Vance replaces Caruso on Public Utility and Plan commissions

• Kevin Vance

Kevin Vance

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After a long hiatus, Kevin Vance will be putting his university training to use.

A little over 30 years ago, the Hudson businessman graduated from St. Cloud State University with a degree in public administration and urban planning.

Earlier this month, Mayor Dean Knudson appointed him to the city’s Public Utility and Plan commissions.

He wasn’t looking for any more work when Knudson asked him to serve on the commissions, Vance said, but the opportunity to apply his knowledge of public administration and city planning piqued his interest.

Vance, 53, and his wife, Rita, moved to Hudson in 1991 to be near the seven Taco John’s restaurants he owns in western Wisconsin and the Twin Cities metro area. The Hudson Taco John’s is one of them.

He’s also a partner in the River Ridge Professional Building at the corner of Hosford and Heggen streets, where he has his office.

Rita Vance and a partner operate a promotional products and Web-based ordering company, Logomos (www.logomos.com), out of the same location.

The Public Utility Commission oversees the operation of the Hudson Water Utility, which serves the city and the village of North Hudson.

Vance said he views his role with the water utility as making sure it operates effectively and efficiently.

Regarding his appointment to the Plan Commission, he said, “I just want to make sure we have thoughtful discussion about what the future of Hudson will be.”

“Hudson is going to grow. We have no choice in whether it is going to grow or not,” he added. “But we do have a choice in how it is managed and how it will look as a result of that growth. I think we should try to get as many people a part of that process as we can so we can come up with the best decisions to manage the growth we’re going to see in the next 20 years.”

Vance replaces Tim Caruso on both the Public Utility and Plan commissions.

Caruso resigned the positions in a one-sentence letter to Mayor Knudson dated Jan. 30.

“It has been an honor and privilege to be part of the Hudson Water Utility, however, as of today, I am resigning my commission,” is all Caruso wrote.

Earlier, there had been discussion at a City Council meeting about possibly reorganizing the Public Utility Commission. Knudson said that the city might be able to save money by bringing the water and sewer utilities together under one director and operating committee.

A discussion of the possible reorganization of the city’s utilities was on the agenda for Wednesday night’s City Council meeting.

In a brief phone call to the Star-Observer, Caruso said he didn’t want to comment on his reasons for resigning from the Public Utility Commission. He served on the Plan Commission in his role as president of the Public Utility Commission.

“There’s no big deal going on or anything like that. There’s no story,” said Caruso, who had served on the Public Utility Commission for 20 years.

He is the husband of City Finance Officer Betty Caruso.

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