In a message dated 2/23/2005 1:54:27 PM Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Bill Kahn asked: âDoes a conflict of interest exist when a CM is the spouse of a Minneapolis Deputy Chief of Police?â I suppose that the answer to that question is to be found in whatever definition you adopt for the term âconflict of interest.â If we are to exclude from elective office anyone who has any kind of life event that might seem to be potentially influence some vote on the city council, at some unknown time in the future, then we have excluded from public office anyone except someone who just landed here from the planet Mars. On a more practical basis, does the Minneapolis City Council deal with anything else other than the city police? The answer is, of course, that the council deals with lots of other things. So there are obviously lots of other things that a council member is going to be dealing with that there is no question of any conflicting interests. More specifically, the police chief, who is the deputy chief's boss, reports to the mayor and not to the whole council. So any potential of real conflict of interest is cut-off by the fact that there is no reporting relationship. In the end, lots of people in public office have spouses, relatives, and friends who might be influenced by the result of some particular vote. The answer is that they abstain from voting on that one particular issue when it presents itself to avoid any appearance of conflict of interest. I would suggest that your question is best addressed not to the general public but, rather, to Bill Svrluga himself. He is the candidate for council affected by your question but is not named in your post. Ask him, directly, does he recognize that there might come a time that there would be a vote that would seem to be in conflict with the fact that Lucy Gerold is Deputy Chief of Police? Ask him, directly, whether he is prepared to abstain if a vote would seem to be in conflict with her economic or personal interests? Ask him, directly, what kinds of things he sees that might come up where there would be even an appearance of conflict? The kind of person that Iâd be afraid of is someone who would deny that there is no possibility of any conflict of interest. Or, perhaps even worse, someone who hadnât even recognized that there might be a conflict of interest and hadnât even thought about it. I have not asked Bill Svrluga about the matter. However, Iâll bet anything that heâd say that he recognizes that there is the possibility of the appearance of a conflict of interest, that he has thought about it, and that he will abstain on any specific matter where that conflict appears. And those answers would satisfy me that there is no problem. If that is not enough, if you want someone free of any possible connection that may appear to conflict on a particular vote, then I think that you are stuck with looking for that candidate who just landed from Mars. Steve Cross Prospect Park REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls A conflict would exist on issues that have direct financial implications for the council member. The coucnil member would have to declair the conflict and revome him or her self from discussion and votes regarding the issue. Dave Boyd Folwell REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
