I would like to take this opportunity to lend my support to Mayor Lefty Kleis. Although we do not agree 100% on every issue, I am convinced that he has the best interest of the taxpaying residents and businesses at heart.

 

I know first hand how difficult, and sometimes very frustrating, it is to take an unpopular stand on issues. It also takes courage to ask the right questions to gain the information needed to make an intelligent decision.

 

Lefty has in the past, and continues to reach out to the public for input and suggestions to make the community better. This is very evident by his use of the public forum section of the meeting agenda and the “meeting with the mayor” session he sponsors.

 

These are just a few of the qualities I see in Mayor Kleis and I strongly urge you to join me in supporting him at the polls election day.

 

 

I have lived in T-Town for 10+ years. Did we the city just approve up to a $100,000 to black top a 32 stall parking lot? Have we gone mad?

 

Was it not more than just a couple of years ago the City wanted to straighten 1st street? I still can’t figure out why we would throw money at that either, but I digress. If it is the will of the City in the future to straighten 1st. street, this $100,000 parking lot is smack in the middle of the straight line they have already proposed we turn 1st street into.

 

If that happens in the future, we presently flushed $100,000 down the drain.  Raise your hands if you think that is a good idea *crickets chirping*.

 

How about this: We agree to save ourselves $100,000, get a few city guys to head down to the baseball fields, grab a few concrete dividers and divvy up the current grass lot into as many spaces as they can. I know the good employees of the City would have no problem maintaining spray painted lines on grass to denote a parking space. The lot near the ball fields and soccer fields is gravel and yet we have somehow managed to park without lines and blacktop. I think we can manage to continue to park on gravel.

 

So, can we agree to park on grass that will turn into a gravel lot and call it good? I can think of much better ways to spend our taxpayer dollars.

 

 

We need to question fitness when it comes to the mayoral race in Becker. 

 

What right minded "leader" sues their own city? The (very frivolous) lawsuit was for $50,000. Had he won said suit the City of Becker would have been on the hook for the $50,000 plus defense attorney fees (guaranteed to be 5 figures), not to mention his attorney fees as well. Also of note, "Lefty's" supporters were the ones who brought forth a (frivolous) audit on the golf course which at last tally was over $35,000. 

 

This is a city with many things going on. It has a $10 million budget and needs to have someone in a leadership position that understands business and can have a positive working relationship to grow the tax base. Focusing 100% energy on destroying a golf course that accounts for less than 9% of the budget rather than focusing every ounce of energy on ensuring Sherco's long term future that accounts for 77% of the tax base demonstrates his disregard for the community as a whole. 

 

The choice is pretty clear, one can vote to keep this cancer in office who has literally accomplished zero in four years and wants to continue that track. Or we can make a right turn and implement positive change to a new mayor in Tracy Bertram. She has the temperament, demeanor, business sense, and most importantly common sense to look out for the city as a whole with no personal agendas to fill.

 

 

Last week a great letter was written in regards to what a leader is.  Let me ask you this, are these things you want in a leader?

 

*Sued you, the taxpayer, $50,000

 

*April 2013 had to be put on a salary because things were being put on the timecard that shouldn’t be. (should be noted that the council all had to take a pay cut in order to do this)  When faced with this, the comment was made, “If this is a money saving issue, Dept Heads should also be cut 14%”  

 

*Censured for Violating the City’s Code of Conduct and Harassment of City Staff, not once, but twice! 

 

December 2013 the City Council decided, “After what they considered to be numerous warnings to all of Council, they continued to see the same pattern of behavior from the Mayor without any change.

 

Some observed that the Mayor seemed to be acting as the victim instead of taking ownership of his actions. Council made it clear that the Mayor was not being censured for asking questions regarding the golf course, but instead for calling for the employee’s resignation and the accusations of theft.”  “The members of the personnel committee determined the Mayor’s outburst on Nov. 19 constituted a verbal attack, harassment and reprisal based on the staff member’s complaint.” Dec.  2014 and 2015 the Mayor requested the censure be lifted. In 2014 it was denied for “wanted to see the mayor take ownership of the situation and make a change, but I saw none of that.”  In 2015 “the members decided not to remove the censure for the fact the mayor has shown no change in behavior since the passing of the censure.” A council member “had been contacted by several members of the city and individuals in the community who said the censure should continue since the mayor creates a hostile work environment.”

 

Feb. 2016 a second censure is handed down. Again the Mayor “infringed upon the city’s pledge and observance of rules and code of conduct.” “Council was told there were credible reports that city employees were continuing to be engaged in aggressive communications that may be contributing to a potential hostile work environment if not addressed.”

 

That’s not who I want for a leader and neither should you.

 

 

This is to present the second heartfelt experience Ms. Sheri Ruter’s letter struck a chord with. It is from experiences that reveal our powerful history of education to change our nation.   Whether we embrace it as a weapon like Nelson Mandela was quoted by Ms. Ruter to so eloquently state; or we consider Abraham Lincoln’s exhortation about the philosophy of today’s classroom being the philosophy of tomorrow’s government; this has long been a very crucial matter to address.  

 

Before attending our Becker schools, I was blessed by my parent’s faithfulness to assure we had the greatest foundation of education possible.  This included regularly attending church and Bible school. But I have a distinct memory of progressive deterioration after my second grade teacher announced we would no longer be allowed to pray before class. This and conflicting pressures from removing God entirely from the philosophy of all our teachings through the teaching of evolution led to struggles and continuing turmoil that certainly contributed to the rebellion experienced by many in that era. I am grateful for my parent’s faithfulness to the principle of Proverbs 22:6. 

 

There are many books that reveal serious concerns after these self-evident truths of our nation’s declared foundation of God as our Creator were removed from the philosophy of today’s classrooms.  It is becoming the philosophy of our government. Supporting more infrastructures alone will regrettably not be sufficient.