Posted 4/4/01 Conflict of interest? Nominating procedures questioned for RC Planning Commission membership By Danielle Strenke This week the Harris City Council discussed procedures and regulations involved with nominating people to serve on the cityís planning commission. Joe Carchedi asked the council at its regular meeting Monday, April 2, whether the correct procedures had been followed when current planning commission member Henry Gregoire was reinstated to the commission for another term. He also asked whether there were other vacancies currently on the commission, and what was the correct procedure for filing, and being named to the commission. Planning Commission member Irene Trent, who was in the audience, told Carchedi and the council that commission member Larry Nelson had said he did not want to serve another term on the commission. While he still serves on the commission, Trent said technically, Nelsonís term was up in December. ìHenryís seat was also up in December, but he was reinstated by the commission,î Trent said. ìDoesnít the city council have to fill that seat on the commission?î Carchedi asked. The council agreed that the correct procedure is for prospective candidates to notify the council, and then the council would appoint someone to the vacancy. ìHe [Henry] has to be reappointed, but the council has to reappoint him, not the rest of the planning commission,î councilmember Lyle Holmstrom said. ìGenerally when there is a vacancy, we put it out there for anyone to apply.î ìWhen I was appointed to the planning commission, there were three people, and we had to interview in front of the council,î Mayor Richard Hanson said. Hanson said the city would look into what the League of Minnesota Cities has regarding regulations to follow pertaining naming people to city commissions and boards. Along with the discussion, Carchedi mentioned that he had heard that some residents were concerned that there was a possible conflict of interest with councilmember Wayne Buisman serving on the council, the planning commission, and the park board. ìWhat conflictñ there certainly isnít a financial gain,î Buisman said. The council discussed information it had attained from the League of Minnesota Cities on the subject, although as a whole, seemed to believe there is no conflict of interest. ìIím trying to figure out what the conflict would be,î Holmstrom said. ìAnyone who gets elected or named to any position could be doing it for personal gain and have a conflict.î City clerk Kim Hugger told the council that the cityís computer system is in need of repair, and discussed some options and quotes she had received from area computer businesses. Because map work is already being done through a CAP grant, the council looked at whether it would be more economical to obtain a whole new computer system that would accommodate both the cityís records and the GIS mapping system. ìI would check with the county and surrounding communities, and see what kind of computer system they use,î councilmember Dan Walton said. In other business, the council: ï Discussed asking the county to paint a crosswalk, or install pedestrian signs across Co. Rd. 9 in front of Schoolyard Park, and possibly on Co. Rd. 30 in front of Kaffe Stuga. There have been numerous complaints of excessive speed in those two areas. ï Received an update from Thatcher Engineering that all but one of the residential water meters in Harris have been installed. ï Approved quotes for welding work on the fire departmentís tanker truck, estimated at $4,000. ï Discussed its options for penalizing local establishments that sell liquor to minors. ©Post Review