City government not transparent
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Editor,
For the June 18 Polson City Commissioners’ meeting, Judy Preston asked to have the commission discuss the renewal of the city attorney’s contract. The city manager told her that her request was inappropriate. In response, commissioner Mike Lies made an identical request and was told that any discussion would have to be in executive session since it was a “personnel matter.” Apparently realizing that was an indefensible position, the manager, without informing Mike, apparently “polled” the other commissioners in private and informed Mike that the others did not favor a public vote on the issue. The agenda item request was denied.
Hoping to be heard on the subject of the attorney’s contract, the council chambers were filled to overflowing with citizens relegated to the end of the agenda where the commission is forced to allow citizens to speak on matters of interest to the public not on the agenda. Many voices were heard expressing their displeasure with the city’s attorney. Judith Bromley, the vice president of the board of DOVES, stated that the city attorney routinely ignores the MCA requirement that victims of domestic violence be consulted prior to the city attorney agreeing to a plea bargain with the perpetrator of that violence. No commissioner asked the city attorney for his explanation.
Judy Preston presented the commission with a petition signed by over 140 people asking that the attorney contract not be automatically renewed. She too was ignored. It seems that the manager did not inform the public that the commission had already voted in secret to not discuss the issue.
Mike Lies represents a third of the voters of the city. The mayor, representing 100 percent, also has stated that she supported Mike’s agenda item, as did Fred Funke representing Ward 3. They represent all Polson’s citizens, yet the manager, by apparently soliciting opinions in secret from commission members, denied the voters the opportunity to discuss and force a public vote on a matter of concern. During the public comment, no commissioner asked a single question and none offered any support for the attorney. Next time you see Mike, Fred or Pat Devries, thank them for trying to represent you in an honest and transparent manner.
Bob Fulton
Polson
