Noordhoff reinstated to liaison roles

Nov. 30—North Bend Councilwoman Susanna Noordhoff has resumed her liaison roles to city boards and committees.

After Judge Martin Stone ruled the council wrongly removed Noordhoff from her liaison roles over the summer, the council voted unanimously last week to give Noordhoff her liaison roles back.

The vote came after council discussed the issue in executive session, and the vote came without comment.

After the vote, Noordhoff said she would work hard to do a good job representing the council while serving as liaison to board and committees.

"I appreciate being reinstated to committees, and I'll try to do a good job and I'll try to have good decorum now that I have some practice," Noordhoff said.

The vote was the final straw in a series of disputes between Noordhoff and the council. Many of the disputes have regarded city parks, specifically Ferry Road Park.

Last summer, the council had a work session to discuss issues at the park. During the work session, Noordhoff and Mayor Jessica Engelke battled several times as Noordhoff wanted to bring up issues and Engelke tried to stop her from talking.

The dispute reached a head when Noordhoff slammed papers to the table, causing them to fly around the room.

The next day, Noordhoff did not attend the regular council meeting, and during council comments Councilor Larry Garboden made a motion to strip Noordhoff from her committee assignments, and the motion passed unanimously.

Noordhoff sued the city, citing a variety of perceived improprieties. Stone did not rule on all of them, but said the council acted improperly by voting on the issue when it was not on the ballot in advance.

After the ruling, Engelke said the council would discuss the issue before deciding whether to appeal the ruling. That was apparently done last week in executive session before the council voted to reinstate Noordhoff to her liaison roles.