Lind mayor nixed from executive session

LIND — Mayor Paula Bell was excluded from an executive session that took place during the Nov. 12 Town Council meeting.

Just over an hour into the meeting, the assembly broke for the executive session. The council voted 4-0 to exclude the mayor.

“We are having an executive session with the council attorney regarding issues that we are having,” Councilwoman Anna Dobbins said.

“I will be in attendance,” Mayor Paula Bell said.

“No,” Dobbins responded. “You are not invited. I make a motion that Paula be not invited to the executive session, as it is with the council’s attorney and the council’s attorney advised that she not be present.”

Following the terse exchange, the four council members present moved into an adjoining room without Bell and without Town Clerk Barbara Pence.

Councilman Robert Dew was not present.

The council returned to an open meeting at 7:29 p.m.

The brouhaha isn’t the first between the council and mayor — the council tried to dismiss Bell in April. Bell also survived a recall election to retain the job.

During the Nov. 12 meeting, the issues continued about 45 minutes later when another discussion erupted between Dobbins and Bell.

“Your attorney continues to fight with our attorney and he doesn’t seem to understand municipal law, because he is not a municipal attorney,” Dobbins said to Bell. “He does not serve as the town attorney for any other town.”

Dobbins challenged Bell on legal expenses, and the mayor’s ability to spend town funds to hire an attorney.

“You were told to have the final bill and to have everything returned,” Dobbins told Bell. “It’s in the minutes and you didn’t do it. Instead, you cost a whole lot more money on both sides...

“Municipal law states that you do not have the authority to hire and fire the attorney. That lies with the council, and it is a contract, and you refuse to understand that.

“You cannot sit there and tell the council that he is not the town attorney and then expect to be paid... Simple.”

Less than a minute later there was yelling between an audience member and Dobbins, which prompted Bell to call a 3-minute recess.