Mr Kircher stood down last month as one of five directors of Oamaru Adventure Park Ltd, a company established in March to advance a zipline project in Oamaru, but the timing of the forum was merely a coincidence.
''This forum doesn't have any bearing on the mayor's involvement with the zipline project/Oamaru Adventure Park,'' Mr Ross wrote in response to questions from the Otago Daily Times.
''All elected members have a responsibility to understand conflicts of interest, when they need to be declared and how they can impact on the decision-making process. Because there was an election last year it is an ideal time to organise the forum so that newly-elected members have the opportunity to attend the forum to learn more about this issue.''
Mr Ross wrote in his report to council this month elected officials from Mackenzie, Timaru, Waimate and Waitaki were all invited to the May forum with Wellington-based lawyer Jonathan Salter.
As the forum was bringing together officials and elected members from several councils, it was a good way to work together and share costs, Mr Ross said.
''This is a special forum, but if other opportunities come up, there could be more joint forums/workshops in the future.''
