I guess it really didn’t surprise me that Glen Mathiason and Jim Nelson, being devoid of scruples, would cast a vote to keep Ellen Kehr in the position she attained so deviously. But I guess I’m not quite sure of the rationale for Linda Tuttle, what could she have possibly been thinking. Maybe she was oblivious as to what was actually being said or going on. Who knows, a little cat nap on the job maybe?

I’m so discouraged with many of the people in this, my community, complaining about how this city and county are run. But yet they do nothing about it.

How hard is it to pick up the phone and call your commissioners to voice your disgust rather than just sitting down in some coffee shop griping about it with someone that cannot do anything about it? Citizens can call the commissioners. You do realize that they are supposed to represent us, correct?

How can any of the citizens in Albert Lea conscientiously believe that Ellen Kehr is in any way, shape or form qualified for the position she was “chosen” for?

Ms. Kehr, you were a travel agent with absolutely no education in health. You are going to tell us how to be healthy? How can you even go to sleep at night and feel good about getting the SHIP job? Many young deserving college educated people didn’t even get a chance to interview for this job. Have you even put any thought into how corrupt this whole process was? There’s no pride that will come of this for you because of the way you attained this position.

That’s what people remember. How many plumbers have you gone to to pull a tooth? How many lawyers have you gone to to cut your hair? It takes a certain type of person to even contemplate staying in a position that was so underhandedly achieved and you should be ashamed of yourself. The commissioners may have narrowly voted to keep you in this SHIP position, but you, as a representative of the citizens yourself, need to do the honorable thing and step down. Be a role model for the up and coming young professionals and show them that every qualified person should have a chance at a good job in this town and not just the ones that budge in front of the line and close the door in everyone else’s face.

There’s something to be said about a conscience, and in Albert Lea it seems that the smaller amount of a conscience some people have, the more likely it is that they keep their position. You’ve made a name for yourself now, Ms. Kehr, in the communities’ hall of shamers and disgraced our beautiful town. You have unofficially joined the likes of Jean Eaton, Ron Gabrielson, Mark Behrends, and Glen Mathiason. Welcome aboard, enjoy the trip — or should I say SHIP?

Tonya Lynch

Albert Lea