I am writing in response to the Albert Lea Tribune article “What’s Next?” after the city reorganization vote.

The trouble with articles like this is they are one-sided based on the people being questioned and their responses cannot be challenged. You have to ask the right questions to get true answers and even then you get long empty responses and still no honest answers.

This article says the restructuring proposal divided the Albert Lea City Council and the community. The council vote was 5-2 against the restructuring proposal and the five voting against stated they were voting against the proposal because that’s what the constituents they represent wanted. The councilors up for re-election said the restructuring proposal was one of the top subjects discussed and 80 percent and more of the people they talked to were against the proposal.

So then you have to ask yourself who Mayor Vern Rasmussen and Councilor Reid Olson represented when they voted in favor of the proposal. There was a lot more to their vote than growth, taxes and efficiency. I believe it was more personal than that.

The city manager and the mayor say their goals are to maintain or increase services at reduced costs, all the while adding a layer of middle management and software programs at staggering costs to the taxpayers. Ask them how much their half-time contract finance director is costing the taxpayers? I sat in a meeting when that question was asked by a councilor and the city manager’s answer was $8,000 to $15,000 per month. That equates to $96,000 to $180,000 per year.

The city manager says $120,000 would be saved through future attrition and recreational services would be strengthened through collaboration with other community entities.

First, the Parks and Recreation Department was being dismantled and the director terminated. He was the only department head who was not going to be demoted to a manager. Why was he singled out? Second, if these recreational entities mentioned in the restructuring collaboration had successful programs, why would they need to work with the city, or is it our tax dollars they would need and use through the collaboration of programs and future new facilities?

The mayor says we have to move the city ahead in a fiscally responsible manner. He says, “We either have to grow, raise taxes or cut.” Based on that statement, where are the new businesses providing adequate-paying jobs to increase the tax base? As for taxes, they are increased consistently because of spending habits. He talks about cuts, as more middle management is added and the number of boots on the ground is questioned.

Some of these restructuring ideas seem to be in opposition to the city’s comprehensive plan, so again you have to question the motives for restructuring.

We all want to move this city forward by bringing more opportunities in employment, recreation and education to our community, while trying to control taxes. That takes city government, the school district and taxpayers working together honestly and openly to find the answers we are all looking for.

 

Gary Hagen

Albert Lea