(Spirit Lake)– Being the first of the year, Tuesday’s Spirit Lake City Council meeting was also an organizational one, with the Mayor making several appointments and the council acting on them. Usually, that’s pretty mundane, but that wasn’t the case Tuesday with the council tabling action on two of the recommended appointments and narrowly approving another.
The council voted three-to-two to table Mayor Eric Nielsen’s appointment of Earl Maahs as City Attorney and Greg Owen and Beth Blankard as assistants. Council members Duane Yager and Jeff Thee voted against the motion to table. Councilman Jerry Harbst suggested bids or proposals be obtained for the city’s legal representation. Mayor Nielsen said he has a lot of confidence in Maahs and his assistants, saying they have years of invaluable experience and expertise.
The council voted three-to-one, with one abstention, to approve Nielsen’s re-appointment of Jon Martyr as Police Chief. Harbst cast the lone no vote; council member Barb Ricke abstained.
The council voted four-to-one to table Nielsen’s re-appointment of Pete Hegeman as City Administrator. Thee cast the lone no vote, saying he has every confidence in Hegeman. Councilman Jerry Harbst said he wants more public input before reconsidering the matter.
The council unanimously voted in favor of Nielsen naming Thee Mayor Pro-Tem.
