Harris' Potential Conflict of Interest Discussed Again

(posted June 6)

The public will have to wait until June 11 to see how the council votes on Speedway Redevelopment Commissioner Scott Harris' conflict of interest disclosure form that would allow him to make $55 an hour for 20 hours per week until Dec. 31, 2007. The contract is renewable. The council raised some concerns at the June 5 workshop to better understand what all the contract entailed before the Monday vote.

Town Attorney Jim Gutting said the contract has now been altered so Harris would not place in himself in a precarious position of being in a quorum if he met with two commissioners while acting as a consultant. This would violate the open door law.

The contract change now stipulates he can meet with only one commissioner instead of two. He noted that all negotiations would be done in a public meeting.

Councilman Lu Hillmer said the commissioners knew this was a volunteer job before accepting it and that maybe an independent consultant could be hired to avoid setting a precedent of other board members demanding pay by acting as consultants.

Council President Bill Golay asked how the SRC will monitor's Harris success since he is president of the SRC.

"The voting process is our accountability," SRC member Vince Noblet said.

SRC member Ron Fisher said it was a temporary position and the SRC is close to receiving letters of intent.

"We are lucky to have Scott available," he said. He noted that there is a strong likely hood that Embassy Suites could locate in Speedway. He wanted the momentum to be maintained in that Harris would be able to monitor the situation more closely as a consultant because it is demanding of the commission's time.

"This is the kind of deal we are waiting on. I want to see an Embassy Suites, not a Red Roof Inn," he said.

If passed, Harris will be paid from the SRC budget.