Kendal Killian. The news report was primarily about hiring a political insider
who is a close friend of Brad Bourn and about insider favoritism. I have spoken
about some of the political aspects. I think if you step back from this
conversation, I think it is about whether you think political patronage is a
good thing or not. As a political discussion, people will take sides about this
that are predictable. So if I can put aside that part of the discussion, there
are objective questions about the lack of oversight, accountability, or
transparency about serious ethical and legal problems concerning this contract.
On June 5th, 2018 the Park Board hired Kendal Killian to lobby for the Park
Board. State statute 10A.03 requires that a lobbyist file for registration
within 5 days.
10A.03 LOBBYIST REGISTRATION.
Subdivision 1.First registration. A lobbyist must file a registration form with
the board within five days after becoming a lobbyist or being engaged by a new
individual, association, political subdivision, or public higher education
system.
Why would the Park Board hire Kendal Killian as a lobbyist and have him work in
violation of state statute for the initial 96 days of his contract? Why would
anyone at the Park Board authorize payments for a lobbyist who did not bother
to meet the minimum requirements for that job?
According to the specific public data request response that I received- There
are no written records for any work that Kendal Killian has done except for
invoices for payment in advance for each ensuing month.
I have been provided copies of invoices with no information except a request
for a monthly payments in advance… and the Sept. invoices did not have the
correct dates for that month.
This contract requires that,
“ Payments will be made by the MPRB to the selected consultant upon
satisfactory completion of the specific work as mentioned in the scope of
services and /or selected consultant contract.
Under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, data that you create,
collect, receive, or store, in this kind of contract is public information that
can be accessed by a public data request. But I have been told that there is no
data that has been created, collected, received, or stored since the job began
on June 5th.
Thanks,
Scott Vreeland
Link: <http://www.fox9.com/news/minneapolis-park-board-accused-of-cronyism>