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Public comment and city attorney say mayor acted within authority; council seeks written agreements
Summary
A resident questioned the process of installing a license-plate reader; Mayor Thatcher and City Attorney Dan Arndt said the installation followed an ordinance and fell within executive authority, while council members sought written contracts and clearer oversight.
Resident Andy Parrish spoke during public comment about the process used to put the Flock Safety camera in place, asking how the installation had been authorized.
Mayor Tom Thatcher responded that the installation "followed Ordinance 2-2-3(b)(1)" and that no city funds or employee labor were used to mount the camera on the city-owned pole. City Attorney Dan Arndt provided a legal opinion that the mayor had acted within his executive authority to cooperate with law enforcement and said the city bears minimal liability for privacy actions in this matter.
Council members nevertheless raised concerns about privacy protections, the absence of a written contract between the City and County, and whether private data sources such as Ring doorbell feeds are integrated with the Flock network. Those concerns helped produce a separate, successful motion requiring future council approval for surveillance systems.
