Closed flood meeting upsets 2 Moorhead officials

Two City Council members in Moorhead, Minn., are upset they were not included in a closed-door meeting about the proposed Red River diversion flood control project in the region.

Moorhead Mayor Mark Voxland tells The Forum it was up to the Army Corps of Engineers to decide who to invite, and Fargo Mayor Dennis Walaker says both cities were represented.

Corps Brig. Gen. Michael Walsh met with the mayors and also representatives of Cass and Clay counties on Monday to provide an update on the proposed project. The mayors say no decisions were made.

Moorhead Council members Nancy Otto and Mark Hintermeyer say the process should be more transparent. Hintermeyer raised similar concerns in April about a staff advisory group meeting that was closed to media. He says it "causes enormous damage" to have some officials excluded from meetings. ---

Information from: The Fargo Forum (Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)