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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br />Monday, May 9, 2016 <br />7:00 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br />Page 23 of 28 <br /> <br />15. RFP FOR PROSECUTING ATTORNEY (continued) <br /> <br />Walsh stated he would like to interview Tallen, Spaulding and David Ross. Walsh stated he would like to <br />exclude Ken Potts since in his view he has not done a good job. <br /> <br />Walsh stated there is also another issue that occurred last summer. Walsh stated unbeknownst to him, <br />when he received his DWI fifteen years ago, Ken Potts was the prosecuting attorney. Walsh stated <br />because of that, Ken Potts said that if Council Member Walsh keeps pursuing the RFP, he is going to say <br />that Walsh is biased against him. Walsh stated he found that to be inappropriate and stated in his view <br />Ken Potts should recuse himself from the process. <br /> <br />Loftus stated her understanding of the conversation was that Ken Potts had noted Council Member <br />Walsh’s DWI and thought there could be a bias, not that he would bring it forward. <br /> <br />McMillan stated she personally would like to interview Ken Potts and the others and that she does not <br />want this process to become political. McMillan stated she appreciates Council Member Cornick <br />recusing himself because of his relationship with Mr. Potts. McMillan suggested that Council Member <br />Walsh consider recusing himself as well since he has expressed some bias towards Mr. Potts. <br /> <br />Walsh noted that happened last summer. <br /> <br />McMillan stated she would like to interview Mr. Potts and that she does not see the same issue as Council <br />Member Walsh. McMillan stated she is starting to become concerned about the political nature of it since <br />Council Member Walsh has projected a bias. <br /> <br />Walsh stated he expressed a dissatisfaction last summer with Mr. Potts’ performance in general and that it <br />had nothing to do with anything else. Walsh stated Mr. Potts’ comment about his DWI came out of the <br />blue. <br /> <br />Loftus stated Mr. Potts indicated he did not think it was coming out of the blue and that he felt it could be <br />retaliation against him. <br /> <br />Printup asked if this is going to create an automatic review process every five years or every three years. <br /> <br />Levang noted that is what the Council agreed to. <br /> <br />Printup stated that should help make it less uncomfortable in the future. <br /> <br />Loftus stated Staff is looking for annual reports along with a 5-year contract so there is some consistency <br />and that it is important for the Council to pick a firm they are comfortable with. <br /> <br />Loftus stated once that firm is selected, the Council will need to be mindful and careful about their <br />interactions with the prosecuting attorney after that point. <br />