by Tracy McCue and James Jordan, Sumner Newscow — In a sequence of events that might defy description, Wellington City Council member Kip Etter was asked to step down tonight by Wellington Mayor Shelley Hansel.

Kip Etter

After an intense exchange between council member Jim Valentine and Etter himself, Hansel asked the legal advice of City Attorney Mike Brown, who told her he resigned after verbally making the statement at the regular city council meeting on Aug. 2.

Shelley Hansel

Hansel then said upon Brown’s legal advice, she is asking Etter to step down as a councilman. Etter then left, telling the council, “good luck.”

It might go down as the strangest stepping down in Wellington Municipality history if the results stand. Many council members have resigned in the middle of their terms. Others have been removed by the voters during an election. But whether a council member has been told to leave the council by the mayor may be unprecedented.After the meeting Hansel said she had contacted Etter, and he told her he would get back to her the next day. She said he did not do so. She felt that he had resigned and did not make an effort to communicate with anyone.

“He can’t just come back and act like nothing happened” she said after the meeting.

City attorney Mike Brown said he believes if a person says they resign during a meeting in open session that means they have resigned.

The “step-down” came without the input of three of its members: Bill Butts, Kelly Hawley and Jan Korte, who remained silent throughout the discussion. Council member Vince Wetta was not in attendance. No vote was ever taken.

Ironically, it was a motion by Wetta at the August 2 meeting that led to the Mayor’s verbal ouster two weeks later. At that meeting, Wetta motioned to make Shane Shields the permanent city manager pending contract approval. Shield was indeed hired later that meeting after an executive session.

That motion passed 4-2 on August 2, with Etter and Hawley voting against the proposal. Etter, who appeared visually upset that night, stated “I resign” which was caught audibly on camera. However, it was never dignified at the time by Mayor Hansel, nor did it appear several of the other council members heard him say it. Etter then got up and walked out of the meeting and did not return.

Since then, neither Hansel nor Shields indicated they had heard from Etter. Hansel said she even called Etter personally to allow him a chance to “cool down” and see if things could be worked out.

Etter had indicated to Sumner Newscow last week that he did not intend to resign but was frustrated in the process.

There was a work session held on Monday, August 8. He was not in attendance. He confirmed to Newscow that this was his anniversary.

When the meeting began, Etter was not present at the start. After the meeting started, Valentine immediately asked if the council should take necessary steps toward accepting his resignation. It was not on the city council agenda.

The following is a transcript of what followed:

Valentine – Obviously, he is not here, so I think we should accept that resignation. I don’t know how you want to go about this.

Hansel – Mr. Shields, has Mr. Etter made any contact with you since the last meeting?

Shields – I have not had any contact with him since last week and no indication of his position.

Hansel – I will let it be known publicly that Mr. Etter said he would resign and left the meeting early. I called him and offered the opportunity to allow him to sleep on it in hopes he would call me the next day. I, like Shields, have not talked to him.

(Etter enters the room)

Hansel: Mr. Etter we were about to accept your resignation… (hesitates and then turns to the city attorney). Mr. Brown, what is your legal opinion on the manner?

Brown: It is my understanding that he resigned at the last meeting. That was his announcement.

Etter – I think my announcement was I was “resigning” That was when I got up to leave… I see if you are going to operate it like a good ole boys club like you have been doing, there is nothing I can do to stop you.

Valentine – I don’t think there is a good ole boy process with this council. The actions you showed, the innuendos you made, the things that you said, it seems obvious to me that you intended to resign. And you need to follow through with that.

Etter – If you want to force me and run your good ole boy’s club feel free. I got mad because of the way things were being run.

Valentine – It is not a good ole boys club.

(The two exchange words simultaneously. Hansel bangs her gavel telling them to speak in a civilized manner).

Etter – We have a democratic process and we are going to disagree.

Valentine – You violated the law by leaving. By law we could have brought you back here.

Etter – There has been a lot of stuff that ran through my mind the last two weeks. I don’t take lightly of the process, the lack of professionalism, the good oh boy system. Why do we have an agenda? You don’t follow the agenda whatsoever. I like Shane and have no problem with him putting his name in the hat. But my problem is, we did an extreme disservice to this community by not going through the process to make sure that Shane Shields was the right person.

Individually, these council members have voted $28,000 to conduct a road survey, but they can’t shell out $6,000 to go through an analysis to make sure Shane Shields was the correct decision?

Furthermore, you deviated from the agenda. And then to top that off, you allowed Shields to write his own contract, and give it back to the council.

So yes, I needed to leave. I needed to walk away before I said something I was going to later regret.

I’m not going to be part of the good ole boys club, but I am going to continue to fight for Wellington.

Hansel – I wanted Etter to be heard. Legally, Mr. Brown has said a verbal resignation stands. Beyond that, I’m going with Mr. Brown’s recommendation because that is his job. I’m going to ask you to step down.

Etter – Good luck.

(Mr. Etter walks out of the room)

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