Eden Prairie's Budget Advisory Commission was established in March of 2007. Dick Proops was a charter member. He was great at it---always prepared, did his homework, understood that city staff would filter some information from him. He was dogged in his fight for the taxpayer. Sure, that could get uncomfortable at times, but that's what the job was.
BAC members were initially set to for three year terms from April of the year of their appointment through March. This was changed to match our budget cycle so that members were appointed effective January of each year. And, terms were changed so that they were four year terms.
City policy is that after a commission member serves two full terms that they need a unanimous vote of the council to be reappointed to a third term. I generally agree with this, for after as much as 8 years (2 full 3 year terms and up to 2 years of a partial term) maybe it's time to give someone else a chance.
This policy was abused in 2010 to remove Dick from the BAC. City Staff took the position that he had served two full terms between March of 2007 and December of 2010. They did so because during the re-alignment of the commission cycle Dick was assigned a 2-year term so that we would stagger the terms of commission members. Thus, they argued, he had served one term of 1.6 years and a second term of 2 years.
It was outrageous. And unfair. And clearly intended to get rid of Dick. Staff knew that Dick couldn't get a unanimous vote on the council.
I thus made a motion, seconded by Jon Duckstad, to clarify that those who served on the BAC from March of 2007 until it was re-aligned to a calendar year basis had not served a full term on the commision. I needed three votes to pass this motion and permit Dick to continue on the BAC. The only possible vote was Brad Aho and he wouldn't do it. He voted against the motion which would have allowed Dick another term on the BAC.
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