The local paper is at it again

[0]: http://www.kpmartin.com/?p=86
[1]: http://www.eastsidereviewnews.com/main.asp?SectionID=64&SubSectionID=130&ArticleID=538
[2]: http://www.maplewoodmn.govoffice.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7B5A0F0A6A-2DD6-4D98-A349-12B17C26A488%7D&Design=PrintView
[3]: http://www.cfboard.state.mn.us/campfin/rpdetail/rp13350.html
[4]: http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/editorial/14263173.htm

Well, [I didn’t want to think][0] Holly Wenzel’s *East Side Review* coverage of the shakeup in Maplewood, Minnesota politics was just the rambling of an unhappy constituent or partisan, but good heavens, what can I conclude after this week’s piece [“Fursman firing raises resident ire”][1] with the promised next in the series “Who ordered a background check on Interim City Manager Greg Copeland?”.

Even the way the three pull-quotes were done bugged me. In the second, why highlight “loser” and not “move on”? Well, because “move on” doesn’t look as negative in bold. “Loser” can be mistaken to be in like spirit to the other two comments. (You lose a bit of this without seeing the actual paper.)

The article spends little time on Fursman, and somehow still can’t seem to track down **any reason** he was fired. Great reporting.

But perhaps this isn’t meant to be reporting.

For instance, an awful lot of time is spent noting comments by “Maplewood resident Peter Fischer”. He’s very concerned. Well, that’s OK… if he’s concerned I’m glad he’s there. But he seemed to have nothing to say about Fursman. He did have a laundry list against some of the new council members, which might be an interesting article in itself, but how it relates to the matter at hand remains, well, too nuanced for me.

But, tell me more about this “Maplewood resident Peter Fischer” who got so much space in this article. Seems he’s the [Chair of the Maplewood Parks & Recreation Commission][2] and was the [Chair of the (DFL candidate Charles) Wiger for Senate Volunteer Committee][3]. Wow, that’s a resident and then some!

Mr. Fisher also brought to the council the shocking report that former firefighter now council member Erik Hjelle set up a meeting with the former city manager and the fire chief to help develop changes to firefighter training policies. Imagine that: a firefighter who made it to city council and wanted to help along some changes concerning a field he knows about. Scandalous. The article goes on:

> Contacted later, Fire Chief Steve Lukin says Hjelle met with him “just to talk about some issues he felt we needed to address.” Lukin says as he recalls it, the meeting was about recommended operating guidelines for the department, which had been brought up at a council meeting prior to his meeting with Hjelle. “Now we’re going to bring the issue back and assure the council we’ve made changes,” Lukin said.

Wow. I’m glad the lid was blown off that one. Because that tells us everything we need to know about the Fursman firing, ostensibly the subject of the article.

And we could consider quoted Dale Trippler, who…

> lost in the February special election to Rebecca Cave, told the council, “In the last four months, you’ve turned Maplewood into the laughingstock of the Twin Cities. My friends in Roseville are thanking you for taking the spotlight off them and their previous mayor.”

I can’t imagine the fellow who lost his bid having something bad to say about members of the party who took over. Mr. Trippler has been member of the Maplewood Planning Commission for over eight years. And I just have this funny little feeling he might be just a wee tad bit left of center. OK, it’s more than a feeling; [this by Dale Trippler of Maplewood][4]:

> Impeach Bush
>
> President Bush’s background provides a consistent and absolutely accurate blueprint for the future. Incompetence, failure, corruption, greed and ignorance.

There’s more, but that’s enough to get a glimmer. Heehehe. Gosh, I just can’t imagine him being upset about a conservative majority in the city council! And I wonder if his friends in Roseville have any particular leaning. Hmmm.

Well, you know what? There’s nothing wrong with being upset and speaking out in the appropriate forum. I think our political system works (when it does work) because opposite sides test and push each other. More power to them and kudos for being there to voice their opinion. No, I’m not being sarcastic at all.

However, editor Wenzel, what are you doing? How can you so diligently dig up information about the folks on the right, but have such a blind eye to those on the left. Your diligence in seeking out information about Greg Copeland demonstrates that you believe one’s past and persuasion may affect how they serve. Do you not believe the same of folks who lean left? Does their history and position provide no insight into their comments and actions?

Again, maybe I expect too much of a little, local paper. But forgive me if I expect better than a simple partisan rag.

Note: I let Holly Wenzel know via email that I’d written about her last articles and offered her an opportunity to respond. She didn’t. But then why would she? She has a whole newspaper! :)

3 thoughts on “The local paper is at it again”

  1. Greetings!
    Just surfing the web and came across your EXCELLENT article and analysis. We are doing a lot of good, positive things in Maplewood for the Maplewood taxpayers and residents. I wish to extend an invitation to you and any of your friends, family and visitors to your Blog to join me at the Mayor’s Forum held the first Saturday of every month at Maplewood City Hall from 10 a.m. to noon in the Maplewood Room where we talk about issues of concern to those who attend. ADDITIONALLY, please attend our upcoming Council Social Supper scheduled for June 3, 2006 at 6:30 p.m. at Guildens in sunny Maplewood. As a side note or two, at a recent City Council meeting we directed staff, through the interim City Manager, Mr. Copeland, to work with the same budget number from 2006 when putting together their draft budget for 2007. The Council has taken the first step by leading by example. Since Maplewood is a Plan B city, we only have one employee that we are directly responsible for even though we are directed by statute to manage and control the budgetary taxing and spending of the City. The previous City Manager, Mr. Fursman, was making $128,000.00 annually plus benenfits (BIG benefits). We now have a City Manager who is working full time, hands-on, putting administrative systems in place that should have been in place previously, taking steps to fix the leaky roof of City Hall, and making $78,000.00 annually plus reasonable benefits. We have cut $50,000.00 dollars from the budget. We are asking the citizens to help us prioritize our city spending, to better understand how we can economize our processes, better utilize grants, and develop partnerships with the private sector. Thank you for being interested in local municipal govenment – come join us! Mayor Diana

  2. Well, I had really hoped to come out to meet you last Saturday at either event, but the summer weekend had too many demands packed into too little time.

    Really, though, it would only have been social as I’m a resident of Saint Paul, so I’m not really a constituent. However, it’s nice to hear your efforts toward controlling city costs. No small task with many competing concerns, I’m sure. I suppose the proof will be in how well Greg has carried forward his charge. He’s in a hot seat. Poor performance will be cannon fodder for those on the other side of the aisle. But excellent performance will do much to give real world legs to the concept of cost-conscious, conservative government.

    I don’t know either Fursman or Copeland so I have no personal opinion concerning either of them. They may both be wonderful, capable men. Or not. But if the job can actually be done for $50K less and fewer benefits, that decision well serves every citizen of the city. Time will tell.

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