WILLMAR - A motion to override Willmar Mayor Marv Calvin's veto of the reappointment of Linda Kacher to a local economic development board failed to pass Monday night. Only two votes were cast in favor of overriding the veto, four short of the six needed.
This means that at this time the City Council will not be moving Kacher's name forward for another term on the Kandiyohi County and City of Willmar Economic Development Commission Operations Board.
The EDC Joint Powers Board has the ultimate authority over the operations board and could decide on its own who to appoint, regardless of city recommendations.
The mayoral veto was in response to council action taken Dec. 19, when a motion passed 4 to 3 to recommend to the EDC Joint Powers Board that Kacher be reappointed. This came after Calvin sent Kacher a letter saying he would not be appointing her again to the operations board.
At the time, Calvin believed he was following council practice for the mayor to make board and commission appointments and the council approve them. However, then-Councilman Tim Johnson pointed out the mayor has the power to appoint members only to commissions created under the city charter, such as the utilities or the planning commissions.
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The EDC has its own bylaws, which give the joint powers board the authority to appoint members to the operations board. The EDC Joint Powers Board does ask for recommendations from both the city and county and has typically appointed members based on those recommendations.
At Monday's council meeting, Calvin apologized for sending Kacher the initial letter, saying he acted in error.
"I apologize to the citizens of Willmar," Calvin said. He will also be sending Kacher a second letter, apologizing for the first.
Calvin stood by his veto though. In his letter to City Clerk Judy Thompson on Dec. 27, laying out his reason for vetoing the Dec. 19 motion, Calvin said there appeared to have been no staff review of the discussion to reappoint Kacher before it came to the council for a vote.
Councilman Ron Christianson made the motion Monday night to overturn Calvin's veto.
"There has never been anyone not reappointed to that board. It's hard enough to get qualified people to volunteer their time," Christianson said.
Christianson also questioned Calvin's motives for wanting Kacher removed from the operations board and asked for the mayor's reasons. Christianson read a passage from the city charter, Section 9.03, which prohibits any person being removed from any city or appointed position because of race, sex, political, religious opinions or affiliations, or other protected class.
Calvin did not give his reasons for not wanting to reappoint Kacher. He has said previously that he has spoken to Kacher about those reasons.
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There was discussion about how the city should bring forward recommendations to other boards and commissions. For mayoral appointments, five affirmative council votes are needed to approve them. However, the recommendation from Dec. 19 had only four affirmative votes.
