Path forward for local government: humility

What in the world is happening with local government?

From claims of toxic workplaces to apparent confusion about open meeting laws to a perceived over-stepping of bounds, things are a bit of a mess.

The latest in this series of unfortunate events occurred before the Sept. 8 Steele County Board meeting, in an exchange between County Administrator Renae Fry and commissioner candidate Gary Spatenka.

As the saying goes, “no matter how flat you make a pancake, it still has two sides.”

While the Times did have a reporter present, the incident occurred between the commissioners’ work session and the actual board meeting, when reporters tend to regroup, perhaps take a break outside the board room, then prepare for the upcoming meeting.

The timing also precluded the incident from appearing on the recording of the regular meeting; the video picks up as the meeting is called to order.

Here is what we know for sure:

Before the meeting began, Fry and Spatenka engaged in conversation. Our reporter said all she picked up on “was a discussion about Spatenka wanting to say something during public comment.”

Our reporter said “it sounded like Renae said, ‘well, you can’t direct a comment directly to the board; they’re not going to respond.’”

None of that is troubling. In fact, it’s part of the rules of decorum for public comment, and it’s announced at every meeting.

There was no shouting, though our reporter said Spatenka was “agitated.”

The two then left the board room, and we are left with only the online video to guide us.

The meeting started, proceeded through approving the agenda, public comment, the consent agenda, then a lengthy audit report.

About two minutes into the meeting, Commissioner Jim Abbe left the room, returning within 30 seconds.

It corresponds with what Spatenka told us: That Abbe had indeed come into the hall where the two were having a “disagreement,” and told them everyone in the meeting room was paying attention to them instead of the board meeting.

The next time we see Fry on the video, 27 minutes have elapsed, but the screen has remained on the audit presentation the entire time. It’s unclear when Fry returned to the board room.

After the audit report was approved, Fry stopped Board Chairman John Glynn’s attempt to move forward with the agenda.

“I asked Mr. Spatenka to step out in the hall, which means he missed public comment,” Fry said, then turned to Spatenka, who was also in the board room, but out of camera view.

“No, I’ll talk to a lawyer,” Spatenka responded, and the meeting continued.

The next day, Spatenka told the Times that Fry approached him and “told him he shouldn’t be at the meeting,” and allegedly accused him of being there “for political gain.”

Not true, Fry said, when contacted two days later.

Fry said she thought Spatenka was going to speak about something that had already gone through the public hearing process at the Planning Commission, “only to find out he was there to complain about another committee.” 

She said Spatenka did not agree with a decision made by the Board of Adjustments, and that he told her he had already contacted individual board members. 

Fry said she told him that he should talk to the county attorney about what rights and remedies are available before he talked to the full board “because they're going to refer the matter back to the county attorney anyway.” 

Fry and Spatenka do not agree if he ever said he was there in his role as chairman of the Planning Commission. 

There are two people who know exactly what was said, and we are neither of them.

We are looking into the issue from all sides, however. Our story will appear in the Sept. 23 edition of the Steele County Times, with further details and quotes from all involved.

The bottom line, however, is this: Elected officials must realize that transparency is not optional, and trust erodes, one questionable choice at a time.

In an odd way, these local governmental issues are uniting both sides of the aisle like nothing we’ve seen; we’ve heard from people across the political spectrum, and they are unequivocal.

The path forward requires humility from our leaders; by welcoming honest feedback and opening up the decision-making process, officials can begin to mend the gap.

Unless and until they do, the erosion of public faith will remain the biggest hurdle our communities face.