04/22/1996 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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COUNCIL MEETING APRIL 22, 1996 Centennial Fire District, April 4, 1996 Centennial Fire District, April 17, 1996 OPEN MIKE Approved Approved Ellen Gatchell, 952 Main Street - Ms. Gatchell referred to Section 12.03, Code of Conduct, in the City Charter. She said that assuming such a code has been established and compliance with the City Charter based on the concepts of professionalism, ethics and will of the people, she asked each Council Member why they choose to blur these concepts during the selection of applicants to the Planning and Zoning Board (P & Z). Ms. Gatchell said, "Mayor Landers your City waits your response now". Mayor Landers said he is not aware that he has done anything wrong and gave points to who he felt were the best candidates. Ms. Gatchell asked Mayor Landers if that was his final answer. Mayor Landers said "yes". Ms. Gatchell asked Council Member Kuether the same question. Council Member Kuether asked how does this provision of the City Charter apply to what the City Council did when selecting board members. Ms. Gatchell said she was at the Council work session when the City Council determined who would be serving on these boards and she did not consider the process of selecting board candidates professional, ethical or the will of the people. Council Member Neal said that the Council work session was one of the worst meetings he had ever attended. He asked Mr. Schumacher to explain the process used by the City Council to select board members. Mr. Schumacher explained that staff was excused from the meeting therefore he did not have first hand information on the matter. Ms. Gatchell asked Council Member Kuether if she was an ethical person and if she felt her conduct was correct. Council Member Kuether said she felt she was correct. Ms. Gatchell asked Council Member Lyden if he enjoyed Council Member Kuether asking him if he found any answers in the men's room? She asked do you consider that ethical? Council Member Lyden said he was not going to answer this question. He said that he understands that the citizens expect the Council Members "to walk a higher ground". He said he understood Ms. Gatchell's frustration and anger however, he did not write editorials. Council Member Lyden said that there are two things that are important as Council Members. First there needs to be integrity of the body. He used the analogy of a marriage said that a person should never say or do things in front of the spouse that would undermined their relationship. Council Member Lyden said that he wanted the City Council to be highly respected. He said that the word "respect" is thrown out a lot but he feels that this means each and every Council Member has an opinion and that opinion should be respected. This does not give a person the right to say that their opinion is wrong or that it right. It is respectful to recognize their thoughts, feelings and opinions. In turn, Council Member Lyden said that he expects his opinions to be respected and that he is not told that he is right or wrong or that he has found answers "wherever". PAGE 2