Three Cheers For Mark Osland

Three Cheers for Mark Osland
70% of Voters Want Change in Sheriff’s Department
Taxpayers Win Big in Sheriff’s Race
Sheriff Rivard’s Popularity and Karl Schreck’s

Campaign Sink like a Lead Balloon!
Commissioner Mike Robinson’s Power

declines downward into a Spiral of Death
Rick Duncan Clear Choice to be Next Sheriff
Opinion and Political Commentary by Jonathan P. Glassel

Karl Schreck was campaigning before Chisago County Sheriff Todd Rivard announced his decision to retire in March.

Rick Duncan, the winner of the Primary with 46% of the vote and the clear choice to be our next Sheriff announced his decision in May.

Mark Osland did not enter the race until June, leaving just a few weeks to campaign before an early Primary.

Mark Osland’s hard work and determination yielded an amazing 17% of the votes cast.

Anyone who thinks 1,000 votes in a Primary Election is a small feat, needs to try it sometime.

In the General Election, any candidate will get “luck of the draw” votes cast by those who are uninformed as to the merits of any particular candidate. However, Primary voters are a tough sell. These 21% of registered voters go the extra mile to vote in a Primary and are well informed about every candidate on the ballot.

Mark Osland is a “Class Act,” with no shortage of the “C Words,” Character, Compassion, Courage and Common Sense.

Many Duncan supporters, myself included were concerned that Mark would split the “Good Guy” vote, leaving Schreck to actually appear as though he is a viable candidate.

Yet, Karl Schreck failed to take his lagging campaign beyond a small but vocal group of supporters in his horse club and a very few Chisago County Deputies.

Sheriff Todd Rivard’s backing of Schreck yielded small results. Commissioner Robinson’s rabid support of “the Garbage Cop,” in Rush City provided a mere 10 net votes for Schreck over Osland and Duncan, further indication that Robinson is on his way out, hopefully replaced in 2012 by a “C Word” candidate.

Though Mark ran a totally positive campaign, Osland’s supporters are not likely to vote for Schreck in November because Schreck’s character, or lack thereof, has preceded him.

Schreck and his cronies in the Sheriff’s Department have campaigned on the taxpayer’s “dime,” something that does not sit well with most voters. They have openly intimidated business persons supporting other candidates.

Clearly Schreck and his staff had expected a convincing win, however Karl failed to grasp the fact that he and his goons cannot go into the voting booth with every voter.

Despite fear of retaliation and reprisals from the Sheriff’s department, voters said “no” to the “Mafia-like” tactics of Karl Schreck and Commissioner Mike Robinson.

Karl Schreck has a completely legitimate side business of trimming horse’s hooves. Stories of Sheriff Rivard “busting” Schreck back to Private for persistently sleeping away his night shift in a donut shop leads to conjecture that Schreck was probably sleeping during his night shift to conserve energy for his day job.

Apparently, Schreck’s Stripes have never been returned, though he still calls himself Sergeant.

These stories are just the tip of the iceberg for Schreck, Rivard and Robinson. Other stories and rumors of abuses by a small group of Chisago County Sheriff’s Department employees, leaves many people wondering why Rivard would support anyone like Schreck; as such support defies the common sense and logic of most voters.

People are beginning to speculate that, perhaps Todd is not the brightest bulb on the Rivard Family Tree.

Taylors Fall is patrolled by three full time Chisago County deputies at a net financial loss to the taxpayers of Chisago County, yet these three cops issue fewer citations per capita than any other area of the County. This lends credence to the rumor that Sheriff Rivard has a very long “no stop list” for Taylors Falls family, friends and supporters. Yet, the many alleged benefactors of this list, did not deliver a clear win for Schreck in that precinct.

In retrospect, despite my earlier reservations, Mark Osland’s entry and effort, devoting his time, treasure and talent to the Sheriff’s race yielded positive results for the taxpayers of Chisago County. An early debate among voters about the qualifications of the candidates clarified our need and our desire for leadership from outside the Sheriff’s Department as we head toward the fall general elections.

For this, we owe Mark Osland, his family and his supporters a sincere debt of gratitude.

Chisago County Commissioner Rick Greene

Chisago County Commissioner Rick Greene
Common Sense Leadership
Opinion and Political Commentary by Jonathan P. Glassel

The Tea Party Movement is about Common Sense. Since few people will knowingly vote for a candidate lacking common sense, it can be said that we are all “Tea Partyists.” We all want, and profit from good government. It’s just common sense.

In Chisago County, we are fortunate to have Rick Greene’s courage, common sense and country wisdom working for us on the County Board of Commissioners. In the depths of the current recession, Rick reduced government spending to bring about the first ever zero percent property tax increase in memorable history for the taxpayers of Chisago County.

When former Commissioner Lynn Schultz and the Prison Industrial Complex tried to saddle us with a lavish, overbuilt and unwarranted 40 million dollar jail, Rick’s country wisdom was immortalized by the following simple and eloquent statement. “The walls will crumble before it (the jail) will ever be filled.”

In retaliation, “Good Old Boy” Commissioners Robinson, Schultz and Gustafson cut all highway funding to Rick’s District. Many of us would have “caved” to the Prison Industrial Complex, watching our constituents endure hazardous road conditions while Commissioner Robinson was paving roads to his favorite bars and pubs with District Two Highway Dollars.

Rick stayed his ground and along with fellow Commissioner Montzka “held the fort” until the cavalry, in the form of newly elected Commissioners Lora Walker and George McMahon, arrived. The proposed jail was voted down, an unbiased County Highway Engineer was chosen and the new board set about to correct the wrongs perpetuated by Lynn Schultz and the Prison Industrial Complex against the citizens of District Two.

Fairness is common sense. This new board is about fairness. There is no desire to retaliate against the citizens of Mike Robinson’s District by denying county highway dollars. However, the “neglected” District Two roads need repair, now.

As the “Good Old Boys” have spent our highway funds for years to come, bonding is a necessity. Commissioner Robinson’s roads were bonded. Former Commissioner Schultz readily bonded roads for her district when she was in power.

Now, it seems Rick Greene’s opponent in the Chisago County District Two Commissioners race, Katherine Johnson, says we should not bond District Two roads, which means the citizens of District Two should continue to “suck hind teat” until all of Robinson and Schultz’s bonds are repaid.

Coming from Katherine Johnson, comments like these are not totally unexpected.

Katherine Johnson is a pawn of Mike Robinson, Lynn Schultz and the Prison Industrial Complex.
Robinson is an intimidating man. There is no way Katherine Johnson has the fortitude to stand down Commissioner Mike Robinson. If Robinson wants District Two Road funds, Katherine will be obliged to hand them over.

For Commissioner Robinson and former Commissioner Schultz, it’s not about public service; it’s about regaining lost power. With County Attorney Janet Reiter firmly under their control and a Katherine Johnson victory over Commissioner Greene coupled with an unlikely but possible win by Karl Schreck in the Sheriff’s race, Lynn Schultz could return the Good Old Boys to complete dominance in 2012.

As “Tea Partyists of Common Sense,” we must maintain vigilance, we must be involved, and we must determine and support the candidates of integrity and common sense.

The records of both candidates are clear. Rick Greene has proven his ability to lead, while Katherine Johnson clearly “sucks hind teat” in the arena of common sense.