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?

FLT Citizens Beware?

Fish Lake Township (FLT) has finally updated its web site to provide information about the upcoming March 9th local election. In addition to listing the candidates running for township supervisor and treasurer, a seemingly untimely ballot question has also been included.

At an unusual re-convened meeting on Monday morning, December 20th, Supervisors Carter and Larkin implemented several sweeping changes in Supervisor Cupit’s absence. One such sweeping change was to include the following ballot question on March 9th; “Shall the position of Treasurer of Fish Lake Township be changed from an elected to an appointed position?”

At a time when Fish Lake Township is being sued for misappropriation of funds and official misconduct, and Supervisor Cupit has mysteriously disappeared from township meetings, why now to pose the elected versus hired treasurer question?

FLT Election Candidates a Mystery?

In an unusual move, Fish Lake Township posted an upcoming election notice on the township web site in December. One Township Supervisor position (currently held by Robert Cupit) and the Township Treasurer position (currently held by Sharon McAndrew) are up for election in March 2011.

Although affidavits of candidacy had to be filed by January 11th, Fish Lake Township has not posted the candidates for the upcoming election.

After finally making a step in the right direction, why the mystery to post the candidates?

FLT Non-Snowplow Policy?

In the past, Fish Lake Township (FLT) was very responsive and reliable to promptly plow snowfalls and salt/sand roadways in a logical, efficient manner. However; in more recent years, Fish Lake Township’s snow removal work performance has suffered and digressed to the point of negligence. In fact, Fish Lake Township has not only provided decreased and diminished snow removal services over recent years, but attempted to justify and support their reduction of service as well.

Perhaps motivated by complaints, Fish Lake Township took the rare step to document its “Snow Removal Policy” in December 2003 when Supervisors Cupit and Larkin served on the town board. The policy documented the change in township procedures to plow snowfalls exceeding 3 inches instead of 2 inches as per previous practice. On April 13, 2009, the policy was “ammended” by Supervisors Carter, Cupit and Larkin to change township procedures once again to plow snowfalls exceeding 4 inches instead of 3 inches as previously documented in 2003. While the change in procedure may sound insignificant, 4 inches of blowing, drifting snow on winding country roads can and does cause winter travel safety issues especially for emergency vehicles such as ambulances or fire trucks. Although Fish Lake Township routinely leaves gravel roads unplowed for snowfalls up to 4 inches, it preferentially plows paved roads under the same circumstances. Perhaps the residents who live in the small developments with paved roads deserve better service than those who live on gravel roads. Current town board supervisors, Carter, Cupit and Larkin, are quick to point out to complainers that they all live on gravel roads and are receiving the same (poor) service levels as the majority of residents. However; Carter, Cupit and Larkin each live a stone’s throw away from a well-maintained, paved county road or state highway which is plowed during or immediately following any measurable snowfall. They have no need to navigate treacherous, snow-drifted township roads which turn to glare ice with the compaction caused by constant traffic.

Each year after the first measurable snowfall, Fish Lake Township publicizes its “Snow Removal Policy” on the township website. This year, Fish Lake Township received about 8-9 inches of wet, heavy snowfall in the season’s first major snow event occurring on Saturday, November 13th. Although the township recently purchased a new, high-tech Caterpillar road grader to the tune of $246,025 to plow such snowfalls, no gravel roads were plowed after the record-breaking snowfall. Apparently, Supervisors Carter, Cupit and Larkin ignored their own “Snow Removal Policy” and instead subscribed to the “Meltdown Theory” of winter snowfall “management” in Minnesota. With November overnight temperatures dropping into the twenties, the 8-9 inches of wet, heavy snow froze upon the gravel roadways into icy piles and treacherous ridges.

Managing and maintaining safe township roads is the single, most important responsibility of a town board and the primary reason a town board exists. Considering the current level of non-service, what will the next snowfall bring for Fish Lake Township residents?

Welcome to Fish Lake Township?

Fish Lake Township recently installed a custom-made sign near the corner of North Pine Lake Road and Little Pine Lake Trail. The hand painted sign reads, “Welcome to Fish Lake Township.”

On the surface, the message appears to welcome newcomers to a kind and neighborly way of life in Fish Lake Township. However; the three town board supervisors who erected the sign, Carter, Cupit and Larkin, are well-known for their anti-development reputations and fierce opposition to residential growth.

The “Welcome” sign is erected at the original “battlefield” site of Prairie Fields, a contentious development which Supervisor Cupit publically vowed that Fish Lake Township was not going to set a precedence to allow. However; a lengthy court deliberation and landmark opinion published by the Minnesota State Court of Appeals eventually cleared the way for the Prairie Fields development to be established and exist as a residential neighborhood today.

When the first residential group home proposal was brought before the Fish Lake town board, Supervisor Larkin vehemently opposed the operation. Her main concern appeared to be focused on the nearby proximity of the proposed facility to her home. By the time another residential group home proposal was under consideration, new Minnesota State laws had removed local government control over group home operations and Fish Lake Township no longer had input. Ironically, the second residential group home was established in Prairie Fields, right next door to Supervisor Larkin’s home. Not even the obtrusive, bully tactics of Supervisor Carter audaciously knocking on the group home door could thwart the new facility from opening.

So next time you drive by the “Welcome” sign, will you be fooled by the township facade which stands in stark contrast to the truth?

Independence Day?

An ongoing lawsuit by a former township supervisor accuses Fish Lake Township supervisors of acting in excess of their authority and violating Minnesota State Statutes. The lawsuit (Chisago County case #13-CV-09-737) seeks to remove current Fish Lake Township supervisors Carter and Cupit from office.

A new lawsuit filed on 6/30/10 by a local, non-profit environmental group and a private party accuses Lent Township supervisors and Chisago County commissioners of acting in excess of their authority (ultra vires acts) and violating local ordinances and Minnesota State Statutes. The lawsuit (Chisago County case #13-CV-10-761) seeks to reverse and nullify Development Agreements between Sunrise River Energy, LLC and Lent Township and Chisago County.

Both the Fish Lake Township and Lent Township / Chisago County lawsuits seek to hold local governments accountable to abide by the same laws that govern all others.

On this 4th of July, the question begs to be asked;
Is the above-the-law “leadership” of Chisago County and its townships destined to be the targets of future lawsuits seeking independence from governance that is not by the people, for the people and of the people?

FLT Gambling with Taxpayer Dollars?

“FDIC hits Cambridge bank with consent order” read the headlines in the 6/3/10 County Star newspaper. The story described how the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has taken drastic legal measures through a court order to bring the Cambridge State Bank into financial compliance before it fails.

At the Fish Lake Township (FLT) re-organizational meeting in April 2009, Supervisors Carter, Cupit and Larkin voted unanimously to designate the Cambridge State Bank in Isanti County as the official depository for the township. They made no changes to the designated township bank at the FLT re-organizational meeting in April 2010.

As of March 2010, FLT records show that more than $345,000 taxpayer dollars are presumably held by Cambridge State Bank for Fish Lake Township. Are these taxpayer monies adequately protected by the FDIC if the Cambridge State Bank fails? Current FDIC regulations provide for a standard maximum deposit insurance amount (SMDIA) of $250,000 per depositor per bank. Monies held in excess of $250,000 by a failed Cambridge State Bank would be lost to Fish Lake Township taxpayers. Recent FDIC regulation changes in the SMDIA will also reduce the current $250,000 per depositor figure to $100,000 effective January 1, 2014.

Given current warning signs and persistent economic instability, why would Fish Lake Township continue its risky business relationship with the financially unstable Cambridge State Bank?