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North Branch City Council met for about an hour in closed session February 20 to consider setting a public hearing to review complaints alleging a fellow council member had violated the council code of conduct. The council entered open session and agreed the allegations constitute a legitimate complaint under the current standards, and that the allegations were lodged “in good faith” as required.  The council member facing the allegations, Kelly Neider, was absent.

The council will air the complaints and Neider will also have the opportunity to have her say at the public hearing which is set for Tuesday, March 19 at 6:30 p.m.  This will be the third time Council member Neider has been through this.  She was  found to have violated the conduct standards twice before, once in questioning a pending appointee’s mental limitations and the other complaint arose from municipal liquor store staff describing an incident where Neider, as a customer, was abusing her position of authority. 

Until the March 19 public review of the latest set of allegations, the issues are known to just the council and city attorney.

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