Public Forum
Provided with an opportunity to outshine each other in the public eye, Candidate Carter and incumbent Robinson recently appeared at a local public forum. A moderator asked each candidate several prepared questions in alternating fashion and allowed them to respond within a specified amount of time. Two of the discussion issues were particularly noteworthy.
The first such issue was the contentious new jail/courthouse. Candidate Carter was first to provide a quick response stating that building a new jail/courthouse was “bad timing” due to the current economic climate. He further added that “it should be located in North Branch” not Center City. Candidate Carter did not provide any explanation or description of the lengthy legislative process required to move the county seat from Center City to North Branch in order to meet the legal requirements of building a new jail/courthouse in North Branch. Incumbent Robinson responded next by informing the public that whether the antiquated Center City jail was remodeled or a new jail was built would ultimately cost taxpayer dollars to resolve the current problem of an overcrowded, non-compliant jail. He did not believe the issue or costs should be compounded by attempting to relocate the state mandated county seat a few miles further north.
On the second noteworthy issue, each candidate was asked what measures they would propose to reduce or eliminate crime and vandalism plaguing the local area. Incumbent Robinson answered in part by suggesting that the creation of more local jobs would help alleviate the situation. When asked the same question, Candidate Carter initially responded, “I wish I knew.”
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
Carter Campaign “Strategy” #9
Evade, Evade, Evade
Recent editions of the Cambridge Star, North Branch Post Review, and Chisago County Press newspapers published a “Letter to the Editor” from Robert Pearson of Rush City and Candidate Carter’s response. In the letter, Pearson asked Candidate Carter to answer some disturbing questions about a ~$234,000 joint road paving project between Nessel and Fish Lake Townships. To accomplish the Joint Powers Board (JPB) project, Supervisor Carter served as the JPB representative for Fish Lake Township and Supervisor McKenzie served as the JPB representative for Nessel Township.
One particularly poignant question from Pearson asked, “Why did Supervisors McKenzie and Carter approve and sign a paving contract to spend ~$234,000 outside of an open public meeting?” Candidate Carter responded, “Supervisor McKenzie and I, acting under the Joint Powers Agreement, authorized by our respective town boards, signed the paving contract after it was reviewed by both boards. I signed the agreement on June 11, 2007 at a regular township board meeting. Mr. McKenzie signed it at a properly noticed meeting on June 19, 2007.”
A comprehensive review of the approved, Fish Lake Township meeting minutes for June 11, 2007 reveals some inconsistencies with Candidate Carter’s recollection of the facts. While the meeting minutes do not document any board decision or action taken on a ~$234,000 paving contract, they do state, “Chair Carter signed the agreement and notice to proceed on the Blue Heron Trail Paving Project..”
A simple review of the two disputed documents and time lines removes all doubt. The Blue Heron Trail paving contract was signed by both Supervisors Carter and McKenzie on November 15, 2006, approximately 7 months before the Joint Powers Agreement document was signed by either in June 2007.
Perhaps an even more disturbing question arises;
Why would Candidate Carter attempt to mislead the public?
Recent editions of the Cambridge Star, North Branch Post Review, and Chisago County Press newspapers published a “Letter to the Editor” from Robert Pearson of Rush City and Candidate Carter’s response. In the letter, Pearson asked Candidate Carter to answer some disturbing questions about a ~$234,000 joint road paving project between Nessel and Fish Lake Townships. To accomplish the Joint Powers Board (JPB) project, Supervisor Carter served as the JPB representative for Fish Lake Township and Supervisor McKenzie served as the JPB representative for Nessel Township.
One particularly poignant question from Pearson asked, “Why did Supervisors McKenzie and Carter approve and sign a paving contract to spend ~$234,000 outside of an open public meeting?” Candidate Carter responded, “Supervisor McKenzie and I, acting under the Joint Powers Agreement, authorized by our respective town boards, signed the paving contract after it was reviewed by both boards. I signed the agreement on June 11, 2007 at a regular township board meeting. Mr. McKenzie signed it at a properly noticed meeting on June 19, 2007.”
A comprehensive review of the approved, Fish Lake Township meeting minutes for June 11, 2007 reveals some inconsistencies with Candidate Carter’s recollection of the facts. While the meeting minutes do not document any board decision or action taken on a ~$234,000 paving contract, they do state, “Chair Carter signed the agreement and notice to proceed on the Blue Heron Trail Paving Project..”
A simple review of the two disputed documents and time lines removes all doubt. The Blue Heron Trail paving contract was signed by both Supervisors Carter and McKenzie on November 15, 2006, approximately 7 months before the Joint Powers Agreement document was signed by either in June 2007.
Perhaps an even more disturbing question arises;
Why would Candidate Carter attempt to mislead the public?
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Carter Campaign “Strategy” #8
Ask the Tough Questions
The onslaught of Candidate Carter’s campaign to unseat incumbent Robinson has raised many political issues. Candidate Carter has supplied voters with a list of 10 questions and challenged them to ask incumbent Robinson for answers. Perhaps Candidate Carter could answer the following 10 questions regarding his 11 year reign as a Fish Lake Township Supervisor and Board Chairman;
1.) Why did you sign a $234,000 paving contract for Blue Heron Trail outside of an open public meeting?
2.) Why did you ignore $50,000 offered by the DNR to help pay for paving Blue Heron Trail? Why weren’t the subordinate service district (SSD) taxpayers that were paying for this project informed or consulted?
3.) How can you criticize the county for the recently completed shouldering work on Stark Road when you compromised the engineering plan for Blue Heron Trail by using black dirt instead of Class I for shouldering?
4.) Why have people coined 437th Street, the road you live on, as “The Million Dollar Road?” Why did you trade a township dump-truck in partial payment for this non-budgeted road improvement project?
5.) Why have you approved and signed final development hard shells (such as Andrews Acres) outside of open public meetings and without required town board decisions?
6.) Why have you routinely approved and signed township fire coverage and fuel contracts without required board decisions and outside of open public meetings?
7.) Why did you hide and lock away township records and documents from another elected township supervisor?
8.) Why has graveling township roads dwindled from 14,000 to 6,000 cubic yards from 1996 to 2006 while the number of gravel roads has remained unchanged during your reign?
9.) Why have township services been reduced during your reign while taxes have continued to rise at a rate of 7% per year for the last three years alone?
10.)Why have you never provided a vision for the future of Fish Lake Township or Chisago County?
The onslaught of Candidate Carter’s campaign to unseat incumbent Robinson has raised many political issues. Candidate Carter has supplied voters with a list of 10 questions and challenged them to ask incumbent Robinson for answers. Perhaps Candidate Carter could answer the following 10 questions regarding his 11 year reign as a Fish Lake Township Supervisor and Board Chairman;
1.) Why did you sign a $234,000 paving contract for Blue Heron Trail outside of an open public meeting?
2.) Why did you ignore $50,000 offered by the DNR to help pay for paving Blue Heron Trail? Why weren’t the subordinate service district (SSD) taxpayers that were paying for this project informed or consulted?
3.) How can you criticize the county for the recently completed shouldering work on Stark Road when you compromised the engineering plan for Blue Heron Trail by using black dirt instead of Class I for shouldering?
4.) Why have people coined 437th Street, the road you live on, as “The Million Dollar Road?” Why did you trade a township dump-truck in partial payment for this non-budgeted road improvement project?
5.) Why have you approved and signed final development hard shells (such as Andrews Acres) outside of open public meetings and without required town board decisions?
6.) Why have you routinely approved and signed township fire coverage and fuel contracts without required board decisions and outside of open public meetings?
7.) Why did you hide and lock away township records and documents from another elected township supervisor?
8.) Why has graveling township roads dwindled from 14,000 to 6,000 cubic yards from 1996 to 2006 while the number of gravel roads has remained unchanged during your reign?
9.) Why have township services been reduced during your reign while taxes have continued to rise at a rate of 7% per year for the last three years alone?
10.)Why have you never provided a vision for the future of Fish Lake Township or Chisago County?
Carter Campaign “Strategy” #7
One Chance to Make a First Impression
The impact of Candidate Carter’s campaign web site has reached 161 hits to date. While recent revisions and corrections have remedied most of the typographical and grammatical errors initially launched, today’s version of “www.bobcarterdistrict5.com” can not change the on-line public’s first impression of Candidate Carter.
The impact of Candidate Carter’s campaign web site has reached 161 hits to date. While recent revisions and corrections have remedied most of the typographical and grammatical errors initially launched, today’s version of “www.bobcarterdistrict5.com” can not change the on-line public’s first impression of Candidate Carter.
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