Thursday, May 31, 2012

Volume 96; Number 49

www.bladepublishing.net

A community newspaper serving Browerville, MN and surrounding areas. USPS 067-560

Memorial Day Parade

It was a great morning for the Memorial Day Parade in Browerville on May 28th. The parade route ended at Christ the King Cemetery where a brief program was held with many members of the community taking part.

Class of 2012 Commencement

The Browerville Class of 2012 held the Eighty-Ninth Annual Commencement on Sunday, May 27th. Above: Chaslyn Line and Abigail Lamusga make their final walk in the high school gymnasium.

By Tim King Two Todd County Commissioners acknowledge that the Todd County Board of Commissioners held a special meeting on February 14th in violation of a Minnesota statute. The statute requires that the County Board give the public three days notice prior to holding a meeting. When Commissioner David Kircher was asked if he believed the County Commissioners gave adequate notice for the meeting he gave a one-word answer: No. Commissioner Randy Neumann said he had to talk to the County Attorney before answering the question. I did talk to Chuck (County Attorney Rasmussen), Neumann said. He read the statue to me and it said three days notice is required. The statute in question is Minnesota Statutes Annotated 13D.04, Notice of meetings. It states that, This notice (for special meetings) shall be posted and mailed or delivered at least three days before the date of the meeting. The only agenda item for the special meeting on February 14th was a resolution establishing a public sale of tax forfeited lands in Todd County. Passing the resolution is a routine affair that is done every year at the request of the County Auditor Treasurer. County Administrator Nathan Burkett sent out a notice of the special meeting to the media and the County Commissioners on February 13th. It was only a one-day notice. I asked them what the rush was, Steve Beck, who attended the meeting, said. I asked them if this was a legal meeting because of the short notice. The reason apparently was that Todd County was just about past the deadline to set up the tax forfeit land sale. The Board action was passed on February 7th but not the resolution, Todd County AuditorTreasurer Karen Busch said. I need the resolution because it sets up terms of the sale. Busch said she sent the resolution to set up the land sale to Burkett in plenty of time to be passed at the February 7th meeting. Burkett told Busch he had lost the resolution. Busch told Burkett that state law requires that the resolution be passed before the County can advertise the sale. State law requires that the sale be adver-

Commissioners acknowledge violation of Minnesota statute

tised for three weeks before the sale is held. Nate told me to fudge it, Busch said. I told him I would not fudge it. I said I would pull the sale if they didnt pass the resolution on the 14th. The sale was set for March 6th. Busch did not fudge on the law and the requirements for holding tax forfeit land sales. The Todd County Commissioners did fudge on the law requiring three days public notice for special County Board meetings. County Commissioner Randy Neumann blames County Administrator Burkett. Burkett may have scheduled the meeting but the Commissioners are ultimately responsible for their own meeting schedule. The Board adopts its schedule of regular meetings, Board Chairman Gerald Ruda said in an email in April. The chair can call special meetings and a majority of the Commissioners can call a meeting. Ruda says he believes that the February 14th meeting met the requirements of state law. To the best of my knowledge, the meeting was appropriately noted to the media and an announcement was posted outside the board room, he said. I believe that meets the requirements of the law. Ruda said that Steve Beck did question the legality of the meeting on February 14th. Ruda questioned Becks motives in continuing to agitate about the issue. When you have the County Administrator ask the Auditor to fudge it when it comes to State law you have a problem, Beck said. As a concerned citizen I believe that the Administrator and the Commissioners should follow the laws. County Commissioner Gary Kneisl said he did not remember if proper notice was given for the February 14th meeting. It wasnt an issue at the time, he said. County Commissioner Mark Continued on page 16.

WEEKLY WEATHER REPORT

Wed. May 30 Partly Cloudy 61/45 Thur. May 31 Sunny 72/51 Fri. June 1 Mostly Sunny 74/55 Sat. June 2 Sunny 77/58 Sun. June 3 Sunny 78/59