Backing out of the ditch (update 4 )

Star Tribune Thu, 28 Feb 2008
Maplewood ready to get back on track

The Maplewood City Council, which meets tonight, continues to move forward with changes that will reverse city policies on everything from management jobs to the city newsletter. The controversy over Maplewood's suspended city manager was put to rest this week, after the Maplewood City Council signed a settlement agreement with Greg Copeland. The council will hold another meeting tonight to complete its first wave of business that the new council majority says will put Maplewood "back on the track to normalcy." ... The council also is expected to take up the need for new guidelines on which city officials write in the city newsletter, how often and on which subjects. "There's been complaints that the newsletter got used for political purposes," said Nephew. "People thought it was unseemly, using taxpayer money for campaigning." Even the use of photographs of council members and the mayor on the city website is on the agenda.

Alex Davy of the Lillie Newspapers (2/27/08) helps describe the ditch in Maplewood settles with Copeland

...
Questions remain
As interim City Manager Chuck Ahl delves into his new role, one thing is becoming clear: Copeland left Maplewood with significant financial questions.

According to Ahl, budget data such as fixed-asset audits from 2008 were nowhere to be found in the City's computer system, and 13 months' worth of bank statements had not been reconciled.

Most troubling of all is the revelation that the Maplewood Community Center - reportedly close to breaking even in October - is actually $600,000 to $750,000 in the hole.

"The City was planning to end 2007 with about $300,000 to start the new year," Ahl says. "Now it looks like we're going to start the year well in the red."

Ahl has made establishing an internal financial plan a top priority, and plans to address the council on the financial state of the City March 10.

In the meantime, City Council members are left wondering how it came to this. "Why the finance department has fallen so far behind at this point is a mystery to everyone," says Council Member Will Rossbach.

[Update 2/28 10:00 AM]
The Star Tribune article discusses Ms. Longrie's reaction to the newsletter agenda item:

She said she hasn't received any complaints from Maplewood residents about problems the council seems to have with the newsletter. That includes her monthly column and City Council member columns deemed to be self-promoting. [emphasis added]

To help refresh memories, here is Maplewood resident and council member Kathy Juenemann talking (small mp3) about a particularly egregious issue of the City News (large pdf) during the November 13, 2006 council meeting. She was sitting about 10 feet from Ms. Longrie at the time.

[Update 2/28 11:20 AM]

More memories: here is a letter to the editor, Lillie Newspapers, September 27, 2007.

It is amazing that an article from the Maplewood Review, about John Banick receiving half million dollars after a settlement, came out Aug. 29 and the Maplewood News city newsletter went to print and was in the homes by Sept. 7th. That's pretty quick writing and printing, and wonder who paid for the "Rush Printing Job"-probably not the Taxpayers!!!
...

[Update 2/28 12:20 PM]

More memories: here is a letter to the editor, Pioneer Press, October 2007.

The current majority on the Maplewood City Council is scrambling to hang on, according to info in the city newsletter. The council member chosen to write a column happens to be one of the two incumbents who will be on the ballot. Does Will Rossbach also get a chance at a column before Election Day?

[Update 2/28 4:30 PM]
Readers weigh in with this:

Once again our Mayor refuses to acknowledge the consequences of her actions. Many of us have expressed our frustration with the way the Mayor, the former City Manager Copeland and Eric Hjelle have used our Newsletter as a tool for their political harrangues. Certainly it was evident during this past City Council election. The citizens of Maplewood pay for the development and the mailing of this newsletter. I said it then and I repeat...it is a misuse of public funds to use the Newsletter for personal and political positioning. Mayor Longrie seems to site Article I of the Bill of Rights only when it is to her advantage. She should reread the Constitution as well as the oath she took when she was sworn in as Mayor.

And this

I as a resident have contacted my representatives on the City Council and expressed my concern about all the money being spent by Maplewood in allowing Mayor Longrie to publicize her personal agenda in the Maplewood News Letter. I have also expressed my concern about non-resident presentations which delay legitimate action by the Council.

As our representatives, any Council member should be able to bring issues to them and they in turn can make an agenda item to address the issue/concern.

It should not be necessary to contact the Mayor on every issue/concern expressed by residents. If that be the case, why don't we just have a mayor? Why do we need other representatives?
Just my two cents worth.

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