You would think that you pick your leadership because of their tenure on the council and knowledge of rules and regulations, but it seems our new leadership had a little hiccup last night at the city council meeting (FF to last agenda item). While last night’s meeting was a long one (over 3 hours) the fireworks really went off at the end when leadership was trying to cover up their possible violation of open meetings laws.
Let’s start from the beginning.
The city uses an outside auditor each year to do a ‘Financial Statement’ Audit. They have been using the same firm for years, Eide Bailly. Nothing against the firm, because it really has nothing to do with them or their performance. But a couple of councilors were concerned that we kept using the same firm, year after year. It was explained to them that they prefer to sign a 3 year contract with the external auditor to save money (yes, cause when we are either auditing the city or having elections it’s all about saving a couple of grand while millions fly out the door on play palaces). That’s all fine and dandy also, and really not that controversial.
The councilors that asked about the contract were wondering who else responded to the last RFP (Request for Proposal). It was explained to them that NO RFP was sent out this time because it is under ‘special services’.
OKAY, I guess I kind of understand (pulling rules from their butts). But this is where it gets sticky. Eide Bailly was chosen AGAIN behind closed doors, without an RFP and without the consent of the full council in a public meeting (This is why the item came to the floor Tuesday night). It was a possible violation of open meetings laws if the full council did not vote on it.
The real issue here is the council leadership (going back several years) thinks they have some special powers that the other councilors don’t have. They don’t, their votes are equal. Under charter the only REAL duties of leadership is to run certain meetings and to be messengers to the rest of the council, they have NO special powers to make decisions on behalf of the rest of the council. NONE.
While they may be PO’d at the councilors who brought this out into the open, they should be thanking them for saving their asses from an open meetings violation.