St. Helens work session refers police chief appointment to regular session after potential conflict disclosure

The St. Helens council returned from an executive session and moved discussion of the police chief position to the regular session for action that evening.

An unnamed council member, Council member, said, "I also wanna mention a potential conflict of interest considering my husband is a, police officer within the city of Saint Helens." The same member confirmed the council would not take action in the work session: "We're gonna move this to an action item, correct, tonight, the regular session? Correct. All we need today is what we're talking about. That's all." The work session was then adjourned.

The council did not take a formal vote or make an appointment during the work session; members instead signaled the item would be placed on the regular-session agenda for action. The record does not specify any candidates, timing beyond "tonight," or procedural steps the regular session would follow.

No statutes, ordinances or formal policies were cited during these remarks in the transcript. The only clear procedural outcome recorded in the work session was referral of the police chief discussion to the regular session; no decision on the appointment or hiring process occurred in the work session.

The disclosure of a potential conflict of interest was made on the record and will be part of the city's public record if the item proceeds to the regular session. The transcript does not identify the council member by name, does not include any formal recusals, and does not record additional public comment or debate on the police chief topic during the work session.