Contract approved on 2-1 vote

FARGO – Fargo’s Board of Trustees approved a contract for a new water superintendent by a 2-1 vote Tuesday, capping a dispute that began several weeks ago that led to two long-time board members resigning and two new ones elected recently to take their place.

The controversy apparently started when Fargo’s water superintendent Dwight Crouse broke his leg and was unable to perform his duties. Then-Fargo Trustee and Mayor Randy Howard assumed the water superintendent position after the accident.

However, according to the Oklahoma Municipal League, a city official cannot hold two positions within the same city as Howard was doing.

“I knew I could not be paid but I decided I would go ahead and do this for the city since there was no one else to do it,” said Howard. “However, after review by our city attorney and the OML they advised me that I could resign from my position and vote to be paid and then re-appointed. It was decided that the this would work and I resigned from the board and from my mayor position.”

Instead of being re-appointed, as was decided according to Howard, board member Edwin Crouse did not second the motion to re-appoint.

Crouse and Howard said that was when the third member of the board resigned, leaving Crouse as the only remaining board member.

A special election was held earlier this year and two new members – Glenn Door and Hap Arrington – were elected to sit on the three person board of trustees.

On Tuesday, the regular board meeting was held and Howard was present with a contract to be voted on to be a paid personal contractor for the city. The price to be paid to Howard is $2,077.00 per month and was approved by a 2-1 margin.

The no vote was voiced by Crouse, who stated that he did not approve of the 63-day contract because of two issues.

“I do not approve this based on two issues that bother me,” said Crouse. “Number one being the 63 days as that Randy will be paid. The amount of money seems very high and when does the 63 days start and when does it end are what I am curious about.”

Crouse went on to say, “The second issue is Randy’s attitude. He has walked out mad at the last two meetings.”

Crouse said he took offense to something Howard said when he left one of the meetings.

“This is why I am voting no on the issue at hand,” Crouse said.

Door, Fargo’s mayor, said he checked with several other people from surrounding communities that are certified to test water to see if they would be willing to help the city out and what they would charge. According to Door he was turned down by several and the one that didn’t turn him down wanted more money than Howard.

According to Crouse, Howard could not be paid for his service while he was still mayor and a trustee board member. Howard says the payment from the contract that was approved is not for the time he was in office, but from Dec. 17 to March 21 or until the time Dwight Crouse can come back to work.

“Dwight was hurt on the job so his job will be waiting on him when he is able to come back,” said Howard. “Under direction of our city attorney and the OML, I drew up this personal service agreement after researching it on the Internet. The OML and our city attorney have both said that if I resigned and was re-appointed I could be paid. However, after I resigned someone saw fit not to re-appoint me after he initially said he would.”

Crouse said that he did not second the motion to re-appoint in order to have some space worked in between the resignation.

“Randy still insisted on being paid, and when we wouldn’t he got mad and walked out of the meeting,” said Crouse. “My objection is that he knew he couldn’t be paid and now he wants to be paid.”

However, Howard says he was advised by the city attorney and the OML that he could be paid for his services and still be mayor and a board member.

“This whole situation was not a good deal for Fargo or anyone involved,” said Howard.

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