Local Video
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| Appointments to boards are made |
By: SUZANNE ROOK, Senior Reporter
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Posted: Tuesday, September 16, 2008 11:02 pm
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Months of wrangling came to an end Monday as the council approved board appointments over which it has long battled.
Councilors, on at least three occasions, had denied the appointment of former state Sen. Steve Engler of Randolph to the Economic Development Authority, but approved his nomination 5-2 Monday. Councilors Scott Davis and Jon Denison dissented.
The council also OK’d five appointments — Andrew Berglund, David Geist, Don McGee, Kenneth Malecha and Bill Simonet Jr. — to the new Rental Code Board of Appeal 5-1. Davis voted no. Denison abstained due to a legal issue with one nominee.
Councilor Kris Vohs voted for the board of appeals nominees after the mayor agreed that a sixth nominee would be a tenant. While reviewing the ordinance creating the board, city staff realized it needed six, not five members.
The council previously turned back the nominees because none were tenants.
Davis said that his concerns have never been about the nominees, but about the process the mayor uses, which Davis said isn’t consistent and often fails to include interviews with perspective nominees.
“To get somebody on just to get somebody on sends the wrong message,” said Davis.
The city’s charter requires the mayor to recommend appointments to city board and commissions, though they must be approved by the council.
Lansing said Tuesday Engler was the best choice for the board which has worked on a new business and industrial park.
EDA Chair Rick Estenson said he believes anyone like Engler willing to commit the time and energy “would be of considerable value to our committee.”
The EDA, short a member since last December and with another on leave, has had difficulty reaching a quorum in recent weeks. Last month it had to postpone a meeting when three EDA members showed up.
The council also approved the appointment of Suzie Nakasian to the Planning Commission. A member of the city’s Environmental Quality Commission, Nakasian told Mayor Lee Lansing she would resign from that board if appointed to the Planning Commission.
Lansing said Lisa Ash, who initially applied for the Planning Commission, has expressed an interest in Nakasian’s EQC seat, Lansing said.
The city is looking for applicants for several board and commissions.
Available seats are:
• Three on the Design Advisory Board
• Three on the new Building Code Board of Appeals
• One on the new Rental Code Board of Appeals
• One (in addition to one vacated by Suzie Nakasian) on the Environmental Quality Commission
• One on the Human Rights Commission, though no official resignation has been submitted
To apply for a seat, contact Kathy Fredrickson at City Hall. She can be reached at kathy.fredrickson@ci.northfield.mn.us or at 645-8833.
— Suzanne Rook can be reached at srook@northfieldnews.com or 645-1113.
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