If you have ever had the misfortune of being prosecuted in Chisago County, the County Attorney probably closed their case by telling the jury, “These laws are for your protection, you must enforce them and return a guilty verdict."
In all too many cases, the laws exist because some politician did not understand the simple fact that anything written can be interpreted to mean most anything Government or some inbred lawyer wants it to mean.
This is not the case with the open meeting laws. Open meeting laws were designed to protect the citizenry from back room deals and shady politics by forcing the decision making of local government leaders into the limelight.
Basically, the law states that a quorum of leaders cannot meet without public notice. On a three person board, a quorum exists if any two board members are at the same place at the same time.
Hence, an accidental meeting at a coffee shop could technically violate open meeting laws. The County Board of Commissioners is a five person panel, so the quorum is three which allows any two Commissioners to communicate regarding a specific matter.
Open meeting laws prohibit serial meetings. While Commissioner “A” can speak of a single matter to Commissioner “B”, “B” cannot speak of this same matter to Commissioner “C” without violating the open meeting law.
About this time, you are probably asking yourself, “How the “bleep” do they ever get anything done?”
Dysfunctional as it sounds, the law seeks to force the debate of any given issue into the public eye. Problem is commissioners are reluctant to speak openly on some issues, giving rise to backroom negotiations and deal making by Commissioners seeking to exercise or solidify more than their fair share of power.
When longtime County Administrator John Moosey announced he was leaving Chisago for a similar job in Alaska, many in Government and the community panicked. County Board Chair Lora Walker’s phone rang off the hook.
No one in Chisago County is more qualified to hire the new administrator than Lora Walker. As such, there was no panic on Lora’s part, just confident determination to set up a process that would insure Moosey was replaced with the best possible candidate, while addressing the concerns of the other Board Members.
A matter of this magnitude needs to be discussed with others.
Lora chose Vice Chair McMahon, but it was too late. George, in his arrogance had already selected Kristine Nelson-Fuge of the County Attorney’s Office. In George’s mind, the case was closed.
By law, Lora was now unable to discuss this matter with any other Commissioners.
Unfazed, Commissioner Walker set about to develop a plan on her own,
that would, first and foremost conserve taxpayer dollars.
Unfortunately, Lora’s plan required a small degree of complexity which overwhelmed her male counterparts, who chose not to trust Lora’s judgment in favor of George’s costly plan to install his friend and crony Nelson-Fuge to the position.
Commissioners Montzka and Greene quickly “sieg heiled” George’s plan and Nelson-Fuge was installed as interim Administrator.
Lora played by the rules. I don’t believe George did and once again, the citizenry got stiffed while George gains political clout at the expense of the taxpayers.
(Sounds a lot like Bob Gustafson)
When George was elected, I thought he would bring non-dysfunctionality to this board, setting aside petty differences for the betterment of Chisago County.
I was wrong.
For some time, I have been receiving reports of the backbiting Commissioner McMahon has been routinely leveling at his colleague, Commissioner Walker, Chris Eng and others.
I think we can all agree there is no logical reason to dislike Commissioner Walker.
She is one gutsy lady.
But, even if he had a reason to dislike Lora, one would expect that George could be professional enough to function in spite of some perceived petty grievance.
Maybe George doesn't like girls, or perhaps women in positions of authority that he cannot control. Maybe George's Liberal Tax and Spend ideology has been thwarted by Lora's "No New Taxes" stand.
But ultimately, I suspect George is about control and his backbiting of Lora is meant more as a example to the other commissioners, coercion as it were, of what he (George) is willing to do to them, should they choose to operate independently of an agenda known only to George.
George arrogantly exerted his authority in the work session this past week, leaving little doubt of his intent to install the person of his choice to succeed John Moosey as Administrator.
Though half deaf, I counted three occasions where George, with no concern for the other Commissioners tried to "slam dunk" Nelson-Fuge as permanent administrator.
My eyesight is still OK and I clearly saw Reiter and Moosey, laughing, giggling and damned near "high fiving" every time George tried to "unlevel" the playing field in Nelson-Fuge's behalf, leaving little doubt that he (George) was their (the Government’s) guy.
Commissioner George McMahon is extremely wealthy. There is little doubt George earned every nickel through hard work and dedication toward the goal of becoming rich.
Every rich person will list “emotional detachment” as the biggest key to their success.
Life is rarely a win/win situation. When George earns a quarter million dollar commission, someone is bound to get hurt, but it is, after all “just business.”
Unfortunately for the taxpayers, George is unable to bring this “emotional detachment” to County Government.
The logical conclusion; George is playing with your money, not his own.
Confident people are deeply aware that they derive their confidence from strengthening their innate qualities and need not depend on others. So the more confident people are, the more peaceful they will be with both themselves and others. Even in disagreement or when pointing out the errors of others, confident people can remain calm and open-minded. Since they need not defend their self-worth by ‘winning’ in the argument, confident people can stay focused on the merits of different views and opinions without becoming hurtful toward others.
The essential difference between arrogance and confidence is not one of quantity or degree, but of quality and origin. Arrogance is needy and dependent on others, derived from comparison with the external. Confidence is free and independent of others, found and cultivated in the self. Buddhism in a New Light 9
Denise Martin Chisago County Press, Mary Helen Swanson North Branch ECM Post Review, Johanna Puelston Isanti Chisago County Star fiefdompolitics written in cowardly anonymity Tim Okeefe or his wife FishLakeKarpa
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