By Ashley Stewart

Owatonna People’s Press

BLOOMING PRAIRIE — Blooming Prairie Police Chief Paul Wayne doesn’t want to miss anymore of his children’s events.

“I’ve missed so many of my kids’ events because if it wasn’t an event in town, it was very difficult for me to go,” Wayne said.

And at the end of the month, he’s going to make sure he won’t miss anymore.

“I’m done not attending their events,” Wayne said.

In March, Wayne, who has served as the police chief for nearly 18 years, announced to the Blooming Prairie City Council that he would be retiring soon.

“It’s because of my [multiple sclerosis],” he said. “I definitely wouldn’t be retiring if it wasn’t for that.”

Wayne was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a nerve disorder that affects the brain and spinal cord, about 10 years ago.

“I wouldn’t wish this on anybody, but you know, you deal with what’s handed to you, and you make the best of it,” he said. “I don’t want to dwell on anything but the positive. You take what life gives you.”

After graduating from Ellendale-Geneva High School, now known as New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva, Wayne attended Hibbing Community College for law enforcement.

“You had to make a decision on what you wanted to do, and that’s what I went to college for,” he said. “I had a brother in law enforcement, and I enjoy helping people. That’s the way I was raised.”

Wayne then served as a police officer in California and the Twin Cities before arriving in Blooming Prairie in 1996.

“I was a little nervous about coming back to the area that I grew up in because I didn’t really want to be this close,” Wayne said. “That’s really something I had to think hard on. I didn’t want to put my parents in the middle.”

And now, Wayne’s happy he did.

“This is a great community,” he said. “The backing of the community has been second to none, and it’s fun to work in that type of environment.”

Wayne said he has enjoyed working with his fellow officers, the Blooming Prairie Fire Department, Blooming Prairie Ambulance and the city.

“They’ve all been great,” he said. “We have a great council and a great city administrator. It’s really made my job easy. I don’t know if I could work anywhere else where the work environment wasn’t like this.”

Last week, the city council hired Greg Skillestad as the new police chief, and he will start on June 16.

Wayne said he will work with Skillestad for a couple weeks before retiring at the end of the month.

“I would really like to thank the community for all they’ve done over the years,” he said.

Wayne said he’s looking forward to fishing and hunting.

“I already have the boat packed,” Wayne said.

But he’s also ready to participate in more of his children, Abby’s and Ian’s, activities.

“I really enjoy them, and you only get a certain amount of years to do it,” Wayne said.