Mayor In Secret Meetings, Critics Say Spirit Lake Residents Claim Knapp Met Council Members At His Home

Some Spirit Lake residents are accusing Mayor Bob Knapp of holding secret meetings because City Council members were spotted at his home.

“If they have something to discuss, they should be discussing it in front of the whole council,” said Teresa Morgan, a neighbor of Knapp’s.

Sunday and Monday, she and city critic Sandy Faubion said they saw city police and councilmen Rod Erickson and Ed Hanna at Knapp’s home.

“If they weren’t up to no good, why would they have to have a secret meeting?” said Faubion.

Attempting to document what she believed was a secret meeting of the City Council, Morgan took photographs of the cars at Knapp’s home. On Monday, city critics came back with a camcorder.

Idaho law makes it illegal for a quorum of council members - the number required to conduct business - to discuss city business in secret. Spirit Lake is governed by Knapp and four council members.

“I think they’re being either stupid or bold,” said Morgan. “Or maybe they think they’re above the law.”

Mayor Knapp was angry about his neighbors taking pictures of cars in his driveway. There were no secret meetings, he said.

He acknowledged that the council members stopped by, but said it wasn’t illegal because they didn’t constitute a quorum. Because the mayor doesn’t normally vote, he didn’t count himself.

“We looked it up,” he said. “We know what the law is - and the rest of them better figure it out.”

The Idaho attorney general’s office referred city meeting questions to Kootenai County Prosecutor Bill Douglas, who couldn’t be reached Monday for his legal opinion.

Knapp also said he and the council members weren’t talking city business.

“We’re talking about radar backup alarm systems,” Knapp said. He owns a company that makes alarm devices.

“There have been absolutely no rules broken by any of the City Council members, or me least of all,” he said. “I ain’t stupid.”

Morgan and Faubion said they also were concerned to see that one of those at Knapp’s home was former police chief Steve Durkin. Durkin resigned under heavy fire three years ago, amid allegations of incompetence and buffoonery.

“If I want a friend over to my house, can’t I have a friend over?” Knapp responded. “Is it anybody’s business?”

The political brouhaha in Spirit Lake began in December, when Knapp abruptly fired Police Chief Jeff Alexander. Since then, city critics have picketed City Hall and gathered signatures and letters of support for Alexander.

In response, several unsigned letters have circulated throughout the city, criticizing Alexander. Knapp says he’s representing the views of business owners and a silent majority of townspeople.

, DataTimes