Department heads vouch for Nygaard

Department heads for the city of Lewiston have united to back City Manager Alan Nygaard, sending a letter to the city council voicing their strong support in the face of attacks by some in the community.

“There is a group of persons who are making derogatory remarks about Mr. Nygaard on social media and in letters to the editor,” the letter reads. “The Leadership Team of your City thinks it is important for all of you to know how much we support and appreciate Mr. Nygaard.”

The letter offers what it calls “just a brief list of qualities that come to mind” when thinking about Nygaard. They include his willingness to listen to different points of view; open and honest relationships with the leadership team; strong teamwork; mentoring of leadership and staff; long-term strategic planning; respect for community input; tackling tough issues that have been avoided in the past; building financial reserves; and meeting numerous other “big challenges.”

The letter is signed by Parks and Recreation Director Tim Barker, Public Works Director Chris Davies, City Attorney Jana Gomez, Police Chief Budd Hurd, Library Director Lynn Johnson, Administrative Services Director Dan Marsh, Public Information Officer Carol Maurer, Fire Chief Travis Myklebust, Human Relations Director Nikki Province, City Clerk Kari Ravencroft and Community Development Director Laura Von Tersch.

Nygaard has been subjected to frequent vitriol over the last several months, much of it stemming from the city’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. Last March, in one of its first actions during the crisis, the city council appointed him as the director of civil defense. That gave him authority to enact orders to promote public health, like quarantines and limits on public gatherings. The council retained its ability to veto any of Nygaard’s orders, however.

Nygaard has used that power sparingly, usually leaving it to the council to act on public health orders like an advisory for people to wear face coverings in public when social distancing isn’t possible. Still, a sector of the public reacted strongly to any proposed orders, with several people registering their objections at two rambunctious city council meetings in July.

The first was so crowded that social distancing was impossible to maintain. City officials responded at the next session by keeping most attendees outside the meeting room at the City Library, then allowing small groups in to make their public comments. Last week that tactic was deemed an unintentional open meeting law violation by Nez Perce County Prosecutor Justin Coleman, negating the votes the council made that night.

Councilors redid many of those votes at their Sept. 14 meeting, and will consider the rest next week. On Monday, they held a closed executive session to hold a “discussion regarding open meetings law complaints,” according to the agenda.

The July 27 council meeting also provoked a citizen citation from attendee and vocal city critic Wilson Boots, who accused Nygaard of misdemeanor battery after an encounter near the main door to the meeting room. Nygaard said he simply brushed against Boots as he was trying to squeeze through the crowded doorway. A court date has not been set, but the citation requires Nygaard to make a plea by Wednesday in Nez Perce County Magistrate Court.

Nygaard has also been criticized for his compensation package, which the city council raised to $154,400 plus benefits last year. Several councilors have defended that salary, including John Pernsteiner. Last month he noted that Nygaard oversees one of the largest and most complex organizations in the city. And on Monday, Councilor Bob Blakey specifically noted the common claim on social media that the raise made Nygaard the highest paid public official in the state.

“Alan is not the highest-paid public official in the state of Idaho,” Blakey said. “They fail to recognize that we front-loaded his pay, and he’s not going to get any pay raises outside of cost-of-living for five years. And we did that so we wouldn’t lose him to another community. That’s how valuable we thought he was. And I still think Alan is very valuable.”

Blakey said the vote of confidence from the department heads was well-warranted. Von Tersch said she drafted the letter after Gomez raised the idea.

“I’d rather not focus on the attacks,” Von Tersch said of coming up with the list of positives. “He’s an excellent manager, and I would hope that whatever criticism he faces would not chase him off. It would be a shame if it did.”

Mills may be contacted at jmills@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2266.