Council adjusts appointment policy

The Kalispell City Council on Monday approved an amended ordinance related to the mayor’s appointment duties, after hearing opposition once again from Mayor-elect Mark Johnson.

City policy still requires the mayor to recommend appointees for advisory boards and commissions and the recommendations must have the support of at least four council members.

The difference now is that if the mayor’s recommendation isn’t accepted, any council member can recommend another applicant.

The change was made in response to a recent council meeting where Mayor Tammi Fisher’s recommendation for a Solid Waste Board position wasn’t supported by a majority of the council. Fisher declined to support an alternative recommendation from the council, so the position remained unfilled.

Some council members wanted the policy changed so that the appointment process couldn’t “be held hostage” by a mayor.

Johnson objected to the change, saying it was being adopted out of frustration and that it erodes the mayor’s ability to vet applicants while acting as a representative of the council and all city residents.

Council member Bob Hafferman agreed, saying the mayor has the responsibility of reviewing applicants while council members do not.

He said it is the mayor’s prerogative to make recommendations. “I can’t see changing [the ordinance] because of an incident,” he said.

Council member Tim Kluesner made a motion to table the amendment until the second council meeting in January so that a council with new members could consider the change.

That motion failed and the amendment was adopted by the council.