Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
The Supreme Court ruled that this applies to state and local government (Gitlow v. New York, 1925). Our County Attorney, Stephanie Beckman, appears to be clueless as to the intent of the liberty afforded the people by this important amendment.
At their regular June 7, 2011 meeting, the Meeker County Commissioners voted 4 to 1 to limit the use of cameras in the public meeting room. Commissioner Benoit was the only Commissioner to stand against fascist tyranny and the Commissioners’ on-going abuse of power. Note that the policy reads, in effect, that there will never be cameras allowed in the public meeting room—before, during, or after the meeting—except in the designated area. This fact should be alarming to every liberty loving citizen of this county. The only information trickling from that room is filtered through the eyes, ears, and pens of the witnesses present. Without cameras, who keeps “the filters” in check? Enshrining Stan Roeser with the unique responsibility of informing the public with “truth” is nothing short of frightening! That’s like getting your ‘news’ from John Stewart or Andy Rooney.
Assistant County Attorney Elisabeth Cummins was present to explain the new Board Protocol and Public Participation Policies, written by Meeker County Attorney Stephanie Beckman. A quick read of the policy seems quite harmless. It is harmless until you understand the implications of the camera clause.
The Commissioners specifically singled out KMSP Fox9 news for public retribution. They do not like when the real press reaches into this otherwise cloistered media market and exposes corruption. Rather than attacking corruption, the Commissioners attack the messengers. The local media leads the charge on the pages of once-upon-a-time respectable newspapers and through an obnoxious “entertainer” on the radio.
On June 7, 2011 KMSP reports a 30 second update about the Commissioner’s response to their expose’ on Sheriff Norlin’s alleged Obstruction of Justice regarding his family.
When I asked, the Chairman found my personal recording device to be particularly offensive. Is he self-conscious and camera shy? Or is he ashamed and fearful of letting the general public witness the abuse of power, which has become so commonplace in Meeker County?
Here is the video of the entire exchange during the meeting. Recorded forever on my camera and now on the web for you to interpret and judge for yourself. Understand, I’m sitting as close as possible to the County Commissioner’s Dais (table). You will need to turn up your volume to maximum to hear the slurred speech coming from one Commissioner and the grunts and humphs coming from others. Beginning July 1, 2011, the cloak of darkness will once again fall over the Courthouse because my camera, no bigger than a pack of cigarettes, will be forced, under the threat of Officers armed with Tazers, to be located about 30 feet to the right of my current position. Listen carefully and imagine being even further away. This policy effectively makes cameras worthless as a documentation tool.
On March 17, 2011, the Meeker County Resident Council purchased a Billboard Sign in Litchfield through Lamar Companies in St. Cloud. Initial rental is for the month of April 2011. The contracted location is on the eastbound side of Highway 12 in Litchfield, near the McDonalds.
Litchfield Billboard posted April 5, 2011
The apparent conflict between the residents of the Meeker County HRA and the appointed HRA Commissioners has necessitated these desperate measures. Minnesota Statute 469 governs the formation of public housing for counties and instructs the Meeker County Commissioners to appoint a suitable panel of HRA Commissioners to govern the housing affairs of the county.
In 2005, the Minnesota Legislature did a study that found the office of County Commissioner to be incompatible with that of HRA Commissioner. That informative brief is located on the Minnesota House website (see links).
In October of 2008, the County appointed then County Commissioner Amy Wilde to a vacated seat on the HRA Board with a term expiring July 2012. In the spring of 2009, the HRA Board filed a resolution with the County requesting removal and investigation of Amy Wilde for various reasons. Prior to any actions by the County, Wilde resigned from the HRA Board citing health reasons and HRA Board conflicts. At Wilde’s request, the County Board appointed Wally Strand to her vacated seat for the remainder of the term. Shortly thereafter, Wilde reappears at the HRA and simply takes her seat back. Strand never resigned. The County never reappointed Wilde back to Strand’s vacated seat. The County did not simultaneously reappointed Strand to the vacated seat of Ron Johnson, whose term expires July 2013. These errors in appointments appear unlawful, as they did not follow statutory procedures. The HRA Board is not a committee. County Officers cannot play musical chairs like a committee because they are appointed as if elected for a term. An appointed office is no different from any other elected office. Procedures and appointments are governed by statute.
The Meeker County HRA residents have been suffering under the heavy-handed tactics of County Commissioners who exploit their County Commissioner authority to the detriment of the residents, their safety, their well-being, and their best interest. The Council wants an independent board, as is authorized by statute, dedicated to the mission of decent, safe, and affordable housing. The residents are suffering under the obvious conflict of interest and want it to end.
Contact Information:
Meeker County Resident Council
840 – 3rd Street North, Suite #10
Dassel, MN 55325
It was virtually unanimous. The residents appeal to County Commissioner Strand and former County Commissioner Wilde to resign from the Meeker County HRA board. According to Mildred Hendrickson, resident and President of the Meeker County Resident Council, of the 13 possible signatures to the petition (click here to read) 12 signed it with one (a friend of Amy Wilde) signing it willingly but later withdrew her name.
Mildred Hendrickson asked Meeker County Commissioner Tim Benoit (District 3) to present the petition during the public comments portion of this month’s meeting. Benoit’s statement was sincere, poised, and exhibited no malice whatsoever.
This is a public meeting. Each time they meet, residents, concerned citizens, and other elected representatives, address the Board during the public comments section of the meeting. As is commonplace, the Dassel Enterprise Dispatch reporter Jen Kotila, arrived 20 minutes late to this meeting (I believe it to be intentional) and once again missed hearing (or reporting about) any outpouring of resident’s concerns.
Benoit rose to present the petition.
Is it possible that these two commissioners have a tin ear to their own self-destructive behavior? A call for expensive and useless mediation cannot wipe away the abusive and violent antics at past meetings. Parroting an apology does not excuse violence in any form. Meeker County officials have largely ignored past allegations of elder abuse, even though widely reported by KMSP 9 (link 1)(link 2) and others. It appears that Wilde and Strand need not defend their actions to government authorities. True retribution must come from a higher power.
Statutes instruct County Commissioners to appoint HRA commissioners.
Housing Statute
Meeker County HRA is the Meeker County authority authorized to allow housing under §469.004. The City of Litchfield has a grandfathered HRA authorized to do housing within the city limits of Litchfield, but the Meeker EDA is doing housing without HRA authority, which is of course appears to be illegal, and a topic for another day. I digress…
In spite of HUD’s interpretation of statute, which calls a County Commissioner incompatible with the role of HRA Commissioner, Meeker County Attorney Stephanie Beckman has proclaimed the current placement of County Commissioners on the HRA board to be legal, and therefore has foolishly allowed it by ignoring the violation of common law restrictions (see page 2, “Office” defined). Each month the HRA residents witness the abuse of power as Strand and Wilde wield authority as County Commissioners and not as representatives of the HRA or its residents. No amount of mediation can alter Strand or Wilde’s tainted view of whom they represent. Calls for mediation is as ridiculous as asking a repeatedly abused spouse to reconcile with a violent, abusive, and unfaithful mate. The residents of the apartment witness each month why HUD considers this board malformed.
Without hesitation, Wilde begins her attack on the resident’s petition by attempting to discredit their cry for relief from these arrogant commissioners. The audience responds with immediate confrontation. Nistler digs deeper.
This monthly meeting is no different from others. Except now, with only an Executive Director from Kandiyohi County to defend Meeker from pilfering of the checkbook, we can witness this malformed board electing to pay Kandiyohi County expenses using Meeker County money. Witness for yourself Wally Stand bulldozing the motion to approve illegal payments of legal fees and care taking expenses over the loud and boisterous protests of the only remaining independent member of the board.
Here we see, for the second month straight, Commissioner Lia Nistler advocate for Meeker HRA and insist that Meeker County refuse to pay expenses, which by contract are the responsibility of Kandiyohi County. After Nistler successfully argued last month that the telephone charges were fraudulent, they were were reversed from Kandiyohi’s $3,500 monthly fee. On behalf of the 23,500 residents of Meeker County, thank you Commissioner Nistler! This month, Nistler loudly protests Strand’s insistence that the fees for caretaking be paid. Listen as Strand forces a vote while Nistler objects and reads from section II(B) of the Meeker/Kandiyohi contract.
It is unclear why Strand and Wilde insist on funneling money to Kandiyohi County, and why the other remaining Commissioners sit in dead silence. Last month we witnessed Warpula and Schnieder at least refuse to participate in Strand and Wilde’s attempt to destroy the reputation of the HRA’s auditor of record and simultaneously funnel $5,500 into the hands of Kandiyohi’s auditor. This month they are willing participants in the pilfering of Meeker County HRA’s quickly disappearing cash surplus.
These are not matters for mediation. These are matters for a criminal investigation. Month-after-month the residents of the Dassel Apartments witness the systematic destruction of the facility they have worked so hard to build and maintain. The least this county can do is recognize their suffering and re-appoint commissioners to replace HRA Chairman Wallace Strand and Commissioner Amy Wilde. No amount of mediation can re-align this loss of confidence and trust.
First, let me congratulate you on your recent election to the Meeker County Board of Commissioners. The citizens of the third district gave you their vote of confidence. Your campaign promise to work diligently to govern the business affairs of the people of Meeker County with the honor, integrity, and openness, made the difference. Providing assurance to your honesty was the cornerstone of your campaign. The people responded, to a large degree, by your reputation in all your business affairs—public and private. The people of the third district celebrate your election with high expectations.
A County Commissioner plays an important role in local government. Elected officials are, in all business matters, supervised by this County’s Board of Commissioners. No elected official can perform their important function without access to the ‘purse strings.’ You, and the other four Commissioners, jointly hold the purse strings. This important supervisory role is the citizen’s last hope for regulating elected officials and county employees. That burden now falls on the shoulders of you and your peers.
Second, your first board meeting was January 4, 2011. After reading accounts of the meeting in the local papers, I am somewhat struck by the sudden urgency to demand answers to your innocent “Like” posting on Facebook involving the word “corruption,” which now appears to have been deleted. The offensive issue was actually a link to an article on my blog whose title included the word Corruption. Apparently, Mr. Swenson read that, took it personally, and was offended. Mr. Swenson (and the other offendees) are ‘thin skinned’ when it comes to salty rhetoric. If the link to my article has caused you some embarrassment, or disgrace, please accept my apology for whatever role I may have played in this.
Finally, since the Commissioners brought it up, and the local papers were good enough to cast a very bright light on it, this becomes the perfect opportunity to outline my recent findings from investigations into some of Meeker County’s activities. I have spent hundreds of dollars of my own money and countless hours of my time to collect information on activities just to be able to understand what is going on. The fact that these otherwise simple tasks require herculean effort is in-and-of-itself somewhat alarming. Citizens asking questions of elected officials and public boards should be welcomed. Why must we pay to get answers? The face of good government has changed. My information requests continue to trickle in. In my aforementioned article, I used the word corruption in the title. This appears to be more onerous than vulgar slang in the ears of Mr. Swenson.
‘Corruption’ is the noun form of the adjective ‘corrupt.’
Marked by immorality and perversion; depraved.
Venal; dishonest: a corrupt mayor.
Containing errors or alterations, as a text: a corrupt translation.
My references to ‘corruption’ have always related to #2 and #3. I have no reason to accuse anybody of being depraved or perverse, to suggest otherwise is simply corrupt in-and-of-itself.
During your campaign for Wilde’s seat, you walked headlong into a buzz saw when you went to the Dassel Apartment to introduce yourself and listen to your constituents-to-be. In disbelief, you could not believe your ears. Something was horribly wrong. You asked Senator Newman and me to come down and visit with the residents of the Dassel Apartments to understand the issues and offer advice on correcting the malformation of the HRA board and other issues. We were all dumbfounded and shocked at what we were hearing first hand from victims and witnesses to an apparent assault and battery in October 2009—all at the hands of the current HRA Commissioners, the former County Commissioner Wilde and current Commissioner Strand, and later learned it was under the direction of County Attorney Stephanie Beckman. Discovering that the ensuing investigation never included interviews of victims or witnesses left us all in disbelief. Government had failed us. Something had gone horribly wrong. People at the apartments are frightened that our police ignore their calls for help. Sheriff Jeff Norlin continues to refuse to talk with them over coffee and cookies. You and Newman got a free pass on the grounds you were too busy campaigning, leaving me to try to figure out this mess. That meeting ended with the realization that the only recourse was to go public. I started blogging about it.
What ensued was an investigation on the part of a self-appointed committee of concerned citizens to get to the bottom of this apparent corruption and abortion of justice—and I include you in that ad-hoc committee because you remain a diligent observer of what transpired. I thank you for that involvement and your promise to continue to serve the people of Meeker County with open and honest integrity.
At some point along the way, Trish VanPilsum from KMSP TV Fox 9 News got involved. It turns out that numerous people had contacted her independently. She saw one of my blogs on the subject, and weighed in with Emmy Award winning skills, talented photojournalists, and a passion for exposing corruption. Not only had our elected officials failed us, the media had also failed the people of Meeker County. I have long believed that the best way to root out corruption is using the best antiseptic against corruption–fresh air and sunshine. If publicity leaves politicians and guilty parties floating helplessly in the wake of the ensuing fallout, then so be it.
I wonder if Commissioner Swenson would consider lying on the part of elected officials to be a legitimate excuse for using the word “corruption?” Lying is most certainly dishonest, which falls under definition #2. Our Sheriff Jeff Norlin lied to Roger Werner and me privately that there were signed statements saying nothing happened in October 2009. Then he denied saying it to the Fox9 reporter when she went looking for the evidence he did not have. County Attorney Stephanie Beckman openly lied to the Dassel-Enterprise, the Litchfield Independent Review, and KMSP TV Fox 9 reporter VanPilsum.
In a letter, dated October 8, 2010, addressed to the media outlets above, Stephanie Beckman represents:
There never were any communications via e-mail between the Meeker County Attorney’s Office and HRA Commissioners Strand and Wilde via e-mail so, there are no documents to provide.
We later uncovered many emails exposing Ms. Beckman’s lie. See pages 6, 22, 23, 24, 41, 45, 46, 47, 51, 68, 191, 192, 193, 194, 196 of the investigative report for more information.
Then Beckman claims she does not advise the Commissioners on HRA matters, yet in the police reports we find testimony to the Wright County investigator that indeed Beckman was involved, and Amy Wilde confesses it to the detective investigating another case related to the abuse.
So, our County Attorney, um, I said, boy, she says, well, maybe – maybe you should just talk to the people. Find out where are they getting this from.
From page 151 of the investigative report.
Would Swenson call this a form of ‘corruption?’ I would. I would call them lies with the willful intent to cover-up the truth. This is the poster child of what you need to fight against as Commissioner.
Then there is the social services nurse who witnessed and reported the abuse through channels. Apparently, by the time it gets to Social Services Director Clark Gustafson, there is no investigation by police. Certainly, this is corruption.
My investigation has turned up troubling County meeting abuses. I was shocked when I attended my first meeting of the HRA and found people shouting, no… make that screaming at each other. Regular meeting attendees tell me it is common for the meetings to result in screaming hissy fits by Chairman Strand. I bought a camera and now show up at all the meetings. Cameras do not lie. The temperature in the room dropped 20 degrees! Why are there no public cameras in all County meeting rooms? I find that Wilde resigned from the HRA for health reasons. The County Commissioners never properly reappointed her HRA seat—yet she serves as Commissioner to this day. I would call that corruption.
I would call the MN State Legislature finding the office of County Commissioner and HRA Commissioner to be incompatible offices due to conflicts of interest. Finding not one but two County Commissioners on that HRA board is an error in elections. Left uncorrected after repeatedly pointing it out, I would no longer call them election errors, I would call it corruption.
When the HRA board chastises its Executive Director for rightfully refusing to co-sign checks to attorneys specifically named by HUD as being ineligible to receive them, I would call that corruption.
When HUD officers from St. Paul personally explain that the HRA Board is malformed and that conflicts of interest are present, nothing happens. When the commissioners thumb their nose at federal officials, and the respected law firm Dolan and Besser resign over the matter for ethical reasons, can this be anything other than some form of corruption?
When RFP activities illustrate blatant data privacy violations, excluding numerous bidders from the process through the hubris of Chairman Strand, can this be anything other than corruption?
When three of the five HRA Commissioners meet in private unscheduled meetings (outright illegal Section 13 violations) to sign contracts, excluding the other commissioners, this is in violation of meeting laws. Yet we see no fines levied. Can this be anything other than corruption?
When citizens watch the meetings and then witness the meeting minutes of the previous meeting falsified, resulting in protests from the board and the Executive Director, can a citizen witness this and not conclude that the board is corrupt? Can falsified minutes be anything other than corruption?
When citizens watch the HRA board’s audit committees completely fail to understand the implications of the decisions they have made with respect to the annual audit, there is no sense of good government. Quite the contrary, we can witness the willful destruction of the accountant’s reputation. Damage to reputations is meaningless to these Commissioners. Their actions expose the county to lawsuits.
The cause of all this angst is the Meeker County EDA. There is an apparent need to take-over the HRA. Evidence of this comes from several sources, including the testimony of the Commissioners involved in the police investigation. What is their private agenda? Speculation swirls around levy authority and the lack of levy authority regarding the EDA’s housing. It turns out that Meeker County never sought authorization to own housing yet we have 76 units of poorly managed housing. Can this be anything other than evidence of corruption?
Then we find that someone who is not a real estate broker is managing the EDA’s housing, which until 1/1/2009 was illegal. It only became legal then when the EDA hired the MCDC charity’s employee without the approval of the County Commissioners or following proper hiring practices. No responsible housing investor would surrender management to anything but a broker. In fact, unless you are a government, attempting to manage real estate as a non-broker is illegal. Yet we find Meeker exploits a loophole to the people’s peril. Can this be anything other than corruption?
The County pays no property tax on the properties it owns. Instead, they pay something called a ‘pilot payment’ to reimburse the community for the County’s allocated portion of the services provided by the community. The worst neighbor in any town is the County itself. The people effectively subsidize rents. The so-called ‘pilot payments’ to the communities served by these projects are a fraction of what citizens would pay. The county itself can impose the amount of the pilot payment without input from the community. The Dassel HRA pays about $2,400/year. Any other neighbor would pay 10 times that! I will say that makes Meeker County the worst neighbor in the City of Dassel—and the only neighbor that gets to determine its own property tax. Countywide the HRA and EDA’s pilot payment to the various townships and cities is annually about $100,000 below what any other neighbor would pay. I would call that corruption.
One of the documents I requested and paid for is the Insurance Declaration for the property held by the EDA. Did you know that the EDA goes all the way to Luverne, MN to find insurance? Really? Luverne, MN? There are no brokers in Meeker? We find that McLeod County had to sue the same contractor that built our townhomes over financial matters. I believe this broker is a crony of that contractor. Then I find that the EDA has never issued an RFP on insurance—ever! Really? This County sends tens of thousands of dollars, year-after-year, to its good-old-boy cronies in Luverne, MN for what appears to be overpriced insurance! As if it is not hard enough to make a living in Meeker County without having the County send its business to Luverne, MN. Really? I would say that no RFP has the appearance of corruption—no maybe it is just plain stupid! Perhaps Swenson likes the word stupid better than corruption.
Why are there no public cameras in meeting rooms? Most city council, school board, and other county’s maintain a system of cameras to make public meetings public. Cameras serve to educate the public and encourage a proper decorum from citizen and politician alike. Cameras allow documentation of the happenings in Meeker County. An observer can only speculate as to why there are no cameras. What is clear to me from my respectful attendance at recent meetings is that boards consider public attendance to be a nuisance. Spoon-feeding facts to the people is far more efficient. An informed electorate may take exception to what is happening.
When I read the audit report and see all sorts of warnings to the people about abuses in departments, like Sheriff Dept. procurements, EDA money handling, etc., I to question whether there are proper RFP procedures enforced. Requests for Proposals (RFP) and Requests for Bids (RFB) are the cornerstone of good government. The appearance of cronyism, nepotism, or tampering with the process of procurement gives rise to the appearance of corruption.
The Commissioners need to direct every administrator and director in this county to review their procurements to determine: 1) Are the people going outside Meeker to procure the service? 2) Has this procurement been subject to a thorough review (including invitations to bid) within the last 3 years? 3) Is there a preference for local residents and businesses? 4) Are there businesses in the neighborhood providing these services? If so, does the County actually compete with those businesses? 5) Are there activities performed by the county that could be performed by non-county workers? Volunteers?
It is hard enough to make a living in Meeker without having to compete with the government. Offering opportunity to the public and bringing it in-house only when options are exhausted. Words are powerful, and the word corruption has strong connotation. So does the word stupid. Figuring out the difference between stupidity and corruption should not have to wait until November 2012 elections.
The very same week as Dassel is named runner-up in Bloomberg’s “Best place to raise your kids” contest, Meeker County suffers through its second public flogging by KMSP Fox9 Investigators related to the on-going abuses at the Dassel Apartments. The December 27, 2010 Dassel Enterprise-Dispatch covers their version of the December 20, 2010 meeting. Amazingly, the perpetrators of the abuses survive the article without even a mention of the controversy playing out at the meeting held at the Dassel Apartments. I was there with my camera and will air the controversy for you via YouTube. The newspaper article’s author, Jennifer Kotila, has been acting more like Amy Wilde’s Executive Secretary than a news reporter. Her December 27, 2010 article is about the new management at the HRA, who I support whole heartedly. Unfortunately, the old executive management team (the source of all the angst) remains in charge.
In all fairness to the City of Dassel, the Dassel Apartments has been over-run by two county commissioners, Wallace Strand (Chairman) and Amy Wilde (his minion), who are determined to control the Meeker HRA (Housing and Redevelopment Authority) in spite of common law or the best interests of Meeker County. The City of Dassel and the Augustana Assisted Living facility in Dassel simply share a common zip code with the County facility known as the Dassel Apartments. Mike Scanlon, the Mayor of Dassel, was also at the December 20, 2010 HRA meeting to deliver a very clear message to these Commissioners—a major fact that seemed to elude Kotila. Last week the Dispatch had a letter to the editor from Bill Ward, alerting the public to the fact that Augustana has nothing to do with the mismanagement of the Meeker County facility. I must remind readers and Mr. Ward that an Ecumen Executive (Rebecca Warpula) sits on the Meeker HRA board with Wilde and Strand without pay at Ecumen’s request! Ecumen is the parent company of Augustana. Another little detail circumvented in Kotila’s report.
Kotila also reports that Tischer resigned from the HRA. Anyone in attendance at that meeting when it happened would have clearly understood that she was faced with a clear understanding that this board was about to professionally smear her reputation unless she resigned. She chose resignation. Fox9 news got the story correct. Kotila continues to rely on Amy Wilde as her sole source.
The meeting started promptly at 1:15PM. Commissioner Nistler arrived a few minutes late due to the weather.
At the top of the agenda was an opportunity for public comments. This author, and Dassel Mayor Mike Scanlon asked to speak to the board. I rose to speak to the board on several topics, which ended with a call for Wallace Strand and Amy Wilde to resign from the HRA board. You can read a transcript of my statement here or watch the 4 minute YouTube clip.
I expressed my concerns over the HRA Board’s treatment of Data Privacy in their possession. The pending lawsuit by Marlys Houk involving the corrupt handling of the recent RFP to replace outgoing Director Tischer is a Data Privacy matter. It was also reported to me by several at the November HRA meeting that Kotila was seen in the HRA office making copies of documents, at times unsupervised, giving rise to yet more Data Privacy concerns. Wilde’s amazing public confession that the minutes do not have to be redacted is defacto evidence of her incompetence as a Commissioner. Minutes are public as long as they do not contain confidential information, like the name or address of any resident receiving public assistance. Minutes are available for public viewing only after they have been properly scrubbed of these details through redacting.
Past concerns involving Wilde’s abuse of Data Privacy of individuals threatens yet more lawsuits against Meeker County. I called for the Commissioners to discipline Wilde by calling for her resignation from the HRA Board. Apparently Kotila missed that part of the meeting too.
I confronted Wilde about the violation of Data Privacy, as evidenced by Kotila investigating RFP respondents, like Ms. Houk (and Houk’s current employer) prior to that information becoming public or even available to the board. Kotila denies being told anything by Wilde. A jury of Houk’s peers will very likely be afforded the opportunity to determine the truth. The people of Meeker County will once again pay dearly for Wilde’s tuition to the school of hard knocks.
Here is a clip of Wilde asking Kotila after the meeting whether she “told” her any information. The truth is that Kotila appears to have received a letter from the HRA attorney Mary Tijien. Kotila has been unwilling to share her sources. Once the judge gets around to asking Kotila for her sources, I wonder if she will be willing to go to jail over the matter?
Because of comments I received through emails from Wilde, I suspected that Wilde would introduce some sort of “Charges for Copies” policy to penalize me for asking for copies at the same price as she charged Kotila (free). After understanding her strategy, I appealed to the Commissioners to not penalize the people living in the HRA facilities by instituting a charge for copies policy designed specifically to penalize me. True to her selfish strategies of the past, Wilde advocates for and receives a sympathetic ear from the rest of her minions on the HRA Board, who grant Wilde a penal policy designed to penalize only non-HRA residents, allowing a formal exclusion for media outlets deemed “Legal Newspapers.” It appears that Fox9 will have to pay for the truth like the rest of Meeker County.
At this point Mike Scanlon, the Mayor of the City of Dassel, rose to speak to the board. The clear and alarming tone was a breath of fresh air. A transcript of Scanlon’s statement can be found here. Watch as Mike Scanlon outlines his concerns on YouTube.
At one point, later in the meeting, he was allowed to interrupt the meeting to re-iterate the need for the Board to be engaged in the management of the facility or step down to make way for people who can be actively involved.
Scanlon’s points are valid. There were a number of concerns discovered at this month’s meeting. Some sort of problem with the June 2009 to June 2010 audit and firing the auditor. The checkbook hasn’t been reconciled since 2009 and missing meeting minutes. More data privacy concerns. Voiced concerns about more lawsuits. Fire exits are blocked.
I must remind this and every other county or municipal board member reading this. ALL problems are management problems. Proper management includes the system of checks and balances to ensure that employees are doing their jobs, contracts are being let out equitably, and that only ordinary and necessary services are being provided on the taxpayer’s nickel.
The annual audit is a sacred ritual for all private, federal, state, local and charitable administrations. Here we find that the audit process has been let to a firm and a preliminary statement to HUD issued last August. Listen to this short clip outlining the absolute incompetence and lack of active involvement. Listen carefully to Wilde explain that these important reconciliation duties were to be performed by the former Executive Director. Watch as Commissioner Melgaard-Schneider places her face in her hands on discovery of the facts.
There should NEVER be a major contract let by this county without a proper advertising and vetting of contracts for goods or services. Yet last month we witnessed the letting of the Executive Director position without proper advertising for employees or proper definition of the RFP. Board members were not allowed to view the respondent’s bids or even know who responded. Wilde and Strand appeared at the meeting with Strand almost giddy over the fact that they had already signed contracts with Kandiyohi HRA without properly submitting the arrangement to the board for review and approval. The full board was not even allowed to know the names of the respondents or understand the implications of the changes. Some board members were excluded from the discussion completely. This dysfunction gives rise to all sorts of concerns. All of which were either missed or ignored by the local news media.
The annual audit was let without the board even understanding the implications of their actions. The annual reports were issued without their knowledge?
Watch as Mayor Scanlon scolds the board at the end of the meeting. Listen carefully to his admonition for these officers to step down and hand control over to more willing and capable people.
Some discussion ensued about the common wording of language in an annual audit that reads:
“Due to the limited number of office personnel, segregation of the accounting functions necessary to ensure adequate internal accounting control is not possible.”
While some Commissioners interpret this audit language to mean they get a free pass and that the controls are OK. It is really a notice to the board that they need to take additional steps to ensure that these important internal controls are managed and under the proper control. It’s a flag that reads things are out of control and watch your step. When you see a road sign that reads “ice on bridge” you do not get to drive as usual. Those in charge need to take steps to insure that the hazardous conditions do not result in a fatal crash.
Management controls and accountability need to be in place to insure that the people’s affairs are being run properly, which takes an active involvement of the overseeing board. That may mean actually viewing documents and interviewing contractors. The entire board needs to be actively involved in all the affairs. The burden cannot fall on the one or two doing the heavy lifting—accountability cannot and should not be delegated. The board should not simply take a County employee’s word that important controls are functioning properly. Management over-ride of important board controls should be cause for serious discipline and possibly dismissal. And when these important board level controls are being violated by the board itself, then the remaining board needs to take immediate steps to prevent damage to the County’s constituents.
When an audit report contains wording that suggests the office is too small to have proper internal controls, this is the auditor placing the burden squarely on the shoulders of the full board. When it is impossible to have formal internal controls delegated, the board needs to take personal responsibility by taking steps to ensure that funds are being handled properly. The board needs to take responsibility for creating the controls through the use of additional board activities designed to protect the County.
In one clip we witnessed Wilde attempting to place the burden of checkbook reconciliation as having been accepted by outgoing director Tischer. If true, the incompetence of this board’s failure to respond is beyond the pale. Wilde saw no issue with the person handling the money and the checks actually performing the reconciliations. Strand immediately tried to shut her up before she did any more admission of board ignorance. In this meeting we witness firing the former auditor without so much as a conversation with him. They immediately instructed the new Executive Director to write the RFP and start collecting bids? No discussion about which firms? No discussion about directly contacting the Auditor they already vetted and hired? Commissioner Nistler describes in detail how the burden had been placed on the board and the board was unable to recognize the threats as a problem.
If there are problems discovered in the HRA’s unreconciled checkbook, we don’t necessarily have a dishonest employee or contractor. What we have is an incompetent management board. These important management controls need to be routine and systems in place to demonstrate compliance. The board needs to see these controls implemented. The board needs to embrace a zero tolerance for management over-rides of their policy controls. Do it right or “you’re FIRED!”
Another example illustrated from the recent board meeting. When is someone providing a service as an employee and when are they a contractor? This basic definition needs to be well understood and embraced by the board before the taxpayer’s get hurt. For example, if they walk like an employee and talk like an employee and get paid like an employee, very likely they are an employee. Life continues on autopilot until something goes wrong. When somebody gets hurt or they cause damage to property, lawyers and insurance policies are drawn into the process. The responsibility for damages depends on who bears the responsibility. When the County fails to have its affairs in order, the people of Meeker County will eventually get hurt.
The people deserve better representation. Strand and Wilde need to resign from this HRA board for an ever-lengthening list of reasons. Proper representation needs to be appointed to this HRA—representation without the conflicts of interest inherent in this dysfunctional board.
I hope Mayor Scanlon remains involved with this board until such time as we see the current bunch resign and the County Commissioners re-appoint suitable replacements. The people of Meeker County deserve better. The residents of the Dassel Apartments deserve better. If the local media is unwilling or unable to carry the banner exposing corruption by reporting corruption, then the people need to step-up and demand their business is given the proper care.
The ultimate responsibility for the business affairs of the people resides with the people. If the County officials are unwilling to prosecute corruption, then they need to be replaced at the very next opportunity. Vote them out of office.
Crime victims have rights! Investigations into criminal activity should result in justice for the victims. Meeker County Attorney Beckman has a statutory duty to respond on behalf of vulnerable adults. In the case of the investigation into the October 16, 2009 assault of two residents of the Dassel Apartments, the victims continue to be victimized with the passing of every day. We establish that the investigation into the October 16, 2009 abuse of vulnerable citizens did not occur. The Wright County Sheriff should reopen the case and complete its investigation or Meeker County Attorney Beckman should reassign a proper case number to initiate the completion of the investigation by another department.
On October 16th, 2009, two residents of the Dassel Apartments in Dassel, Minnesota, Clarence Wallace and Carol Nelson, reported that two county commissioners, Amy Wilde and Wally Strand, came into their apartment building and assaulted them. No criminal charges were ever filed even though their complaint was heard by Deputy Sara Miller. (see pages 69-87)
From page 84:
From Page 84
Yet nothing ever happened to investigate, or to follow-up, or prosecute.
And from Carol Nelson’s report to Officer Sara Miller. See page 86:
From page 86-87
This case should be reopened and investigated by a party not previously involved. What Stephanie Beckman refers to as a “full and complete investigation,” was conducted as a “limited investigation,” according to detective Fashant conducting the investigation (see page 121 &122).).
From page 122
If the case was closed, Beckman or another County Attorney is required by law to contact the victims and notify them as to the reasons why she has decided to decline prosecution.
611A.0315 VICTIM NOTIFICATION; DOMESTIC ASSAULT; CRIMINAL SEXUAL CONDUCT; HARASSMENT.
Subdivision 1.Notice of decision not to prosecute.
(a) A prosecutor shall make every reasonable effort to notify a victim of domestic assault, a criminal sexual conduct offense, or harassment that the prosecutor has decided to decline prosecution of the case or to dismiss the criminal charges filed against the defendant.
In order to efficiently conduct an investigation, both witnesses and victims should be interviewed. This did not happen. It is impossible for an outside agency to do a complete investigation without having all of this information, which means that Detective Fashant mishandled this investigation. What occurred after the abuse was an extensive investigation into another October 6, 2009 complaint involving Darin Packard and Commissioners Wilde and Strand. Fashant seemed to pass right over clear and convincing testimony involving the abuse cases. ( See page 103)
From page 103
Our belief is that the investigator was misguided with preconceived notions based on several comments from Meeker County Attorney Stephanie Beckman, regarding alleged threats of litigation. The alleged threats of litigation with the HRA director and had no direct effect on the victims. Regardless, no litigation ever surfaced. Furthermore, the Meeker County Attorney does not represent the HRA in any aspect and should not have continued to be involved in any of these disputes. The emails make it appear her involvement was extensive (see pages 6, 9, 10, 12, 22, 23, 41, 44, 46, 51, 67).
This investigation contains four phases:
Phase 1 involves an October 6 complaint from Darin Packard involving Amy Wilde.
Phase 2 involves an October 16 complaint from Dassel Apartment residents and questioning of witnesses by Officer Sara Miller (Meeker County), which results in a conflict of interest for Meeker County.
Phase 3 involves the investigation being turned over to Wright County for investigation.
Phase 4 involves Sherburne County making a decision based on an incomplete investigation. A letter dated January 12, 2010 from Samuel Wertheimer, Chief Deputy Sherburne County Attorney’s Office states “I have reviewed an investigation conducted by both the Wright County and Meeker County Sheriff’s Departments concerning the alleged conduct of Meeker County Commissioners Amy Wilde and Wallace Strand…..” (page 96)
From the Sherburne County Attorney: Page 96
From page 96
Clearly the Sherburne County Attorney knew that there were two events being investigated: 1) the assaults, and 2) a conduct complaint against Wilde. Yet we find no Wright County investigation on the assaults. None! The Wright County report is silent regarding any assault, touching, harassment, or intimidation. Clear references to the assault are ignored by the investigating officer. The only reference is related to the initial statements taken at the time of the complaints.
The officer hearing the initial complaint and conducting a brief interview with Clarence Wallace and Carol Nelson was Deputy Sara Miller, a Meeker County employee. Deputy Miller is a patrol officer who works in Dassel. She is not specially trained in conducting interviews and detecting verbal and nonverbal signs of deception. **No detailed questions were asked specifically related to the abuse, the level of abuse, injuries received, or fear instilled in the victims. The victims pleaded to Deputy Miller for protection from the Commissioners giving rise to their perception that they had reported the abuse to the proper authorities.
Also, none of the witnesses were questioned as to what they witnessed, by either Meeker’s Deputy Miller or Wright’s Detective Andy Fashant. There was a nurse working that day who turned this abuse into Meeker County Social Services, as she is a mandated reporter. No investigator questioned her, or even identified her as a witness. Procedures for following up on reported abuses is clearly broken here.
However, when Fox 9 Investigator, Trish Van Pilsum, interviewed the victims of abuse, these are some statements they made:
Clarence said, “Every time she said I was a liar, she twisted my arm that much worse. It hurt for a long time after that. I couldn’t sleep at night because I always sleep on my right side. She just wouldn’t quit and Wally was standing right beside her, the other county commissioner, and he didn’t help me or anything.”
Carol Nelson said she was heading to the lobby to work on her puzzle when she saw Clarence and the commissioners. She recalled, “She twisted him.” We asked, “Hard or soft”? She answers, “Hard.”
She also said she told Wilde to leave him alone. Nelson says Commissioner Amy Wilde grabbed and pushed her, too, causing pain in a shoulder and hand where she’d had surgery.
On October 29th, 2009, Clarence Wallace filed a petition for harassment restraining order. Clarence, clearly feared for his safety from Commissioner Wilde. But without a report or charges being filed previously in a botched investigation the county would not issue a restraining order.
It is important to understand that the statutory definition of assault can be verbal, physical or in any one of a number of forms. The act of inducing fear is harassment, punishable under the Stalking statues. Clearly stated, engaging in conduct to intimidate and threaten is 5th degree assault, which is up to 90 days in jail and a $1000 fine unless it is against a vulnerable adult. Assault of a vulnerable escalates this charge up to 20 years sentence. As for the harassment, that is a Gross Misdemeanor, punishably by up to 1 year in jail and a $3,000 dollar fine. Stalking laws come into play in this case. It appears to be that Clarence and Carol were both being intimidated and abused and felt that they were being threatened! Under state law, both Wilde and Strand should be charged with 5th Degree assault and harassment with intent to inflict fear and physical harm which is a Gross misdemeanor.
609.02 DEFINITIONS.
Subdivision 1.Crime.
Subd. 3.Misdemeanor.
“Misdemeanor” means a crime for which a sentence of not more than 90 days or a fine of not more than $1,000, or both, may be imposed.
Subd. 2.Gross misdemeanor.
(a) Whoever violates the provisions of subdivision 1 against the same victim within ten years of a previous qualified domestic violence-related offense conviction or adjudication of delinquency is guilty of a gross misdemeanor and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than one year or to payment of a fine of not more than $3,000, or both.
Subd. 10.Assault.
“Assault” is:
(1) an act done with intent to cause fear in another of immediate bodily harm or death; or
(2) the intentional infliction of or attempt to inflict bodily harm upon another.
609.224 ASSAULT IN THE FIFTH DEGREE.
Subdivision 1.Misdemeanor.
Whoever does any of the following commits an assault and is guilty of a misdemeanor:
(1) commits an act with intent to cause fear in another of immediate bodily harm or death; or
(2) intentionally inflicts or attempts to inflict bodily harm upon another.
609.749 STALKING; PENALTIES.
(d) “Harassment” means a violation of section 609.749. (SEE BELOW)
609.749 STALKING; PENALTIES.
Subdivision 1.Definition.
As used in this section, “stalking” means to engage in conduct which the actor knows or has reason to know would cause the victim under the circumstances to feel frightened, threatened, oppressed, persecuted, or intimidated, and causes this reaction on the part of the victim regardless of the relationship between the actor and victim.
Subd. 2. Stalking crimes.
A person who stalks another by committing any of the following acts is guilty of a gross misdemeanor:
(1) directly or indirectly, or through third parties, manifests a purpose or intent to injure the person, property, or rights of another by the commission of an unlawful act.
Both Clarence and Carol indicated that Wilde and Strand came to their houses with intent to intimidate and threaten them!
Imagine the horror of being an elderly man who has lost his sight late in life. He is navigating day-to-day using the limited rehabilitation skills he has learned since becoming legally blind. Then to have an irate Amy Wilde suddenly appear out of nowhere, in a hallway, and attack him as he is bringing snacks to the community room. This would induce fear into anyone, especially someone who is blind and unable to defend himself. Imagine being so scared that you have to give up your home and move because the extent of fear was so great.
Yet Wright County’s Detective Fashant identified no assault: (page 114)
From Page 114
“No indication?” And how did Sandra Tischer come into this drama? Nowhere does he even interview Tischer.
Wilde fully admits the event occurred that day. Her ‘spin’ leaves ample opportunity to question motives, intent, and actions.
In an e-mail to Meeker County Sheriff Jeff Norlin, Amy Wilde writes, “Sandy and Tammy berated us for coming in Friday and ‘upsetting’ the tenants. Sandy accused us of assaulting them (I believe I may have briefly touched one or two in passing. The apartments are rather tight–but there was definitely no assault) and calling one a ‘liar.’”
However, after complaints were made, Amy states, “I don’t remember touching anyone.” (page 68). It was also found that Commissioner Wilde lied during her interview with Andy Fashant when asked about a call regarding Ms. Tischer. These questions related to the complaint by Darin Packard, but shows that she has not been truthful. First, she claims she received a call regarding Ms. Tischer, and then a short time later, she denies it (page 147)
This investigation involves a conflict of interest in that Meeker County originally took statements from victims and then handed the investigation over to Wright County Detective, Andy Fashant, to investigate. Detective Fashant states in a report, “The Meeker County Sheriff had requested our Office’s assistance with conducting interviews of principles due to a conflict of interest between his office and the commissioner.” (page 101)
The following reveals the level of incompetence or intentional cover-up of this investigation:
The investigation of abuse was never investigated outside of Meeker County.
Two totally separate complaints were turned into one incomplete investigation: 1. Darin Packard’s complaint of illegal activity by Amy Wilde on October 6 (page 56 & 57) and
2.. Clarence Wallace and Carol Nelson’s complaint of abuse by Amy Wilde and Wally Strand on October 16. (page 69-70)
The investigation by Wright County was focused on Darin Packard’s complaint, not on the complaint of the abused victims. Fashant clearly chose to ignore clear evidence of ‘touching’ as admitted by Wilde’s email to Sheriff Norlin and Attorney Beckman.
The Wright County investigator, Andy Fashant, states to Darin Packard, “I’ve been ah asked by my boss Sheriff Gary Miller from Wright County to assist ah the Sheriff in Meeker County with doing a limited investigation into ah ah some allegations you’ve made…” (page 122)
This proves that Wright County was not investigating the abuse of the Dassel Apartment residents, but instead, a separate complaint that Darin Packard made, regarding commissioner Amy Wilde.
Regardless of what Wright County was investigating, they were not doing a full investigation.
The victims and witnesses were not interviewed by the Wright County investigator.
No follow up of the reported abuse by the social worker was ever conducted.
We do not believe a full and complete investigation into the abuse ever occurred by either Wright County or Meeker County. What started as a Meeker County investigation, got handed off to Wright County, and that agency failed to investigate the 10/16/2009 complaints by Clarence Wallace and Carol Nelson. Both of these counties failed miserably in their obligations to protect and serve these vulnerable citizens.
Meeker County has a Criminal Investigations Division which consists of
two deputies who are assigned to investigate serious criminal activity such as theft, burglary, robbery, arson, death cases, physical assaults, sexual assaults, computer crimes, financial crimes, fraud, child abuse/neglect, vulnerable adult crimes, and welfare fraud. These investigators were never a part of this vulnerable adult abuse case.
Abuse is a crime! Crimes committed and covered-up by government is evil.
Wright County Sheriff Gary Miller, Meeker County Sheriff Norlin, Sherburne County Attorney Heaney, Meeker County Attorney Beckman, MN Attorney General Lori Swanson, and HUD, are all empowered to step in and short-circuit the injustice being perpetrated by Commissioners Wilde and Strand.
I’m accused of pulling some dirty election year tactics. Damn the election! I’m trying to get things done! If this is awkward for a few arrogant politicians, let me get out my violin and play them a tune. Either they do their job or lose their job!
On Monday I was informed that a special meeting notice was posted on the bulletin board at the courthouse. Click here to view the notices. This is the very same board that seems to be inducing all the stress at the Dassel Apartments. The Meeker County EDA and the Meeker County Development Corp posted a notice that they intended to change the regularly scheduled meeting of November 18, 2010 to October 27, 2010. This was a regular meeting, which must include an opportunity for public comment. In the video you will hear them contest that it was posted on Thursday so the proper meeting announcement time was apparently met. Click here to view the law. And they valiantly attempt to argue that I have no right to speak. Out of respect for their once honorable office, I held my tongue. Their goal was to effectively shut down any progress on the matter until late January of next year. Of course, the final arbiter of right and wrong in this case is the County Attorney Stephanie Beckman. Good luck getting any justice from her, who uses her ability to practice law as a weapon of mass destruction!
On Monday morning, Sue Hedtke, Director of the EDA, was refusing to hand out the agenda. According to Connie, the office staff of the Meeker HRA, who tried to obtain the agenda in person but was told it would not be available until 5 minutes before the meeting. By 3:41PM on Monday somebody at EDA must have connected their brain, come to their senses, and honored my request as I received an agenda via fax from the EDA office, which I didn’t find until much later Monday evening. I am trying to run a business after all. Chasing down and cornering errant politicians is time consuming to say the least.
Although it looked like ordinary business, the County Executive Management has been behaving like cornered animals lately. Who knows the real agenda? I attended the meeting to find that the business was fairly straight forward. But no opportunity to bring recent events at the apartments to the attention of this board, which appears to be the real source of all the drama at the Dassel Apartments. There is something about the EDA wanting to merge with the HRA. The room was full of concerned citizens wanting to get to the bottom of all the fuss. Listen as I attempt to ask two simple questions. The first one I basically blurt out. The second, and most important comment, they will not allow me to speak. This is your government at work. As I write this, no one has attempted to contact me from Meeker County. County Commissioner Gabrielson, and EDA Director Hedtke, were the most vocal, arrogant, and offensive of the officials in attendance. Witness the arrogance for yourself as they lead the avoidance tactics using their version of good government…
With respect to the meeting agenda, there should have automatically been a public comments portion of the meeting. This was the ‘regular meeting’ of this board and the law requires a public comments portion. By rescheduling it, they feel they were allowed to drop the Public Comments portion as it became a special meeting, which in my opinion was the real motive behind moving the meeting. It was suspiciously moved up from November 18 to October 27 for reasons the chair explains in the video, making it a special meeting and therefore no public comments portion is “required.” Damn what the law allows! The difference between ‘prudent’ and ‘required’ also defines the line that separates ‘fascism’ from ‘good government.’ There are innocent elderly bystanders being hurt badly by the arrogance of this board staffed by these county officials. I attempted to shame them into doing the right thing. They refused and unanimously voted to not hear my pleas for help. There are special compartments in hell specifically designed for those who ignore and abuse those considered vulnerable amongst us. I’ll leave it to the reader to determine whether these people need a nomination to take up residence in one of them.
My first question for the board is really an observation related to MN Statute 469.004(5) Click here. In it we find that a County is specifically prohibited from owning or operating housing outside an HRA or multi-county council, yet we find Meeker county owning 76 town homes. Even though their actions appear to be illegal, the solution they seek—merging the EDA with the HRA—is not only not going to work, it would be detrimental to the current HRA and the people of Meeker County. There is a better, free market solution to these problems. My second question was to ask if such a solution has been investigated. The result would be that this EDA board would stop harassing the residents of the Dassel Apartments and Commissioners Wilde and Strand would lose interest in taking over the HRA board.
On the one hand, the citizens of Meeker could simply sue to have these arrogant officers held accountable for their despicable illegal behavior. Remove them from office, and solve the problems. Or, we could simply demand they do their jobs in accordance with state law—comply or face the penalties. So what’s the solution? One alternative is a win-win-win for all involved. Simply give the current residents of those town homes the property. What? Am I as nutz as Amy Wilde seems to think? Of course not. I’m an accountant. And 5 minutes with a spreadsheet yielded the solution. Double click to enlarge.
Lease vs Buy Spreadsheet
Instead of a $690/month rent payment, pay principal, interest, taxes, insurance, and repairs.
Give residents who are currently qualified to rent the townhomes the option to purchase them on an outright sale or even a contract for deed. Use the financing of their choice. Current market rates are as low as 3.5% today. The county officers win because they get these toxic assets off the books. The residents win because they become homeowners instead of slum surfs—enjoying all the tax breaks and market equity accumulation. And Meeker County citizens win because we will not be asked to pay for the repairs or upkeep of these problem properties.
Of course, Sue Hedtke’s father, the maintenance guy, may have to find other work. And her relatives might easily lose the lucrative insurance contracts she has funneled their way. We may end up with fewer maintenance workers on the County payroll as the screen doors and leaky faucets will no longer be maintained by County personnel, but by the homeowners themselves. In the end, the residents of the 76 homes will enjoy a decrease in the cost of their housing.
Attorney General Lori Swanson’s Letter to me speaks volumes! See the side bar for the entire letter with attachments. In it, I was informed that as a citizen of Meeker County I am helpless to obtain relief from our State. The final arbiter of right and wrong is County Attorney Beckman, whose foolish judgment once again proves that she uses her ability to practice law as a weapon of mass destruction. And if we don’t like it, the voters of Meeker County should take care of this at the next available election opportunity. Did you see how arrogant Gabrielson acted? Complete disregard for our community’s most vulnerable and was unwilling to even listen. Not one of them expressed one iota of interest in even hearing me during or after the meeting. They argued about not hearing me longer than it would have taken to hear me. The hubris is reminiscent of a fascist pre-war Germany, not my formerly peaceful community on the prairie.
In the end, they voted unanimously that they simply do not care about the elderly living at the Dassel Apartments.
Vote wisely on November 2, 2010… The entire courthouse needs an enema.
If we are to have Beckman removed from office, do NOT vote for her on November 2. Leave the check box blank. This will make it easier to get the names on a petition for a removal election, which requires 25% of the number who voted for her. Not voting for her reduces the number of petitions needed.
Do not vote for Wilde, vote for TIM BENOIT
Do not vote for Strand, write in SCOTT KLATT
Do not vote for Gabrielson, vote for CHUCK FENTON
Do not vote for Norlin, vote for BEN AHO
Stephanie Beckman may practice law like it’s a weapon of mass destruction, but Mildred Hendrickson has a Smith Corona. Behold the power of the pen!
Meeker County Executive Management has called a special meeting of the Meeker County Economic Development Authority (EDA) and the Meeker County Development Corporation (MCDC). The boards meet 6 times per year. The next regularly scheduled meeting is on November 18, 2010. A notice appeared on the bulletin board at the Meeker County Courthouse on Monday rescheduling the meetings for 5PM on 10/27/2010. Earlier today they were refusing to disclose an agenda. An agenda has been obtained. Withholding Agendas private would be a violation of statute. It most certainly is NOT evidence of good government.
The 10/25/2010 meeting at the Meeker County HRA at the Dassel Apartments was quite informative. Click here for the agenda.
Wilde was mysteriously missing from the meeting. And Strand showed up with some guy named Charlie from the Kennedy and Graven law firm that HUD specifically instructed them not to hire. It looked like they were rolling out the big guns to get Tischer fired. The people of Meeker County responded to my pleas to be there for these folks. I thank them for coming to witness, first-hand, the nonsense that has become so commonplace on our peaceful prairie. As I promised to Mildred and in my last blog, I read my statement to the HRA Board. Watch the start of the meeting as I read my statement. Click here for the full statement. I could have stayed home and read it to my dog for how it affected the Commissioners.
The normal course of business continues. Director Tischer discusses excessive legal fees.
The question of replacing the Director has resulted in some sort of RFP (Request for Proposal) being issued. An RFP is a request to take bids. Of course, it was not approved by the board. Listen as Director Tischer rips apart the new lawyer by describing the illegal format of the RFP. Apparently HUD weighed in on this and says it was a contract being let, subject to the rules about RFPs. Yet they are hiring an employee? The new lawyer is speechless.
The meeting abruptly ends with no real progress being made. The Fox9 reporter, Trish Van Pilsum, moves in to ask some questions. As Strand chooses to leave, he and the Fox9 cameraman apparently get in a scuffle in the hallway. I don’t have the video but the mic was open. You can hear it at the beginning of this segment. This should make for some interesting news.
Listen carefully as Tischer tries to explain the activities of the Meeker County EDA. Apparently, they have been operating the real estate around the County without the benefit of a real estate broker, which according to Tischer is illegal in MN. And at a HUGE expense to the county! No wonder they are out of money at the EDA! More mystery!
On Monday morning, the Meeker County EDA posted some sort of special meeting of its board and the Meeker County Development Corp board. The new meeting time and place is Litchfield Courthouse on October 27, 2010 at 5PM. I plan to attend. Maybe the news papers will show up for this one. I hope so. I’m sick of doing their job…
It is time for Meeker County citizens to stand up and be counted. The abuse of our community’s most vulnerable citizens needs to end on October 25, 2010, at 1:15PM! I need your help.
On October 19, 2010, the Meeker County Commissioners met in open session at 10AM. This was my last opportunity for a regularly scheduled open meeting of the Commissioners before the HRA meeting at 1:15PM on October 25, 2010 at the Dassel Apartments. My sincere hope is that every single Meeker County resident will be there to confront these two arrogant Commissioners Wilde and Strand. I was at the County Commissioners meeting to present the entire gang of 5 commissioners my demand that they remove Commissioners Wilde and Strand from the Meeker County HRA Board. I wasn’t on the agenda for the day. Fortunately, state law requires these meetings to be open and I was certain to be able to informally address the Commissioners. It was near magical serendipity that Trish VanPilsum of channel 9 FoxNews was there doing a story on Amy Wilde and Wally Strand. While I had spoken with Trish on the phone several times, this was our first opportunity to meet.
It was fun to watch the photojournalist work his magic. Trish asked if I would step out of the room with her when Sheriff Jeff Norlin finished his business at the meeting. I had only a hunch as to why. When looking down the barrel of the business end of a camera, Norlin looked me right in the eyes and told a lie to cover up what now appears to be a previous lie. Even worse, he dared to imply that I was lying. Talk about an awkward moment! Then the camera confronts me. I hear my mother’s voice ringing in my ears… “The truth shall set you free.” She was right! I am certain he discussed signatures in the file.
During an informal meeting at the Dassel Bakery, Norlin represented to me and Roger Werner that he had a signed statement in his file as proof no assault was committed by Commissioners last October. Then represented he had shown it to Werner and Roger even claims he saw it. Roger later told me that somebody named Brad was in the room when he saw the signature in Norlin’s office. I told that to Trish weeks earlier as it clearly made the resident’s of the Dassel Apartments look as if they were spinning a story and using my reputation for some devious purpose. What amazed me is how a $45,000 camera can become a “time-to-tell-the-truth” machine. Norlin didn’t even have a dog in this fight. Now it looks like a cover-up. He claims there is no signature and that I’m making this up. What’s weird is that County Attorney Beckman bought him a free pass to this show a year ago. Yet he participates in the spinning of the story? What is going on that warrants such herculean efforts on the part of these County Officials?
Short of a removal by a quorum of the County Commissioners, both Wilde and Strand should voluntarily resign from the HRA Board, effectively immediately. Stop terrorizing the residents of the HRA!
I also appealed to the Commissioners to stop the hate-filled lies promulgated by the recent local “news” media. This same media owes me, the public, and especially the violated residents of the Dassel Apartments, a substantial apology for their irresponsible journalism. The Litchfield Independent Review will need to respond to the shameful verbal assaults conferred upon an award winning investigative reporter by its own reporter. The local papers failed to investigate and report about the insane antics of the County Commissioners Wilde and Strand, and endorsed the foolish opinions of County Attorney Beckman. See my previous blog entries http://mnpatriots.com/?p=255 and www.mnpatriots.com/?P=350 for more information.
This whole experience is pretty awkward for me. I’m an ordinary Joe trying to make a living out on the prairie. I’m not a politician, or a journalist. I have no aspirations to become either. When the residents of the apartments asked me to get involved and help them, how could I refuse? Facing these powerful public officials and local media outlets choosing to print irresponsible blather and blatant untruths is quite unsettling. See Wig’s Litchfield Independent Review article on 10/14 and Miller’s Dassel Dispatch opinion dated 10/18—printed inches from the continued spin spewing from Wilde in her Letter to the Editor. Unbelievably irresponsible!
But this is not about me, or the citizens of Meeker County, or the local shoppers. This is really all about the corruption that has become Meeker County executive management. One woman I have come to admire is Mildred Hendrickson, age 92, President of the Meeker County Resident Council/Management Corp. Mildred is Meeker County’s version of Erin Brockovich. I wonder if they will get Julia Roberts to play the part of Mildred when Meeker County, the Movie comes out? I am very proud of Mildred as she stands up to these wicked politicians. She’s no shrinking violet. Her grace and integrity is an inspiration to me.
In an attempt to get the air cleared of the lies, half-truths, and stop the blatant abuse of these residents, Mildred contacted the Litchfield Independent Review after the Dassel Meet-the-Candidates forum on 10/18. A letter to the editor was in order. She submitted her letter to Brent at the IR. He told her to cut it in half. She cut it in half. He told her to make it 300 words or less. “Either cut it down and re-submit or it would be edited prior to sending it to the attorney for review.” What? Read that again! Attorneys? Letters to the Editor are edited by them?
I told Mildred that she should write up whatever she wants to say. I’ll show up and let her read it to the camera. I’ll publish it without an attorney or an editor. And it will see air by nightfall! Mildred set out to finish this using her trusty Smith Corona typewriter. Want to see it? At 3PM on Saturday October 23, 2010, I met with Mildred at the Dassel Apartments.
To the residents of the Dassel Apartments, I promise you that I will be there for you at 1:15PM on October 25. My hope is that others will be there too as I will once again appeal to Wilde and Strand. Click here for the agenda. This time I’ll appeal to what’s left of their human decency and ask them to voluntarily resign from the HRA board—effective immediately! The abuses need to end here! We need to put an end to these games now!
During the public comments portion of the meeting, I intend to read the following.
As a citizen of Meeker County, I have watched in disbelief at the ridiculous antics of this HRA Board. I have witnessed how the minutes of meetings are routinely twisted to present the Chairman’s intent. I witness as the residents suffer greatly at the hand of these County Officers. In 2005 the State Legislature found the office of County Commissioner to be incompatible with the role of HRA Commissioner. Yet we find Wally Strand is Chairman of both. Because of the foolish opinions of our County Attorney Beckman, these residents have been unable to appeal to her office for justice or for relief from the abuses of your office. I witness as HUD instructs this board on proper conduct and witness you ignoring their pleas. I witness the Sheriff promulgating lies in defense of your activities to the disgrace of the respectability of his own office. I witness this board foolishly spending substantial amounts on needless legal fees for who knows what nefarious purposes. I witness this board expounding outright lies to the public regarding Director Tischer’s compensation, when in the opinion of the residents, she should be commended. I witness the disgrace this board has become and demand that the abuses stop. I demand the immediate resignation of HRA Chairman Strand and HRA Commissioner Wilde. The County Commissioners need to take up the business of appointing new HRA Commissioners as soon as practical. Leave these people alone!
