Residents raised concerns June 4 about the city’s handling of public records requests and a nondisclosure agreement used during the police chief hiring process, urging greater transparency and timely responses.

Tammy Magra told the council that some public records requests had been pending for as long as a year and a half and said the delays suggested the city did not want to provide records. “If you don’t want the public to have the records, you would have a more speedier way of providing those records when they’re requested,” Magra said.

Brady Preheim criticized the city’s handling of a police chief hiring process and said that applicants were being asked to sign a nondisclosure agreement during interviews, which he called unprecedented for municipal hiring. “Never in any city position anywhere has someone signed a nondisclosure agreement in an interview. So explain to me why that’s necessary,” Preheim said, and he asked why the city attorney would prepare such an agreement.

Council members did not take action during the meeting on these comments. City staff reminded the public comment rules and said legitimate complaints about employees should be sent to the city administrator for follow-up so they can be handled according to city policy.

No council vote or direction to change public records processes or hiring practices was recorded in the meeting minutes for June 4.