Legalectric

VIDEO of August 28, 2023 Red Wing City Council Meeting

As you can see from the red and blue shirts, most of the folks in the room were there for the pickleball discussion, which was interesting, as they’ve managed to get $175k in commitments from folks to build pickelball courts in Red Wing. They’re looking for a $25k commitment from the City, via a grant, and if that falls through, from City funds, and the pickleball folks will continue fundraising for the balance of dough needed. It’s I’d guess record-setting involvement and pledging, but I could be wrong, haven’t paid much attention to funding of projects like this. As was noted in the meeting, it’s a long-term investment in the City, and there were comments appreciating the breadth of folks involved. It’s going forward…

But I was there for the Social Media Policy, following on the heels of the Code of Conduct revision at the last meeting. On the 14th, I had to work, way down in southern Minnesota, direct conflict in time, so I had no idea what happened. Referring to a Social Media Policy, I’d had an email 7/23 from Mayor Wilson, which began…

… and then went into “his” suggestions for Social Media Policy. I put that in quotes because I don’t think he wrote it — the language used in “his” suggestions are very different than the manner and language he uses at meetings. In this email he’s citing statutes and is using words and thoughts that are at a higher level.

Anyway, following that “I appreciate the effort…” Wilson’s statement about my work at the August 14, 2023 meeting during the Code of Conduct discussion was very different:

That’s a rough transcript of statements at August 14, 2023 meeting, ~ 2:07:00 – 2:10:07, video linked below. It’s worth a listen… just WOW…

All it would take is a comparison of 1)the suggestions I’d sent to the Council and 2) the changes proposed, and DOH, paying attention to the statements I’ve made before the Council and in writing… but Wilson clearly didn’t do that, instead choosing passive-aggressive slow-motion falsehoods and innuendo. As City Attorney Amy Mace said, “Most of the changes did not come from the citizen…” Chair Biese noted that the Council asked staff to work on it. For public comment, we’re reminded at each meeting, “Please remember that personal attacks may be ruled out of order.” But Chair Biese did let Wilson rant on when he should have pounded that gavel. Decorum applies on both sides of the dias.

Video of August 14, 2023 meeting – at 2:07!!

Because I was not able to be at the last meeting and object in person to Wilson’s statements and characterizations of my suggestions for the Code of Conduct or make comments on the version of the Code of Conduct before the Council, I needed to address his comments, a take that obviously was way off base. I read his words at last night’s meeting to publicly show how outrageous his statements were. I want those words to sit like the fart in the elevator for Wilson to own. It’s especially preposterous for him to go off like this after he’d sent that ex parte letter to Judge Lennon a few months ago wanting my Charter Commission appointment, approved by the Commission, to be denied!

Here it is, a reminder of ex parte letter sent by Wilson as Red Wing’s mayor:

The statements in this letter, “[a]s Red Wing’s mayor” are so off the wall, the “documents” attached, just wow…

And remember the Recall City Hall lawsuit dismissal, after which it was not just Kent Laugen emailing the judge on his private email! From a letter of the Red Wing City Attorney (linked):

Prior to a phone call we made to the Court this morning, August 23, Respondents were only aware of one letter sent directly to the Judge, via the Judge’s personal court email address, by Kent Laugen, which was made after the dismissal. Court administration advised us this morning that individuals have made
multiple ex parte communications with the Court regarding this case.

Ex parte contact? That’s the M.O. of Recall City Hall!

So anyway, a “Social Media Policy” was up before the Council last night with a few changes:

In my comments, I specifically referenced this section on Defamation, on p. 8 of 9:

The main thing Wilson was interested was claiming that there was a quorum on a private facebook group, in which there is not and never has been a quorum. Further, “official business” is not discussed by a quorum.

From 52:46 to 52:59, Wilson is at it again:

A Commissioner who is a lawyer gives advice, opinion, and instruction, now becomes quite clear to all members on the political page where the officials stand on their topic and position and will eventually will take on the matter.

Wilson also claims there have been data breaches (see 53:16):

Some people and their family members are targeted in the [virtual?] data breach, and that’s happened, there’s been data breach going on…

Wilson, well someone helping him who is in this private group, claims he has screenshots (see 53:47):

And again,waving a handful of papers, interrupting Councilor Brown, “They’re called screen shots…” (54:28):

If there are violations in the Binders of Screenshots, if there are data breaches, report them, turn them in, show the evidence. Oh, but likely it’s not really violations, it’s just Binders of Screenshit waved around. So stop spreading it!

So on that happy note, filed this on Thursday — let’s see what’s there in those “Binders of Screenshots” he’s waved around:

SNORT!