BE PART OF HISTORY
COME JOIN US & CELEBRATE FIRST LOCAL FOODS DAY
SPONSORED BY BACKYARD FOOD SHELF
· Food: Potluck! Bring your favorites- there will be a kitchen available for heating, etc. (Please label dishes with pork or beef as some folks have dietary restrictions.)
· Music: local band will be coming. If you play or sing, we'll work you in!
· Storytelling: Middle Eastern, South Asian, Native American- we want storytellers!
· Indian Music and Dance Videos: The projector will be running!
When: May First, 2010- Noon until we're all too tired.
Where: Downtown Watson, MN Town Hall- Just off highways 7 and 59, across from the Convenience Store.
Come one, come all, spread the word and bring your friends!
DON'T MISS THIS, PLEASE CLICK THE LINK BELOW
We will hire an independent investigator to review the Corrupt
City Official's cozy relationship with the City Attorney, we will
hire a PR Firm to expose all wrong doings.
TIME LEFT FOR THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS
TIME LEFT FOR THE PRESENT CITY COUNCIL TO BE REMOVED
TIME LEFT FOR THE CORRUPT OFFICIALS TO BE PROSECUTED
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Watson council fills vacancy on 2-1 vote
By Grayce Ray
Montevideo American-News
Thu Mar 25, 2010, 08:00 AM CDT
Montevideo, MN -
Mike Torgerson was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Watson City Council Thursday last week by a vote of 2-1. His nomination by City Clerk Loisjean Fossen, seconded by Mark Radtke, was opposed by Mayor Jason Avelsgard. There was no discussion and nominations from the audience were not accepted.
Torgerson was immediately sworn in and took his seat at the council table. He is a former councilman and also served as a short-term mayor. He regularly attends council meetings, usually videotaping the proceedings from the serving hatch at the rear of the council room. Thursday he did not have the video camera but was seated at the front of the overflow crowd.
There was standing room only at the meeting with a long list of citizens on the agenda hoping to address the council. Unlike many past meetings, Thursday business was conducted swiftly under the guidance of city attorney Troy Gilchrist and the watchful eye of a Chippewa County deputy sheriff.
Fossen was present for the first time in months, but refused to comment on whether her difficulties with Avelsgard had been settled. Fossen had said several times that she would not attend meetings if Avelsgard was present, unless he changed the way he ran meetings.
Gilchrist led off the agenda by laying down the rules and procedures for council meetings, perhaps as an antidote for the often contentious exchanges between council and residents at past meetings. He also refused to answer any questions from the press.
Gilchrist addressed his remarks to the council, telling members that “… meetings are your opportunity to run this corporation … (and) conduct business as a city.” The public has a right to attend meetings but does not “have an absolute right to speak,” and has no right to disrupt meetings.
If citizens want to address the council, they must contact the city clerk by noon on the Friday before the next scheduled meeting. Citizens must stand at the podium to speak and are allowed a maximum of three minutes for their remarks. Council members are not obligated to answer questions from citizens, Gilchrist said.
He added that, considering pending lawsuits with individuals being sued by the city and against the city and with the Minnesota League of Cities involved in a potential audit of the city, it would be best not to discuss questions stemming from matters of litigation.
Gilchrist said “Watson has hit the radar screen” with media attention focused on the city’s affairs and assorted legal issues and the first trial scheduled for the end of April in county court.
He reminded the council that timing is important as work on the sewer project is scheduled to begin and easements for private property have not all been obtained.
In other business, council members noted the fact that minutes from an August 2009 meeting showed the council had voted to set the rate for water usage at $13.65 per 1,000 gallons, a surprise to audience members who had been told by council at a recent meeting that the rate was $5.65 per 1,000 gallons. During a meeting in February, council members were unable to remember whether they had voted on the rate.
Gilchrist suggested council send residents a letter explaining the change. Council is concerned that revenues from the water be sufficient to make payments on the loan the city made to pay for the system.
Treasurer Marcy Radtke said the penalty for late payments was set at 20 percent of the bill. She noted that at least one resident refuses to pay his water bill because the house is vacant, used only as a storage building, but still has a water meter.
That resident, Don Cary, said he will not pay for water he does not use and Gilchrist advised the council that Cary should not be billed further. Residents whose names were on the agenda to speak were given strict limitation on alloted time, with Fossen calling time on Aziz Ansari who was given extra time from others who said they yielded their three minutes to him. Gilchrist advised the council not to allow that.
WE WILL INVESTIGATE CORRUPT CITY OFFICIALS
St. Paul public works chief quits after investigation
 The director of public works in St. Paul resigned Monday as a result of a 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS hidden camera investigation that hasn't aired yet.
Bruce Beese resigned after 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS found the potholes crews that work for him were, in some cases, spending more time taking breaks than working.
5 EYEWITNESS NEWS showed the undercover video to Mayor Chris Coleman for his reaction.
"We need to send a strong message to everyone in the city that we are not going to put up with this kind of abuse," said Coleman. "Bruce offered his resignation I think that it is an appropriate statement. This is serious stuff."
Besides accepting Beese's resignation, the mayor also called for an investigation.
His office has hired an independent investigator to review the entire public works department.
Coleman said, "We will fire where we can, we will re-assign and we will suspend where we can suspend because this is just not acceptable."
Beese worked for public works for nearly 24 years. He ran the department for the past four years.
An Eye Witness Account:
The Watson city council met at 7’o clock, March 18th at the Watson community center.
Present were clerk Lois Fossen, City Attorney Troy Gilchrist, Mayor Jason Avelsgard, council members Mike Huntley and Mark Radtke. Approximately 50 residents were in attendance.
The city attorney was present to school the year and a half old council in parliamentary procedure and to hand deliver the agenda. He drove from Saint Cloud and charges $145.00 an hour for such services. (The City Clerk claims that the attorneys’ hourly charge is $145.00 which in reality could be much higher).
Highlights of the meeting; former council member Mike Torgerson was re-appointed to the council. The City Clerk Lois Fossen was very excited and anxiously made a motion to appoint Mike Torgerson, Mark Radtke seconded. No input of discussion or objection was given to the residents. In the recent special elections, Mike Torgerson, Mike Radtke, Lois Fossen, Jim Fossen and company aggressively tried that the City Clerks position should remain as an elected position, over 80% of the residents rejected Mike Torgerson's effort and defeated him & Company and overwhelmingly approved to eliminate the elected position of the City Clerk and the Treasurer position. Mike Torgerson happens to be very vocal about not letting any RIFF RAFF move into Watson. Residents have rejected his narrow vision; however, against the wishes of the residents, he was helped by the City Clerk Lois Fossen and the Maintenance man/council member/acting mayor Mark Radtke to be appointed as a council member. My sincerest condolences and sympathy to the City of Watson.
The city council unanimously passed a resolution legalizing embezzlement.
On the City of Watson, meeting agenda, the recent embezzlement charges filed against Mark and Marcie Radtke were addressed very carefully that the residents had no clue what was being said, this was prepared by the City Attorney under 8D Resolution Contract (no mention of embezzlement). The City attorney read the resolution, Mike Huntley added the word "as such" to the attorneys’ statement to make it his motion, newly elected council member Mike Torgerson seconded, Mayor Avelsgard (he had no clue what he was voting for) and the City clerk voted yes and the resolution was approved unanimously, Mark Radtke abstained as the City Attorney pointed out that he could not vote as it would be a conflict of interest. The city council unanimously passed a resolution legalizing embezzlement.
When some of the residents wanted to yield their three minutes to address the Council, in favor of resident Aziz Ansari, the City Attorney quickly told the Mayor that he should motion to disallow it. The council voted to restrict such attempts to yield their time to another speaker. Rules were being made or tailored, coached by the City Attorney to suite the super imposed Kangaroo Council’s wishes over the residents. The City Attorney made it very clear that he was representing this handful of people over the overwhelming majority of the residents. At one point the residents started to walk out of the room. They were requested to keep seated as a NOTICE were to be given to this shameful Kangaroo Council and their attorney of the impending consequences of such abuse of power in short order.
The council decided that Resident’s unpaid water will be disconnected even if the bill is in dispute. No notice will be sent.
Helpless residents were cutoff mid-sentence to adjourn the meeting.
NOTICE
WATSON RESIDENTS WILL
PROSECUTE CORRUPT OFFICIALS
NOTICE
TO ALL PRESENT & PAST OFFICIALS OF
THE CITY OF WATSON
We the residents of the City of Watson, present this letter to the City Council, City of Watson this NINTH DAY OF MARCH, 2010. This letter must be treated as a notice to the City Clerk, the City Council and its members individually, the zoning board of the City of Watson and its members individually. This letter may be used as the basis to file Civil and/or Criminal charges against the first above mentioned City Clerk, members of the City Council and the Zoning board of the City of Watson, and used as exhibit “A” in future litigation.
This is to caution that once the composition of the City Council changes, following November 2010 elections, the residents and or the then current City Council may opt to commence an investigation into the affairs of the above mentioned parties. Civil and/or Criminal charges may be brought against these parties for wasting public funds, willfully and negligently, squandering residents money by making or neglecting to make decisions to further their own agenda and or personal cause or to benefit monetarily or otherwise. Even after repeated requests, warnings, and cautions, including but not limited to this letter these government officials as first above mentioned, refused to serve in the best interest of the residents as they had promised when taking oath to their respective posts and offices.
Once found guilty, all monies will be recovered from each individual with interest even if it means to put liens against their properties or garnishment of their wages. Additional fines may be collected, pursuant to Minnesota Statutes § 13.08 CIVIL REMIDIES, the government entity shall, in addition, be liable to exemplary damages of not less than $1,000, nor more than $15,000 for each violation. The state is deemed to have waived any immunity to a cause of action brought under this chapter. Furthermore this removes any Statute of limitation in terms of a timeframe to file charges against such corrupt government officials.
THE RESIDENTS FEEL HELPLESS AT PRESENT BUT GOD WILLING, AFTER THE ELECTIONS IN NOVEMBER, THE PRESENT COUNCIL WILL BE OUSTED AND THE PEOPLE OF WATSON WILL TAKE BACK THEIR CITY
Residents of the City of Watson, Minnesota.
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Extract from March 2009 Watson City Council Meeting Minutes Page 2:
“Council all agreed that everyone will have a meter and even if they don’t use any water, there will be a monthly base fee for each to pay. M/S/C (Motion/Seconded/Carried) Jason/Mark all will be paying and all will have a meter.” (Entire minutes for the month of March can be requested from the City Clerk. Please see page 2, under Treasurer’s Report for the highlighted text above.)
Once the Motion was approved at the March 2009 City Council, it was expected that ALL residents will have a meter and ALL RESIDENTS without any exception, will pay their water/sewer bill. If one person does not pay his/her utility bill, rest of the residents have to pay. At the September 2009 Council meeting, Marcie Radtke (elected Treasurer) lied to the residents into believing that her water/sewer bill for the month of August 2009 was $144.00, later Mark Radtke (Elected Council Member) when confronted by residents, confessed that he did not pay his water/sewer bill for last several years. A resident asked that Marcie should apologize to the residents for lying, which she has not done so far. (Can be seen on You Tube video clip, a link to this clip is available on the City of Watson page on this web site). Since then at every Council meeting they are reminded that they must start paying their water/sewer bill. A certified mail was sent to Mark Radtke’s home address, which he refused to accept, a copy of the front of the envelope is attached as Exhibit “L”
This is a clear case of embezzlement, Marcie Radtke and Mark Radtke husband and wife both live at their common residence at 476 2nd Street, Watson. Marcie being the treasurer and responsible to issue and receive utility bills has not only failed to issue and pay one for her household but also lied about it. This is not only embezzlement on part of Marcie and Mark Radtke but also defrauding the residents of Watson and a violation of their oath of office as elected officials.
Watson City Council meeting cancelled
By Grayce Ray
Montevideo American-News
Thu Mar 11, 2010, 08:00 AM CST
Montevideo, MN -
The thick fog that swathed the landscape lent an air of mystery to the streets of Watson Tuesday night shortly before 7 p.m. The mystery was deepened for the dozen or so residents gathered to attend the scheduled council meeting when they confronted the dark city hall where a scrawled note hung in the glass doorway.
The note read simply “Council meeting cancelled.” There was no signature and no explanation.
The meeting would have been the first regular monthly meeting since a majority of Watson residents voted on Feb. 23 for a change of government from the present standard plan to Plan A, which would remove the city clerk position as a council member and provide for a hired treasurer and clerk with no voting privilege. The change would not take place until after current council positions expire in November, the next general election. The clerk’s position on the council would be replaced by a regular council member after the next general election
Attempts to reach city clerk Loisjean Fossen were unsuccessful and Mayor Jason Avelsgard did not answer the door at his home. The council has an open seat since the resignation of Kevin Norman in February and council members were expected to appoint someone to fill the vacancy on Tuesday.
A newsletter had been sent to Watson residents to urge them to attend Tuesday’s meeting and ask the council to answer questions regarding discrepancies in bills for water usage, requesting itemized bills for attorney fees and access to minutes of meetings. One man waiting at the closed City Hall asked, “What’s going on?”
No one seemed to have an answer.
Watson is facing a lawsuit alleging discrimination against Aziz Ansari, a resident of Watson, born in Pakistan and a naturalized American citizen. Last week Ansari filed criminal charges with the Chippewa County Sheriff against Mark Radtke, city maintenance man and council member and his wife, Marcy, alleging embezzlement for failing to pay water bills for an extended period and against Fossen for withholding information and failing to provide minutes of meetings as required by Minnesota State Statutes.
In addition, the city has yet to adopt its finalized budget for 2010 and may have to resort to condemnation to get clearances for easements on private properties to proceed with installation of the sewer system scheduled for this spring.
Fossen has refused to attend meetings when Avelsgard is there until he meets her standards. She recently sent this newspaper a copy of a letter she wrote to him charging him with dereliction of mayoral duties and calling on him to “simply step down.” She tendered her own resignation several months ago, then retracted it.
Recently Avelsgard was about to resign himself, stating that he could not do his job because she kept interfering and blocking his efforts. He did not offer his resignation to the council because he said many residents asked him to stay on.
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Our City Council meetings [are] a joke."
City Clerk Louisjean Fossen, MPR Feb. 23' 2010
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The Law firm of Kennedy & Graven which is the largest and most expensive law firm specilizing in local government laws in Minnesota, and is retained by some of the bigger cities in Minnesota, these cities have their 2010 budgets in the millions. Compare the City of Watson to these cities, Watson is spending almost 50% of its budget on this law firm. Did the City of Watson need such an expensive law firm? Ask Mark Radtke, Mike Torgerson and Rob Schwendemann. After Mayor Kylene Olson left the Council in 2007, Mark Radtke took over as the acting mayor, the local attorney from Montevideo was fired and the Law Firm of Kennedy & Graven was hired from the Cities. Since then thousands of dollars have been paid to this firm. The City officials including the City Clerk Loisjean Fossen refuse to give exact amounts and a breakdown. The poor and helpless residents of Watson are footing huge bills due to decisions made for unknown reasons by these individuals. The residents will start an investigation to get to the bottom of this mystery once the current officials are ousted in coming November elections.
FOLLOWING ARE SOME CITIES AND THEIR 2010 BUDGETS, KENNEDY & GRAVEN REPRESENTS THESE CITIES
Copy of Shakopee Budget 2010 Over 34.5 Million Dollars
City of Brooklyn Park Over 35.5 Million Dollars
Richfield MN, 2010 Budget Over 19 Million Dollars
City of Mounds View (Over 5 Million Dollars for 2010)
City of Cottage Grove 2010 Budget (Almost 13 Million Dollars)
Please visit other pages including
MEDIA AND CITY OF WATSON PAGES |
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