A Minnesota Town's Multitasking Newspaperman: Editor, Publisher, and Mayor

By: (AP) The mayor of Granite Falls, Minn., has a new job -- editor and publisher of the town's newspaper.

Rick Peterson, an official with the company that owns the Granite Falls Advocate-Tribune, said Mayor Dave Smiglewski will not cover city events while working at the newspaper. The official tells the Marshall Independent that the three-term mayor was an ideal candidate for the job -- even though he has no newspaper experience.

Peterson said Liberty Group publishing was looking for someone local who has a handle on the issues. He said Smiglewski will act only as mayor at city meetings and that the paper will send a reporter to be there as well.

But the executive director of the Minnesota News Council said the dual roles could pose a problem. Gary Gilson says possible conflicts of interest will be nearly unavoidable.