and that would not go away if he were moved out of the city manager job but were still running the port authority.

&uot;(Sparks) has been very difficult to work with,&uot; Leland said. The advertisment paid for by Leland reads: &uot;Do you want Paul Sparks, our city manager, to have control of our future and the dollars involved for the next three years?&uot;

Leland is the developer for the Wal-Mart Supercenter project. He said he had difficulties working with Sparks on that project, but wouldn’t go into details on what those issues were.

Sparks said he believes the advertisement was the result of a recent contract bidding dispute between the city and Leland.

&uot;I know that he’s upset about the recent contract dispute about the construction project at Blake Avenue,&uot; Sparks said.

A contract was bid out for the construction of Blake Avenue. One of the stipulations of the contract was that the company would have to get rid of the dirt it took up from the project. Two developers, including Leland, were mentioned as possibilities for places to put that waste. After the bidding, the city said they could take the dirt and use it for fill on the old Farmland site.

Leland had criticized the city for not mentioning that prior to the bidding.

Leland said the advertisement is not due to that disagreement, but that the recent dispute is an example of the kind of problems developers have had with Sparks. Leland has been a developer in Albert Lea for two decades.

&uot;This is a reaction of 20 years of doing business with him,&uot; he said.

Leland encouraged people to attend Thursday night’s pre agenda meeting and the regular council meeting Monday to show that they don’t want to see the council make the decision.

&uot;People should be asking themselves ‘Why are (the council) doing this?’&uot; he said. &uot;These are major decisions that will give someone a lot of control.&uot;