Response to Mr. Duff's Concentration of Power Concern Letter to the Editor

“A concentration of power”, sounds quite scary. Mr. Duff’s letter to the Editor makes an interesting argument that no Council member should be on an advisory board. Our friends to the north in Cambridge actually have their City Council as the Economic Development Authority. There are no non-elected officials on this Board.

The Isanti advisory boards that he is referring to are simply that, advisory. They have no power at all. They are to give their advice by majority vote to the Council, which holds all the power. If this were not true Mr. Duff’s own private pond initiative would have died in the Planning Commission were it was reject on a 6-1 vote, Mr. Duff being that one vote. It was presented to the Council the very next week and passed 4-1, were I was the one vote. If there is a concern of power concentration then the Citizens would need to pick the appointed members not the Council.

Mr. Duff’s Founding Fathers statement was a considerable leap. They created the Federal Government who’s Senate and House committees are made up completely of their own members. The checks and balances are elections. Not appointing someone else to do your job.

Any business owner or Citizen may attend, write a letter or provide information to any of our boards, commissions and committees.

Elected officials are responsible for their decisions to the voters. It is that simple. Boards, commissions and committees sift through the presented information and refine it down to a final recommendation to the Council. The Council then looks at their recommendation and makes a decision.

One of the many benefits of having a City Council member in this process is to have them report the details of the conversation and decision making process to the full Council. Elected officials have the supreme responsibility to the Citizens and taxpayers of a city.

I have a grave concern with conflicts of interest. I fought hard last year to remove Isanti’s largest developer from our Economic Development Authority. This is the concentration of power that causes me concern. Great economic power coupled with political power. The mix of the two can have terrible consequences.

This is the real problem in Isanti. I propose that the City of Isanti adopt the highest standard Conflict of Interest Policy and Practices presented. This would mean that if any conflict exists the member leaves the chamber until the discussion and vote are over. I would also like to see a one year moratorium on the member voting on any issue were the conflict existed. An example is if you have done business with a company, you have to wait one year after your last financial transaction to discuss or vote on their items.