| 9/2/2009 3:56:00 PM | Email this article • Print this article | Is outsourcing council legal actions possible?
Cody Zustiak
Review staff
Outsourcing jobs can be a touchy subject, especially when it involves the Maplewood City Council.
City Council member Erik Hjelle tabled discussion at the Aug. 24 council meeting about a motion he brought up: having an outside agency look into any legal issues involving a council member.
"I think it's a reasonable expectation that if something potentially involves an investigation it should be simply turned over to another organization to make sure there are no issues," he said.
Libby case returns
Hjelle has voiced concerns about the police chief's actions - or what he perceives as lack of action - in the death of Jay Libby, who was found underneath a tractor on his property in southern Maplewood. North St. Paul resident Bob Zick and Hjelle have implied that council member Will Rossbach had some involvement in the death because he was seen dropping off campaign literature at the home.
"Neighbors question why NOT ONE police officer has asked them if they had seen anything or heard this large tractor/mower operating out of their back yard," Hjelle wrote in an e-mail he sent to the writer of a Review letter to the editor and copied to the Review. "They also question why the Police have not even asked the last known person to have been on scene 'if' they had seen anything. Videos exist, and eyewitnesses were not even questioned that could determine the exact date and time of death, and any events that lead up to this accident."
"The City Manager refused to get involved claiming 'council politics'," Hjelle continued in the e-mail, "and very few people trust the Police Chief (and yes you can forward him this e-mail like I expect you will). So as a City Official, I suppose you expect me to just ignore this and tell these people to go home? I have spoken to 2 Police investigatorss outside of Maplewood and 2 Maplewood officers privately and they are shocked that NO Police questioning has taken place of the neighbors to document what they saw AND heard."
In a phone interview with the Review earlier this month, Hjelle said, "I have no faith or trust in (Chief Dave) Thomalla. You can quote me on that."
Maplewood police said it was an unfortunate accident and that no foul play is suspected.
Vague?
At the council meeting, Hjelle said he wants an entity outside of Ramsey and Washington counties to research cases involving council members in order to eliminate any potential bias.
Council member John Nephew and Mayor Diana Longrie didn't completely disagree, but they couldn't see how it would work without any recommendations to review.
Others on the council didn't see it as a possibility.
"It's too vague," council member Will Rossbach said.
"It's kind of vague," council member Kathleen Juenemann said. "I just wish I knew how to get the vague out of it."
Nephew said he felt that it could be helpful if there was a major issue and he isn't completely against referring to outside assistance, but he said there is a major flaw that people could abuse.
"The problem is that there is always going to be a judgment call," he said. "Suppose a random person comes into City Hall and says, 'Erik killed my cat.' Does the police chief need to call in someone from Anoka County to interview you and ask if you had anything to do with the demise of that unfortunate cat?"
Hjelle said he will try to work shop a plan on his own to bring forward to the council in the future that has stronger language and steps to take for how the process would work.
He said outsourcing any investigations would take them off the back of the police department and the city manager. He added that the outside source could place whatever issues come up through the "smell test."
"Someone could look at it and say, 'Naw, no big deal,' or they can look at it and say, 'There might be something here worth investigating.'"
But Rossbach said we already have departments in place specifically for this, and this it would cost too much money and waste too much time.
"It's unworkable," Rossbach said. "That's what we have these people for. There were comments about micro-managing earlier and this is an example."
Most of the council dismissed the discussion unless a more concrete plan is brought forward.
At the end of the discussion, Longrie reiterated Rossbach's comment about the plan being too vague.
"As it sits, I don't have any language in my head to be able to know if it's a thumbs up or thumbs down," Longrie said. "I don't have anything in front of me to be able to analyze."
Cody Zustiak can be reached at staffwriter@lillienews.com or 651-748-7824
|
Article Comment Submission Form
|
