Mayor says city honors public participation

In a letter published in the Whitefish Pilot on Aug. 9, 2017, Duncan Scott accused the Whitefish City Council of violating the public’s constitutional rights. While I seldom weigh in on letters to the editor, the seriousness and significance of Mr. Scott’s accusation merits a response.

At a meeting held May 10, 2017, two members of the Flathead County Planning Board made unprofessional and unflattering comments about the city of Whitefish. In response, on June 6, 2017, the City Council sent a letter to the Flathead County Commissioners requesting that they censure the comments and either remove the Planning Board members or require them to recuse themselves in the future from decisions that impact the City.

Montana’s open meeting laws require that the public be given notice when the City Council holds a meeting in which it considers an issue of significant public interest. The law defines “meeting” as “the convening of a quorum of the constituent membership of the public agency or association ... to hear, discuss, or act upon a matter over which the agency has supervision, control, jurisdiction or advisory power.”

While all members of the City Council signed the June 6 letter to the Flathead County Commissioners, no quorum was ever convened for the purposes of discussing the letter. Further, the city certainly doesn’t have jurisdiction of or any control over the Flathead County Commissioners or their decision to grant or deny the City’s requests. The city and county have corresponded numerous times in the past without voting on the correspondence in public meetings.

The city of Whitefish takes its obligation to uphold the constitutional right to know about and participate in government decisions very seriously. After Mr. Scott complained, ratification of the June 6 letter was placed on the agenda for the July 17 City Council meeting and the public was given an opportunity to provide input.

The citizens of Whitefish have a long history of being significantly involved with and very passionate about local issues. The city has, and will continue to be, deferential to and protective of its citizens’ rights to participate in local government in a meaningful manner.

John Muhlfeld is the mayor of Whitefish.