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Moyie council vacancies a strange
creature |
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March 4, 2012 |
Council vacancies in Moyie are a strange
creature with laws and rules of their own it
seems.
In June of 2011, former Moyie Springs councilman
Geoff Hollenbeck was stripped of his fire pay.
"Discussed Geoff Hollenbeck fire pay. The
council said not to pay him - he is working out
of town, but to keep him on the Blue Cross
insurance for the time being."
Future minutes make no mention of him in
attendance or not, up until a letter of
resignation is read by the mayor in October,
2011, which stated his resignation was effective
June, 2011.
So for four months city council and employees
were aware of a vacancy but the voters were not.
Seems to me to be a violation of IC 59-902. Did
he keep his council pay, Costco card, health
insurance, retirement and other perks during
those four months? Why weren't voters made
aware?
So now the council and city attorney are
drafting an ordinance so they can fire a fellow
council member and replace that member with one
of their choosing.
Will that ordinance also provide for firing a
council member who no longer physically resides
within the city limits (IC 59-901), or only the
elected member who is working out of town, or
any member they deem unfit?
It may be again argued by employees and council
that they were unaware of the law. Seems to me
they just prefer to ignore the law and due
process. |
Rosanne Smith
Moyie Springs |
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