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Eberlein has left the table

by MADISON HARDY
Staff Writer | April 14, 2021 1:08 AM

Any action by the alternative forms of government ad hoc committee was stopped Tuesday night after one member literally got up and walked away from the table.

Marc Eberlein, a former Kootenai County commissioner and the ad hoc representative of Commissioner Leslie Duncan, refused to continue his position because of his opposition to the study and nomination process.

The first meeting of the ad hoc committee Tuesday night intended to set ground rules for nominating nine individuals to the study committee. However, disagreements between Eberlein, Coeur d'Alene City Councilman Dan Gookin, and Kootenai County senior business analyst Nanci Plouffe left the group without a clear path forward.

Before Eberlein relinquished his role on the board, the ad hoc commission nominated Gookin — Commissioner Bill Brooks' representative — as chairman. The group also determined that the ad hoc committee will accept resumes and applications to participate in the study commission. Applications will be similar to those utilized for county advisory board elections and advertised when available for submission pending budget approval.

During the meeting, issues sparked exploring how they will vet applications for the final board of commissioners' recommendation. Eberlein posed that each of the three ad hoc members chose three applicants to submit for commissioner review.

"We're going to probably sponsor different ones," Eberlein said. "I'm sure we all have some different viewpoints as to what should take place. So if I were operating as if Mrs. Duncan was here, I would be choosing people that she would."

Gookin noted that the commissioners' were offered a similar process, but they did not. While he said this could be in part due to cowardice, the ad hoc committee should still consider other avenues for their recommendation.

"The commissioners had their chance, they showed that they have no spine, and they opted to create a committee which I think is political cowardice," Gookin said. "So it falls upon us."

Instead, he suggested that the ad hoc committee host interviews for applicants and then vote on them using "collective wisdom." Gookin argued that this system would add transparency for the public and remove any indication that preconceived or private decisions influenced their nominations.

Eberlein felt that as Duncan's representative, he would be more comfortable to pick out three people and possibly consult with his choices with the commissioner pending legal counsel approval. Kootenai County Communications Manager Nancy Jones said that, to her understanding, the committee was not specifically chosen to represent the commissioner that nominated them to the ad hoc committee.

Nanci Plouffe, the representative for Commissioner Fillios, opposed Eberlein's proposed nomination system.

"I would like there to be the discussion and interaction between the committee on those people that would like to apply," Plouffe said. "It would be more beneficial for us to select them as a committee than it would be to select three."

Describing himself as Taiwan sitting between China and Russia, Eberlein felt that Gookin and Plouffe held more power in a voting decision and would likely outweigh his preferred nominations. Following a motion made by Plouffe to review all applications as a group, Eberlein took his leave.

"At this time, I'm going to leave the table. I can no longer condone this. If we're going to do you pick three, I pick three, you pick three, I'm fine with that," Eberlein said while packing his things. "But right now, I'm feeling a setup over here, where we are just going to go sideways."

When asked if Duncan had asked Eberlein to leave, he denied the accusation. While recognizing that the ad hoc committee technically still had sufficient quorum, Gookin stated that he would prefer to make decisions with three members.

To fill the position or take alternative action, a commissioner meeting will occur in the coming weeks.

photo

Marc Eberlein, the ad hoc representative of Commissioner Leslie Duncan, stepped down from the ad hoc committee Tuesday night in opposition to the study process. From left: Dan Gookin, Marc Eberlein. (MADISON HARDY/Press)