Chisholm Council hears concerns during working session
CHISHOLM—An estimated 60 people, including some members of the fire department and ambulance service, gathered at the Chisholm Senior Center this past Tuesday for a working session of the Chisholm City Council. “I would anticipate a few recommendations from staff at our next meeting,” City Administrator Ryan Pervenanze wrote in an email on Wednesday. “I think there are many areas of agreement with the council with most the important being their commitment to public safety as a whole.” “Over the next week or so I’ll work with our EMS Director and Fire Chief as well as the council to develop a path forward,” he added. The meeting was called at the October 28 regular council meeting, when the council tabled three potential resolutions to address a recommendation from McGrath Consulting that would prohibit any city employee, including part-time, volunteer to serve as an elected official. McGrath, in its report, categorized the adoption of such an ordinance as a Priority 1 recommendation, and identifies concerns regarding council oversight, supervision, perceived favoritism, and unconscious bias. Much of the discussion on Tuesday wasn’t centered around that recommendation, although feedback from those who directly addressed it appeared to question the logic behind the recommendation.
