FLT Annual Meeting Matters a Secret?

This year Fish Lake Township (FLT) held its annual meeting on Tuesday, March 8th, as required by law. The annual meeting provides township residents the opportunity to participate in local government by voicing their concerns, proposing resolutions and collectively voting to give direction to the town board for the upcoming year.

Traditionally, most Fish Lake Township supervisors have discouraged or attempted to limit and control annual meeting attendance so that they could freely promote their own personal agendas. Township supervisors have also resisted voter attempts to move the township elections from March to coincide with the general elections in November because such a change would allow the annual March meeting to begin at an earlier time of day when more residents could attend. Currently, the annual meeting begins about 8:10 p.m. on a Tuesday, following the annual township elections held the same day. Township supervisors such as Bob Carter have even gone so far as to single out, chastise and bully annual meeting participants who did not support their personal agendas. Other supervisors have orchestrated dealings behind the scenes to insure their supporters were prepared and organized to attend and dominate the annual meeting.

This year, in an unusual fashion, the annual meeting did not conclude after “burning the midnight oil” the night of March 8th. The Fish Lake Township web site indicates that a re-convened annual meeting is scheduled on Tuesday, September 13th at 7:00 p.m. to “approve the budget for 2012.” Short of ever publishing an agenda prior to any annual meeting, there may be other unfinished business as well.

The annual township meeting is the only meeting whereby area residents can collectively vote and direct the town board each year. Annual township meeting matters should be available and accessible to anyone seeking such information. For a web site that boasts it was “created as a public service for the residents of Fish Lake Township,” why aren’t annual meeting minutes or agendas ever posted?

Letter to the Editor

Next Tuesday, March 8th, Fish Lake Township will have the opportunity to elect the first African-American township supervisor, John L. Cook
Jr.
I am writing to endorse Mr. Cook and to encourage other voters to support diversity in our township. You can read more about Mr. Cook in his brief submission published in the Fish Lake Township Spring 2011 Newsletter. I have also provided a photograph of Mr. Cook when he was recently elected as the newest Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota Masonic Charity, a testament to his education, qualifications and integrity.

In my humble opinion, if elected, Mr. Cook would be the only sitting town board member with any integrity. Please cast your vote for John L. Cook.

Tim O’Keefe, Former Fish Lake Township Supervisor

The Fix Is In?

Next Tuesday, March 8th, is the local election day for Fish Lake Township. In addition to selecting a township supervisor and treasurer, voters will need to decide on a ballot question initiated by Supervisors Carter and Larkin; “Shall the position of Treasurer of Fish Lake Township be changed from an elected to an appointed position?”

Since the December 20th decision to add the treasurer question to the ballot, Supervisors Carter and Larkin have actively promoted the plan to hire instead of elect a township treasurer. The township web site currently describes the “need” to change as follows; “Due to the complexity of the duties of Treasurer the board is asking residents for their approval to appoint/hire the Treasurer. If approved, the position will no longer be an elected term.” Supervisors Carter and Larkin have also spent taxpayer money to publish and distribute a “Township Newsletter” to further describe and promote their perceived need to implement change.

At the December 20th re-convened meeting in 2010, minutes indicate that in the absence of Supervisor Cupit, Supervisors Carter and Larkin discussed “new business” to hire/appoint a township treasurer instead of elect one. Meeting minutes state “the Treasurer position is much more involved with today’s technology and requires the knowledge of computers, bookkeeping programs, internet and online banking that not everyone voter is qualified for.” (If the clerical skills of the hired township clerk are any indication of the financial competence voters can expect from a hired treasurer, perhaps the treasurer position should best remain an elected one.) Shortly thereafter, the meeting minutes state, “The current Treasurer, Sharon McAndrew, has indicated that she will accept the appointed position if the questions passes.”

Why would Supervisors Carter and Larkin instigate and actively promote a hired treasurer position under the guise of retaining qualified help, then assure the public that the current treasurer has agreed to re-assume the position if the ballot question is approved?

Furthermore; why would Fish Lake Township residents vote to approve such a ballot question thereby forfeiting their future rights to choose?