Hailey hires new planner
City won’t talk about it
By TRAVIS PURSER
Express Staff Writer
Former Ketchum city planner Kathy Grotto has been hired as new Hailey city
planner following Carl Hjelm’s announcement to city officials and staff last month
that he intends to resign from the position.
City attorney Susan Baker said during a telephone interview Monday that
Grotto will take over after Hjelm’s last day on Friday.
Grotto resigned from her Ketchum post two and a half years ago to work for
the Hailey-based Marketron software firm.
Grotto was hired by Hailey Mayor Brad Siemer.
According to Baker, the mayor alone interviews candidates for the planner
position and decides who to hire. Other positions, such as city clerk, attorney and
treasurer, require a vote from city council, she said.
Efforts to obtain information from Hjelm on his motive for resigning and
future plans proved fruitless. Hjelm did not return several phone calls to the Idaho
Mountain Express and refused to answer questions during a brief meeting at city hall.
Hailey city staff refused to release any information concerning
Hjelm’s employment with the city, including the length of time he worked there and
other information Idaho law says is public record.
That information, along with an outline of the procedure the city uses to
hire a new planner, was "not public" staff members said.
Siemer did not return phone calls and did not respond to written messages
left at his office.
When asked why the city had slammed the door on the issue, Baker said
"it must have been a misunderstanding."
