On Wednesday night an interview panel of eleven Ward 6 residents unanimously voted to recommend Dylane Klatt to the vacant city council seat. This is the second attempt to seat someone to the Ward 6 vacancy after a previous panel of both ward residents and city council members selected Chris Plante, but a vote to appoint him at the city council failed because it did not reach the required five votes. Klatt and Plante were the only two candidates to apply during the second attempt to fill the seat.
Plante interviewed first with the committee and said he’s has been interested in serving on council for some time. “I’ve been interested in city council for a while now,” said Plante. “I decided to it and would like to serve the citizens of Crookston and Ward 6. And hopefully, be a part of the team in the decision-making process.”
Plante also said he has been attending meetings and thought he brought some good experience to the table working for the City of Grand Forks. “I have a passion for doing it,” said Plante. “I’ve attended almost every meeting since I applied the first time and the passion is there to serve. I work in the city government in Grand Forks so I feel the experience I have will be good to bring to the table. Hopefully, I can get on board and start working.”
Klatt also said he has been interested in serving in city politics for a while. “I’ve been interested in city politics for a while, so I thought I’d throw my name in the ring,” said Klatt. “Maybe I can help the council work a little better and listen to both sides. Try to bring some calm to the council.”
Klatt said he applied for the position again because he thought the council members had an agenda during the first attempt to appoint someone to the vacancy and he thought the vote might have a different outcome. “I think the first time the council members when they voted, had an agenda that they set and wanted to get somebody in there who fit their agenda,” said Klatt. “I think ward members have a different agenda so I think with some Ward 6 community members coming together and voting it might be a different outcome.”
At the conclusion of the interviews, Interim City Administrator Angel Weasner asked the committee if they wanted to have a discussion and then vote or just vote. The committee chose to go straight to a vote, unanimously choosing Klatt and that recommendation will be presented to the City Council on Monday explained Weasner. “The candidate that was recommended was Dylane Klatt,” said Weasner. “That recommendation brought forward by the committee will be presented to the City Council on Monday night at 7:00 p.m. There was no discussion, I asked if they wanted to have any discussion, and they decided to have the vote.”
The members of the interview committee were Tyler Ness, Chris Trostad, Nate Lubarski, Chris Boike, Cody Brekken, Charles Reynolds, Stacey Grunewald, Garrett Brorwicz, Karen Biermaier, Twyla Treanor, and Patty Hajostek.
