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The drama lives on another week at least,  in North Branch. City council member Kelly Neider, who was due to defend herself from unknown allegations, was a no-show for a hearing scheduled for March 19.

This is complaint number three filed with the city alleging that Neider had violated the council code of conduct.  Two earlier censure actions have been taken, one resulting in her quitting the Water & Light  commission to avoid being removed, and the other resulting in committee reassignment.

If the council code complaint process had moved forward in council chambers last week, Neider would have used the opportunity to present her side of the third alleged violation.  But after staff and three of the council had gathered and opened the hearing, the mayor explained Neider contacted him earlier  about  “personal issues”   that had arisen and she wouldn’t make it to the hearing in city hall.

Mayor Kevin Scheiber motioned to continue the hearing on the unidentified complaint until April 3 at 6:30 p.m.  It was adopted by Council members Robert Canada and Travis Miles.

The mayor explained Council member Peter Schaps was absent, saying it was due to a “situation that morning involving Neider.”  The mayor did not explain.

Council member Travis Miles asked for a statement on justification to grant the additional time and city attorney Nicholas Garcia Lisle advised that the “personal problems” he’d been advised of “seemed reasonable.”

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