Chris Heineman really stepped in it. This was right out of the tRump playbook, taking unfounded punitive action at the last minute, and then, doing a 180; never admitting it was HIS idea; and putting someone else in the middle to both cancel use of the Community Room and then to retract that cancellation, and of course, Heineman offers no apology. This is not professional behavior. It’s my belief that he did this because it was my name, my workshop, that it was retribution for challenging a couple of his actions, and it’s possible he acted with encouragement from others. It’s time for the City Attorney to give a refresher of the meaning of “under color of law” given his actions as Council Administrator.
What did Chris Heineman do?
In mid-December, December 11, 2025, to be precise,I’d scheduled the Red Wing Fire House #2 “Community Room” for January 24th, a “Lobbyists ‘R’ Us” workshop that Tom Dunnwald, Esq. and I, Esq., had presented elsewhere, going back ages… Why? Because I hear so many people whining, “What can I do?” and complaining and complaining and… well, it’s pretty simple. If you don’t speak up, you WILL be run over, guaranteed. And if you stand up and ACT, and ACT, and ACT, you just might help make change!
It’s not easy. It takes a LOT of years of hard work to achieve a major policy change, and sometimes as long for a small one. And it’s not just about making progress, it’s also about holding fast to the good work of so many who have come before us so we don’t go backward. Yet here we are. Make no mistake about it, it’s WORK, banging your head against the wall, but don’t forget, this is, ostensibly, government of the people, for the people, by the people. It’s “a republic, if you can keep it.” Yup, that’s our job.
Hence our January workshop:
On January 20th, I received a phone call and was told I would not be able to use Fire Station #2, and on asking why, I was told that the workshop was deemed partisan and Red Wing’s Fire Station #2’s Community Room was not to be used for partisan activities. I tried to get more information on where that notion that it was partisan came from and was told to talk to City Council Administrator Chris Heineman.
I quickly reached out to a couple of potential venues, but got voice mail and a forwarded message, and started calling Heineman. Four calls, still “in a meeting,” and it was close-of-business time, so I went over to City Hall. The lights were being turned off, but I was granted leave to wait… and wait… and ultimately Heineman did come out, some papers/email in hand, and declared that my workshop was a partisan activity. My bottom line was that I wanted assurance that the workshop could go forward as planned, and I said that at least three times. Heineman said he’d contact the Fire Chief who was at a conference, that it was his idea, and that I’d hear back tomorrow. Heineman did not admit that the revocation of use of Fire Station #2 was his idea.
The next day, Matt Lenz, the second in command at the Fire Dept called, and left a message. I returned the call, and I was told that my workshop could go ahead at Fire Station #2.
The workshop went on as planned, we had a good turnout, and hopefully some of those attending are motivated to do some lobbying on local, state, and federal levels, or better yet, all three!
The following Monday, I fired off a Data Practices Act Request to dig into how that last minute cancellation, and retraction the following day, came about, and copied each City Council member so they would all know, as “the boss,” that this had occurred:
So what happened? Well, it started with this, when “someone” forwarded Heineman a screenshot from one of the Red Wing groups of my announcement of the workshop:
And then Heineman got to the Fire Chief, Mike Warner — note it’s Heineman driving this:
In the email below, dated Monday afternoon, January 19, 2026, see page 2, where Heineman concluded, based on the flyer for the workshop that had been forwarded to him on SUNDAY EVENING! I’d not published any other info about this, just posted notice on a couple pages, and it was forwarded to him by ????? and who knows what else was said between them. It’s likely mostly based on my name, because my reputation in town exceeds me. Note he did NOT contact me, he had no questions, didn’t seek information — and yet he says, the next day, Monday, January 19, and note,it’sHEINEMAN’Sidea:
I recommend cancelling the use of the Community Room at Fire Station 2 for the “Lobbying ‘R’ Us” (sic) event on Saturday, January 24.
… “I recommend…” and Heineman goes on to declare, “IS” and then qualify with “MAY” his two very bizarre notions of “POLITICAL FUNDRAISING OR CAMPAIGNING ACTIVITIES,” notions pulled out of some nether orifice:
The proposed “Lobbyists ‘R’ Us” training is a partisan political activity that may relate to political fundraising or campaigning activities which the current usage policy lists as activities that are not allowed.
At about 3 p.m. on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, days before the scheduled workshop, I received a call from the Asst. Fire chief, Matt Lenz, who told me that I could not use the Community Room! WHAT?!?!?! The workshop was to be that Saturday! And that’s when I started calling Heineman and sent this email while I was waiting on the chance that he was confused:
After leaving 4 messages, I went over and did finally get to have a chat with Heineman. I went to him directly, first calling persistently, and unsuccessful, then went to City Hall and waited and waited.
In those days between the heads up email he received Sunday night and the call from Matt Lenz to me on January 20th, Heineman made zero effort to contact me, he made no effort to get more information about the workshop, not a peep from Heineman. That was what told me this was a targeted action and that he was a gutless wonder with a preconceived notion. I would like to know who it was who sent him the flyer and got him going, I have a few likely suspects.
Heineman’s take on our discussion at City Hall? Oh my…
Oh, I’m so demanding. Heaven forbid I should make a calm, clear, direct statement of expectation. After this email, Chief Warner sent this missive to Matt Lenz:
Ah, “the Carol issue.” What Heineman did do was, again, NOT call me after HE reneged, no apology, and he passed on that duty to inform me to someone else, and Matt Lenz was stuck in the middle again. Here’s Matt Lenz to Chief Warner (“ended up”?), though Matt had left me a message and I called back:
The workshop went on as planned, a good group and lots of good questions and ideas and I hope there was sufficient motivation to get lobbying! It’s also my hope that Chris Heineman has learned a few things about dealing with the public, his co-workers, and, last but not least, Overland!
Methinks we’ve got trouble… right here in River City… I’ve not been able to make recent City Council meetings, but it appears that Heineman’s overreach needs more attention. Why, in addition to the above? There are his appearances before the Charter Commission wanting to unilaterally change the Charter without publicly discussing it with the Council (yet with no specific proposal, maybe “concepts of a plan”); the elimination of the convenient “one email” to reach all Council members and installing an email to the Administrator who would then choose who should receive the email (!). Another example was the jaw-dropping response to the legit question of who was acting when Heineman was not present, a duty assigned in the Charter to the Administrative Services position that, again, no longer exists. At ~3:03:30 in the meeting, LINK HERE, Norton asked who had taken that role in Heineman’s 2 prior absences. There was mobius avoidance of answering, and then, at ~3:03:55, DIRECT REFUSAL TO ANSWER — Heineman said, “I respectfully decline to answer the question…” He was not challenged on that response. WTAF? We have our very own Bondi? Unacceptable.
Keep your eyes and ears open!
p.s. I’ll be holding a CAMPAIGN FINANCE workshop on June 20, 2026 from 1-2:30 p.m. at the Library. I’ll be sending out engraved invitations to those who have recently been found to have violated campaign finance law, to all those currently in office, and to those who have filed to run. And of course, as always, open to the public, and FREE OF CHARGE.
Interesting filings today in PUC Docket R-26-172 — how can anyone oppose rulemaking, and how can anyone think it’s reasonable to route transmission and site generation without rules? The Public Utilities Commission is tasked with regulating utilities, and how does one regulate without regulations?
Here’s what has come in today — the deadline is 4:30 but I’ll have to hit the road soon — if others come in I’ll post later. This first one is choice:
And here’s what I had to say, on my behalf, and also clients North Route Group and NO765MN (CN-25-117 and CN-25-121) and the Andersens (CN-25-109), after seeing some of the comments:
Take a good look at what the legislature did to the rules. And those that say “renumbered,” click on those and you’ll see they were moved and repealed as well!
CHAPTER 7850, SITE OR ROUTE PERMIT; POWER PLANT OR LINE
I’m putting together a Campaign Finance Workshop, free and open to the public, of course, and will send out engraved invitations to the Recall and candidates who’ve been found to have violated campaign finance law, to all filed candidates, and to local elected officials who have the good fortune not to have to run this year.
Latest complaint against Mayor Iocco for failure to file amended Complaint dismissed because there’s a 1 year statute of limitations. Minn. Stat. 211B.32. GRRRRRR. And although the ALJ in earlier Order & Memorandum stated in writing that Iocco had said under oath that he’d file amended report, this judge casts doubt on that and states that “[t]he final Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, and Order in the November 2024 Case did not require Respondent to make an amended filing.” Oh, OK. Another GRRRRRR.
Keep your eyes open for a Campaign Finance Law workshop on June 20th, with engraved invitations for everyone running in November 2026 election, Red Wing City Council, School Board, Goodhue County, State House and Senate, and others who’ve run in past elections.
