Oh to be an octopus and to have eight arms with which to defend meself agin all comers.

You know I have witnessed many injustices perpetrated by city government since 2012, and their actions and inactions never fail to amaze me.

If you think they will have your back, well let’s just explore that one?

*09/23/2013(Mayor Rick Johnson, Council David Larsen, Mike Burke, Mark Dykstra, Patricia Jurrens, Steve Johannsen and Kama Johnson) “…In the workplace harassment issue the mayor did not hand off to the South Dakota DCI for proper investigation setting the city up for nonfeasance charges, the council did not take action because according to ‘scuttlebutt’ (apparently a councilman divulged executive session) the complaining party resigned so the council figured they did not have to take action, leaving the city open for nonfeasance charges and lawsuit. According to Black’s Law Dictionary, “nonfeasance is neglect of duty, the neglect or failure of a person to do some act which he ought to do” creating an actionable liability. In addition at the September 23rd, 2013, special meeting the council went into executive session to discuss personnel issues with Alcester police officer Lisa present around 5:45 p.m. at which time my name was heard in the closed session and I am not personnel, after 15 minutes officer Lisa left the room and executive session continued for approximately another 48 minutes. The council violated executive session which had been called for the sole purpose of discussing personnel not Vickie Larsen. Officer Lisa tendered her resignation in that session and in a later interview with me, she told me the council wanted her to arrest me if I made a fuss..”

*05/05/2014 (Mayor Rick Johnson, Council David Larsen, Mike Burke, Mark Dykstra, Pat Jurrens, Kama Johnson )  “…Executive session for personnel 10:10 p.m. Mike Kezar…)  Mayor does not re- appoint , council approves not to re-appoint Mike Kezar… notice for applicants to be published.

*06/02/2014 (Mayor Rick Johnson, Council David Larsen, Mike Burke, Mark Dykstra, Pat Jurrens, Kama Johnson) “…Go over Finance Officer Applications…”

*07/07/2014 (Mayor Rick Johnson, Council David Larsen, Mike Burke, Pat Jurrens, Kama Johnson, Mark Dykstra)  Pat Jurrens resigns to take the Finance Officer job in September.

*09/10/2014 (Mayor Rick Johnson, Council Kama Johnson, David Larsen, Lance Johnson, Wayne VanGelder, Mark Dykstra, Mike Burke)  Patricia Jurrens Of-fish-ally takes the Finance Office.

*11/08/2016 (Mayor Tom Glas, Councilman David Larsen, Audri Carlson, Dan Haeder, Lance Johnson, Kama Johnson and Mark Dykstra)  “…   Finance Office-after making Dwight Berglin cook his heels beyond his scheduled time, Mayor Glass finally called Audit Review. OMG Finance Officer**had to slide close to Mayor Glas to page through the Mayor’s copy of the review to get him on the correct page.  It would have been hysterically funny watching Mayor Glas lick his finer, press down and carefully rolling the page over with an utterly vacant look on this face if he wasn’t the sitting Mayor.   Again the lack of segregation of duties was the immediate concern of the audit as Mr. Berglin left the meeting, the question was asked, “…do we need to approve  this (meaning the audit review)?…Finance Officer Pat replied “No”.  Then Finance Officer Jurrens went on to discuss the bill for the audit cost of $9500.00 and she related because of anomalies in the QuickBooks program there was going to be an extra charge of $500.00 due to extra work accountant Berglin had to perform and Finance Officer Jurrens ** was not advised of the QuickBooks foible.  Really this is supposed to be in her scope of duties and alleged expertise!  So the city short paid our accounting bill ’cause Pat couldn’t figure QuickBooks out and Mr. Berglin was forced to aceept $500.00 less for his work?  Folks Alcester is getting a reputation and it is not a good one!…”

*02/19/2018 ( Mayor Tom Glas, Council David Larsen, Lance Johnson, Melissa Kay, Dan Haeder, Julia Sundstrom-Lyle, and Darla Reppe)  “… In the January 8, 2018, regular council meeting Councilman David Larsen moved to accept the City Attorney Retainer agreement of which all council members had a true and complete copy and Councilwoman Reppe seconded the motion. Councilwoman Melissa Kay asked a couple questions regarding the retainer agreement history and with no further discussion by council members, the question was called with a unanimous (times 6) approval of the retainer agreement between the City of Alcester and Charles Haugland of Gubbrud, Haugland and Gillespie

Now February 5, 2018, the Alcester City Council is terminating the Retainer Agreement with Alcester City Attorney Charles Haugland. During the February 5, 2018, meeting discussion and prior to Councilman Lance Johnson’s motion to terminate the retainer agreement with Gubbrud, Haugland and Gillespie, Finance Officer Pat Jurrens took the floor to comment, (video 02:51)”…after the January meeting (January 9, 2018) Mayor Tom and I (FO Jurrens) went down to the law office to… garbled and inaudible…to notify (Chuck) the council decided it was time for a change in city attorney…”, to which Chuck responded per Finance Officer Pat Jurren’s account, “…he (Chuck Haugland) was done with legal services as of December 31, 2017…” and which Mr. Haugland confirmed with a letter of resignation to the City of Alcester on January 16, 2018.

Folks check out who was sitting* on the council and who the Finance Officer was.  I was not on the council, so who was embarrassing the city?

“Standing up for something even if it means standing alone…” 

(author unknown)