Paola City Attorney, Lee Tetwiler, recently gave Paola City Council Members a refresher course in the do’s and don’ts of public service and explained how their actions can have legal repercussions. Tetwiler explained, that his job is to defend the City from legal liability. He said the Council’s job is to make policy and give direction and the City Manager’s job is to administer the affairs of the City. He emphasized that it is important for Council Members to not cross over into tasks that should be left to the City Manage.
He said his biggest concern has always been public disclosure of Executive Session discussion. His presentation came a few weeks after Council Member Leanne Shields, sent a letter to the Editor of the Miami County Republic, expressing her concerns about the City spending half-cent sales tax money to build new ballparks and renovate existing ones in Wallace Park. Following was Council Member, Trent Upshaw, who said Shields went against protocol when she mentioned a specific property in her letter.
