Mayor Notes Positives As Retired Judge Claims Falls City Mishandles Legal Publications

FALLS CITY – Falls City Mayor Shawna Bindle said the city is in good financial condition and committed to transparency, despite controversy led by attorney Thomas J. Gist of Rulo regarding building permits and legal publications.

Gist, a former county judge and prosecutor, says he is asking the Falls City Journal to publish his  11-page letter describing the city’s handling of a building demolition on Stone Street. He said there are conflicts of interest involving the city’s planning commission and Nebraska Liquor Commission and he questions why repairs to an uptown structure do not seem to be progressing.

 

Reacting to his perceived problems over building and demolition permits, Gist said he researched 51 public meetings of the city in 2017 and 2018. His letter says only eight received proper legal notifications in the newspaper under a 30-day time frame. He said, in his opinion, none of the financial claims linked to those meetings were published properly.

Gist: “If you don’t do it, you know, it becomes a crime. I guess, that’s the way I look at it and I’m just pointing this out to them.”

Gist told News Channel Nebraska on Tuesday that his interactions with City Clerk Gary Jorn in the past have not left him with a favorable impression.

Gist: “It appeared to me, that for several years, everybody on the city council has been rather myopic, or can’t seem to notice the situation.”

Gist said he feels like it is his civic duty to bring these issues to light.

 

Gist: “People need to know what their government is up to and what their government is doing and, if you don’t publish these things within the time frame specified by the state law, obviously the people have no knowledge of what’s going on with their government.”

Mayor Bindle said she would not discuss the specifics of Gist's complaints, but said she takes all citizen concerns seriously.

Bindle: “The mayor has oversight of all city activities …   I think transparency, as not only a taxpayer in my shoes, but as the mayor, also my shoes, transparency is always important. We have an open door policy.”

Asked about the city's dual role of city clerk and administrator, Bindle spoke about the city management.

Bindle: “I think that we are strong. Just like any city, I think there are places that we can improve and I think we need to constantly, as the mayor and the council, look at ways to improve.”

Mayor Bindle noted that an audit report at Monday’s meeting confirmed the city is in good financial position and she credits that to Jorn and all of the city staff.

Bindle: “Our auditors told us that we were very strong, economically. We are paying down our debt, our cash flow is improving and we are able to make good, solid adjustments to the budget every year to allow what we need.”

Gist said he has not received a reaction from elected officials, but he hopes the mayor and city council will insist that city staff abide by state law.