Harrisburg appoints two to merit board

Mayor Dale Fowler presented two names for appointment to the Fire and Police Commission merit boards at last week's meeting of the Harrisburg City Council.

The three-person board had two openings, which Fowler looked to fill with Steve Questelle and Dan Wilson.

The council unanimously voted to approve Questelle, while commissioners Richard Harper and Beth Montfort chose not to support Wilson with their vote.

"I know he's a fine gentleman, but he's been on it (merit board) a couple times already," Montfort said. "I'd just like to see some new people, some people who haven't been on it before."

Questelle has never served on the merit board while Wilson has served on the board twice before.

"We don't have a female on it, we don't have a minority on it, so I'd just like to see some new people," Montfort said.

Harper agreed with Montfort's statement. Fowler stated that his reasoning in choosing Wilson came both from his experience on the board, and the recommendation of the board chairman.

"You can't say 'for experience.' I had no experience and I ran for city council," Montfort said.

"People run for things who have no experience; they just want to try something new. It's nothing personal against this gentleman, I'd just like to see a female, a minority…somebody involved in the community…some new blood."

Both Wilson and Questelle were appointed to the merit board by the council.