06-09-2003 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING MONDAY, JUNE 9, 2003 • ROLL The Council met on the above - mentioned date with the following members present: Mayor Barbara Peterson, Council Members Bob Sansevere, Jim Murphy, Jay Nygard and Jim White. Representing staff were City Administrator Ron Moorse, Planning Director Mike Gaffron, City Attorney Tom Barrett, City Engineer Tom Kellogg, Public Services Director Greg Gappa, and Recorder Alissa Winternheimer. Mayor Peterson called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. 1. Council Member Interference with the Duties and Supervisory Capacity of the City Administrator Mayor Peterson stated that Orono City Code states that no Council Member shall interfere with staff s ability to perform duties. She read into record Section 2 -101, General Supervisory Capacity of the City Administrator, which states: No member of the council shall in any manner interfere with or prevent the city administrator from exercising the administrator's own judgment in the administration of the city. Except for the purpose of inquiry, no member of the council shall deal with or exercise control over the administration of the city; and no member shall give orders to any department head or employee of the city, • either publicly or privately, except through a majority vote of the council. Mayor Peterson stated that an incident occurred on May 2, 2003 in which Council Member Nygard had interfered with the City Administrator's duties. Council had tried to deal with the matter in a work session, but Council Member Nygard had failed to attend meetings or otherwise address the matter. She stated that they hoped to provide Council Member Nygard with the facts of the matter and to allow him to address the matter and to resolve it at the meeting. She apologized for bringing it to a Council meeting. Before she was able to finish, Nygard interrupted her and refused to let her continue. Mayor Peterson asked. him to follow due process and allow her to finish, but he would not. Nygard insisted on reading a statement he had prepared, speaking over Mayor Peterson until his statement was finished. "I apologize to the people of Orono that I was not able and will not be able to accomplish what they told me were their important issues for Orono now and in the future. I did not join this Council to make enemies or have conflicts with my peers, but to enjoy the learning experience presented me and to contribute my various backgrounds and available time to and for the area in which I grew up. I now know how difficult that is to achieve in this City. The largest disappointment I have experienced after two and a half years in our small community is to learn that politics is all about politics and not about improving our community for all. I hereby resign my position as City Council Member to the City of Orono. Thank you." 2