Libby City Council might consider procedure for appointing members

As the Libby City Council continues an ongoing review of its policies and procedures, one Council Member has suggested it consider determining how to appoint new members.

“We’ve appointed quite a few council people in the last six to eight months and we just did it the way we’ve always done it, but there probably are better ways to do it,” said Peggy Williams July 18, the day after making her suggestion during a regularly scheduled City Council meeting.

“At one point all we requested was a letter of interest” from people wishing to be appointed, Williams said. Eventually a resume was added to the request, and potential appointees are also questioned by the City Council before a vote is taken.

“A letter of interest might have been OK ten years ago when all the applicants were well-known (and) you were talking to people you knew fairly well,” Williams said.

Mayor Brent Teske, who said via email there isn’t a firm deadline on updating policies and procedures, seemed amenable to Williams’ suggestion.

“We worked on revising them this winter and fall and then things got busy and I haven’t had time to finalize the last couple of changes and present a draft yet,” he wrote. “In light of recent events, I feel that it is important for the city to vet and background check appointees, however it is up to the voters to do their homework and research prior to voting elected officials into office.”