To the Freeborn County commissioners:

In this day and age whenever we pick up our newspapers and see the crime, etc., going on, can you explain to me the reason your most experienced, hardest-working and most caring employee was “let go”?

I am speaking about Rose Olmsted, an employee for 38 years, who knew her department better than anyone there and could take over for any of her staff at a moment’s notice and did. She put in countless hours toward grants and any other monies to help her department and, hence, the victims she worked so tirelessly for. She has earned national recognition and awards for her excellence in her field. Whenever there was a disaster, she was there, be it Florida hurricanes or shootings at Cold Springs.

I really would like a true explanation for this; the people of Freeborn County deserve that explanation. When at a time that even the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, at their churchwide assembly, passed a resolution to do with victims of bullying, abuse, etc., you let go your most knowledgeable person. The go-to person for countless victims in this area and probably a very far-reaching area.

Are there other competent people to do this work? Probably competent, but when you had the very best, why did you let her go? We, the people, truly deserve an explanation, not this being swept under the rug as so many other things have been. You need to take a really long hard look at what the consequences of your actions truly are and in your wisdom, rescind this decision and bring Rose Olmsted back to the place she belongs and is so very badly needed.

 

Andrea Jensen

Albert Lea