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HALL OF FAME: Centennial announces Class of 2024. PAGE 8
Lexington City Council fills vacant seat BY SHANNON GRANHOLM MANAGING EDITOR
LEXINGTON — Former Mayor Mike Murphy will fill the vacant council seat through the remainder of the year. City Council Member Diane Harris submitted her resignation April 22. The council accepted her resignation May 2 and chose to hold a special meeting the week following Harris’ resignation and appoint Murphy (Mayor Gary Grote voted no). Murphy served as the mayor of Lexington
“Residents have the right to know there is an opening on the City Council...” Diane Harris Former City Council Member from 2016 to 2022. Former Council Member Diane Harris, who served on the council for eight years, told council members she thought they were filling the vacant
seat rather quickly. “Residents have the right to know there is an opening on the City Council and should be given ample opportunity to consider the position and apply, but they weren’t.” She pointed out that unless residents watched the meetings online, they wouldn’t know that she resigned because she was still listed as a council member on the website. She pointed out that the Circle Pines City Council also has a vacancy, and they are giving residents until the end of the month to apply. “I’m disappointed to say the least,
but not surprised,” she said. She then read her resignation letter in full. The letter reads in part, “I have always kept the well-being of Lexington front of mind. Now, however, it is time to keep my own well-being front of mind. This past year and a half has been more challenging that it should have been or needed to be. A divided council is not a productive healthy environment and not what citizens expect or deserve.” SEE VACANCY, PAGE 6
Divided council moves forward with requests for proposals BY SHANNON GRANHOLM MANAGING EDITOR
CONTRIBUTED
Chamber hosts ‘Aging Well’ expo The Quad Area Chamber of Commerce will host its senior expo from 9 a.m. to noon Thursday, May 16 at St. Genevieve Parish & Community Center, located at 6995 Centerville Road in Centerville. The event will provide aging residents and their family members with local resources to age well in the Quad area. The Centennial Lakes Police Department will be on site to collect unwanted prescriptions and sharps, and the Centerville Lions Club will collect unneeded prescription eyewear.
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LINO LAKES — The City Council seems to be split on how the city should move forward with hiring a consultant to evaluate its Public Safety Department. Three council members seem to support the idea of putting out a request for proposals (RFPs) to consultants to evaluate the city’s police and fire department, and two would like a bit more time before pulling the plug. It’s a conversation that started last August when Council Member Christopher Lyden suggested the city use some of its one-time public safety aid dollars to hire an independent consultant to study the city’s fire services. (See “Lino Lakes considers hiring consultant to study fire services” Aug. 15, 2023.) The topic came up again in September 2023, but no decision was made. Last month, Public Safety Director John Swenson suggested the council search for consultants that have experience in fire services and have them create proposals that the council can choose from. (“See Seeking Solutions: Lino Lakes initiates hiring consultant for optimal fire services” April 9, 2024.) The council was recently presented with two draft RFPs, one for an operational study of exclusively fire services and another for both police and fire services.
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