April 9, 2024

Joel Paulsen, Executive Director

Metro Flood Diversion Authority
4784 Amber Valley Parkway South, Suite 100
Fargo, North Dakota 58104

Re: Notice of Paid Administrative Leave

Dear, Mr. Paulsen:

Effective immediately, you are placed on paid administrative leave indefinitely. Questions have arisen
regarding your communications with Red River Valley Alliance, LLC, and ASN Constructors (collectively, the
“Developer”), relationship issues that you are experiencing with other Metro Flood Diversion Authority (the
“Authority”) staff, and your overall leadership ability. These items have generated uncertainty regarding
your ability to fulfill the duties articulated in Article III of your 2022-2024 Employment Agreement with the
Authority, which is currently set to expire in September. The purpose of your paid administrative leave is to
allow the Authority an opportunity to investigate these matters with minimal disruption to the workplace
and to consider if disciplinary action, up to and including termination, may be appropriate.

While on administrative leave, you are not to engage with the Developer, the press, or any other third
parties regarding your position with the Authority or any Authority affairs. If any questions are posed to you
by any of the foregoing, you are to refer those questions to me as the Chair of the Authority. If you are
called to testify or be a witness in a deposition or any other legal proceeding regarding the Authority or the
Comprehensive Project, you must immediately notify the Authority’s General Counsel, John Shockley. You
must turn over your Authority-provided laptop and cellular telephone to me immediately. Additionally, you
may not come to the Authority offices or to meetings of the Diversion Authority Board or other Authority
committees unless otherwise requested by myself or John Shockley. You are also not to perform any
Authority work or access any Authority work email or systems. Further, you will not take any retaliatory
action against any Authority staff, Diversion Authority Board members, or Authority consultants.

During the period of this administrative leave, you are required to cooperate with all Authority investigative
activities and must remain available during the hours of 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday, so that you
can meet with me or with other Authority representatives involved in the investigation if instructed to do so.
Please note that you may be required to attend meetings on short notice. I will notify you when the
Authority has completed its investigation and a determination has been made regarding your on-going
employment with the Authority.

4784 Amber Valley Parkway South, Suite 100

Fargo, ND 58104 Page 1 of 2
FMDiversion.gov
 Sincerely,

Michelle (Shelly) A. Carlson, Chair

Metro Flood Diversion Authority

Your signature acknowledges that you have received and reviewed this Notice of Paid Administrative
Leave.

____________________________________ ___________________________________
Joel Paulsen Date

4784 Amber Valley Parkway South, Suite 100

Fargo, ND 58104 Page 2 of 2
FMDiversion.gov