04/22/1996 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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COUNCIL MEETING APRIL 22,1996 that this is all public information? Why were interview score sheets available to anyone other than on the need to know basis? She said that City business on any level, but especially involving personnel, whether it is paid or volunteer should be conducted via letters to the local paper. Ms. Brauns said that she was before the City Council to voice her personal observations, not to request action. It appears that members of this community, including herself, volunteer to work to make Lino Lakes a better place and this public fray has denigrated this spirit into a less than a professional public service environment. Mike Trehus, 675 Shadow Court - Mr. Trehus said that no one accused Ms. Brauns of cronyism and did not know where she got this idea. He said that the accusations were pointed this way (Mr. Trehus pointed toward the City Council). Mr. Trehus asked how the City Council knows that the last vote taken at the April 17, 1996 work session was yet another tally error? He said he was asking this because there is apparently another discrepancy. Mr. Trehus said that to keep this information hidden is a mistake and most likely illegal. He asked why were the individual score sheets shredded? Council Member Kuether said that nobody on the City Council questioned the results. Council Member Neal explained that this was a "white ballot" vote and not a score sheet. Mr. Schumacher explained that the purpose of a "white ballot" is for confidentiality. Nobody was to sign their ballot. Mr. Schumacher said that although he was not present at the time, a piece of white paper was used and each Council Members placed three names on their ballot and after the ballots were counted, the ballots were destroyed. Mayor Landers explained that the same list of names were placed on a white sheet of paper and each Council Member placed an "X" or check mark along side the three candidates that they wanted appointed to the Planning and Zoning Board. Council Member Neal asked how the City Council arrived at that method of selecting Planning and Zoning Board members. Council Member Kuether said that this method was the only method that the entire City Council could agree with. Council Member Neal said that he thought that he and Council Member Lyden wanted to vote some other way. Council Member Lyden said that initially he and Council Member Neal were not in favor of "opening up a can of worms" but only correct the first error. He said that since that method did not gain majority support, he agreed to use the "white paper ballot" method. Mr. Trehus asked if anyone on the City Council could verify that indeed Council Member Neal voted X, Y and Z and Council Member Kuether voted X, Y and Z etc. Mr. Trehus said that there is only one person who saw all five ballots. With all due respect, the chance for error is there especially since there was an error previously. Mr. Trehus said this is a vote which is the same as voting on a plat, ordinance or anything else. He said that this needs to be a matter of public record. He asked if there was any one on the City Council who wanted to keep their vote a secret? Is there anybody with anything to hide? Mr. Trehus asked each individual Council Member and all said that they were not opposed except that Council Member Bergeson noted that this portion of the agenda is PAGE 4