After Insisting He Could Serve As Mayor AND Work As Fracking Lobbyist, Red Wing MN Mayor Quits
Two weeks after Red Wing Mayor Dennis Egan insisted that he could ethically work a second job as a frac sand lobbyist, the mayor will step down in the face of a recall effort and a City Council investigation of his business relationship with the Minnesota Industrial Sand Council.
“I think it is the right decision,” Red Wing Council Member Peggy Rehder said Saturday. “I just think it is unfortunate that it took this long.”
Egan said he could have continued as mayor based on the city’s attorney legal interpretation, but will resign by April 1 because his job as the sand council’s executive director had become a distraction to the city and his family.
“I believe that a mayor must live to a higher standard than just avoiding conflicts of interest,’’ he said. “If a mayor’s activities serve as a distraction or roadblock for the city, the public is not well-served.’’
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http://www.startribune.com/local/192750521.html