Letter: Egan has put Red Wing in compromising position

To the Editor:

Upon hearing that the mayor of Red Wing has accepted a position of executive director of the Minnesota Industrial Sand Council, in effect a lobbyist for the sand industry, I was surprised, due to the clear conflict of interest.

After further thought I'm not just surprised, I'm stunned that a mayor or anyone else cannot see the obvious and clearly compromising position created here.

The mayor has privy to internal information, research and public comment. He has an office at City Hall. He has a seat at the City Council meetings. He is a representative and official of Red Wing.

To also be the paid representative of the Industrial Sand Industry is akin to having that industry sitting in a position of confidence and influence in the City government.

This has the effect of compromising the integrity of any discussion or action the City Council may take on the matter of sand mining.

The mayor claims willingness to recuse himself from that debate. It is too late for that.

By taking his current position with the sand council and aligning himself with that faction, the mayor has irrevocably cast doubt on his and consequently the city governments necessary impartiality on this issue.

For someone to not see, or worse, disregard that clearly inappropriate relationship, is remarkable. In an elected official it is inexcusable.

Doug Alms

Red Wing

Tags: opinion, letters