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Conservation-district appointments, EWP procurement and alleged conflicts draw extended public comment; two applicants withdraw
Summary
Public commenters, district representatives and the city attorney debated whether two conservation-district supervisor seats were properly appointed and whether contracts awarded during a flood recovery program created conflicts of interest. NRCS's role in selecting awardees and calls for financial disclosure were central; two applicants withdrew their names.
During the public-comment period of the Columbus City Council meeting, multiple speakers raised concerns about two conservation-district supervisor appointments and whether contracts awarded during Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) recovery work created conflicts of interest.
Austin Houston, who identified himself as chairman of the Estola Conservation District, said there had been confusion over reappointment dates and asked the council to make appointments that would set terms to end on Dec. 27. "I have a letter here recommending that before you," he told the council, asking them to review records and accept the district's appointment recommendations.
The city attorney told the council the two urban supervisor positions are reappointed every three years and that, by statute, public officers and employees "are not supposed to have any interest in contracts administered or granted on behalf of the board of which they serve." He emphasized the council's appointment authority and clarified that the council does not have supervisory authority over the district's day-to-day operations; he urged council members to vet information before making appointments.
Sharon Kometis, speaking for the district, said the EWP procurement process was atypical because NRCS (the Natural Resources Conservation Service) was the federal agency that approved awardees and that district staff and the chairman handled submittals during the emergency response. "At no time did any other board members other than the chairman... vote on their projects," she said, adding that NRCS made final award decisions and that the emergency process required atypical handling.
John Harrington urged full financial transparency for federally funded projects and pointed to federal procurement rules and the "super circular/200 series" requirements. "The public has the right to full financial disclosure for every facet of their existence," he said, and he urged the council to ask district leaders how much specific board members received from EWP contracts.
Several people noted that correspondence in the record shows contracts were awarded to two board members; the city attorney said that fact was not disputed. In the midst of the discussion, Ben Walker said he would withdraw his application to serve on the conservation district board and Nate Jones likewise said he would pull his application.
The council took no appointment votes during the hearing; the chair called a five-minute recess after public comment. Council members indicated they had received letters that evening and said they would review the documentation before acting on appointments.
The exchange combined legal questions about appointment authority, federal procurement rules and practical explanations of how EWP-era emergency work was managed; the council did not take formal action on appointments at the meeting.
