Roll cancels City Council meeting

Libby Mayor Doug Roll decided Friday to cancel the City Council meeting scheduled for last night citing a lack of agenda items, despite two agenda requests made well in advance of the cancellation. City Administrator Jim Hammons notified council members of the decision by email late Friday morning.

“Due to the lack of items for an agenda, the regular Council meeting for Monday has been canceled,” Hammons wrote. “There will be a special meeting on Tuesday, August 18, at 5:30 p.m. to discuss the finalizing of the FY-16 Preliminary Budget. Have a great weekend.”

Councilman Allen Olsen sent an email to Mayor Roll, City Clerk Glena Hook, Hammons and the rest of the City Council Monday, Aug. 10, requesting council discussion on the subject of his previous motion to appoint Councilman Brent Teske as council president. He also requested discussion of a special meeting to appoint a council member to replace Bill Bischoff, who resigned July 31 in order to avoid conflict with his retirement.

“At the last city council meeting I made two motions to make Brent Teske council President,” Olsen wrote. “Councilman Teske seconded the motion. Mr. Roll, with the help from Councilwoman Williams, said that I could not make that motion, because it was not on the agenda. Motions can be made at any point, and on any subject, at anytime. I was misinformed by these two and was asked to take back my motion and I did. I was also told by Mr. Roll that the appointment of the council president would be on the next agenda, for the Aug. 17, 2015, meeting. So I am requesting that be put on the agenda for the Aug. 17, 2015, meeting, if is already not on the agenda.

      “Also, after researching Montana Laws [7-4-4112], which states we have 30 days to put someone in Bischoff’s place on the council. Mr. Roll said it would be put on Sept. 7, 2015, meeting’s agenda. The problem is the law says 30 days not 38 days. So I am also requesting a special meeting for the purpose of picking a new council member. We need to have this meeting between Aug. 24 and Aug. 28 to replace Bischoff.”

Councilwoman Dejon Raines said another item had been requested for the agenda. She said Glacier Bank had requested time to make a request for street closures for the scheduled “Paint It Pink” run in October.

Roll’s decision has at least three members of the council expressing frustration.

“I don’t agree with this decision,” said Raines. “To my knowledge when there are requested agenda items we should have a meeting. I’m disappointed in the decision.”

Councilman Brent Teske was also frustrated by the mayor’s decision.

“I’m not liking it,” he said. “We definitely had business we could have taken care of and should have taken care of.”

Olsen said the city has major issues that could and should be addressed.

“We have three major issues that should have been addressed at tonight’s meeting, the replacement of the council president; the appointment of a new council member and the police chief replacement,” Olsen wrote. “Doug may appoint, but council approves the chief. Roll was unhappy that we would not rubber stamp Lee Bothman to the council and Peggy was upset that she was not named president. Roll, Williams and Desch are so used to the rubber-stamping that they need to back up and regroup to see what else they can do to our town. State Law says we have 30 days to appoint a new council member and we cannot even get our $70,000 attorney to weigh in on Roll continuing to break state laws.”

To make matters worse, Roll’s decision was apparently unilateral, as neither Teske, Raines nor Olsen were consulted in the matter. Combined, the three represent a majority of the sitting council.

“To not consult with anybody, it’s just frustrating,” Teske said. “He just popped off and canceled it without talking to any of us.”

Raines said the decision was prompted by petty bickering which is interfering with the performance of the council’s duties.

“They’re allowing these little political manipulations,” she said. “They’re allowing the little burrs under their saddles to determine how they handle their positions.”