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MrTarzan 
Group: Members
Posts: 564
Joined: Feb. 2004
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Posted on: Feb. 29 2004,1:32 pm |
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I don't know how anyone else feels, but I cannot believe that CAC is being cried over in the paper, and that MS. Turcotte got such a pass on the accounting irregularites that lost her the funding in the first place. She somehow managed her way into aquiring lots of assets from a job she created, and audit finds things wrong and we weep over her being shutdown? What is going on? Is this whole county some sort of weird reality show experiment?
What do you think? Did she do good things? Were we serving locals or illegals? Was it a useful place or another scam? Why is the paper so soft on everything around here?
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Be not simply good, be good for something-Henry David Thoreau
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| Post Number: 2
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Nose for News
Group: Members
Posts: 431
Joined: Feb. 2004
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Posted on: Feb. 29 2004,2:52 pm |
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Even now is Ms. Turcotte working at another job she created for herself?
"Not having applied for a job in 30 years Turcotte was apprehensive about finding a new job, but found it wasn't so difficult"(she now works for Mower County Transit ) Did her staff hire her back when she lost her job?
Even MNDot questioned budget expenses according to this article.
What were those questionable expenses MNDOT refers to?
News
County transit plan waiting to be finalized
If the Freeborn County Community Action board and Mower County commissioners sign off on a plan for the agency to operate Mower County Transit, the organization will start the service April 1.
Tuesday, March 19, 2002 By Masaaki Hirada
If the Freeborn County Community Action board and Mower County commissioners sign off on a plan for the agency to operate Mower County Transit, the organization will start the service April 1. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) has been expressing reservations about endorsing the takeover, though it will fund the program.
Freeborn Community Action won a bid for the service last month, with a $35,000 annual contract fee. As an operator, the organization would manage six regular bus routes in Austin, and countywide on-demand riding service MCT currently provides.
While the MCT staff handles day-to-day operation, Freeborn County Community Action will primarily function as a fiscal agent and decision-making authority.
But Community Action Executive Director Collette Turcotte said the organization would add some input, such as cultural diversity training.
MnDOT will fund about $300,000 of the $650,000 annual operating budget in 2002.
But the department expressed reservation about endorsing Community Action's commitment to the service.
"We found some of expenses in the budget plan are not justifiable," said MnDot District 6 Manager/Planner Jean Meyer. The department is also disturbed by the organization's lack of experience in public transportation services. The physical presence of the organization outside Mower County is another concern, she said.
MnDOT is conducting a comprehensive audit on the budget, and will continue to scrutinize the fiscal and operational conduct of the organization. MnDOT reserves the right to cancel the funding with 30 days prior notice.
Mower County is basically pleased with the takeover. The county has been looking for an operator since the Senior Center, the former operator, exited last year.
"We hope things will work out and Community Action will manage well," said Bruce Henricks, Mower County Director of Human Services.
Turcotte said, "We will utilize the excellent program and capable staff members that the MCT has. And we are confident that we will learn very quickly from them." She also expects to explore the possibility of connecting the service in Mower County with the existing public transportation system in Freeborn County in the future.
The Community Action board will discuss the matter during a Thursday board meeting.
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DISCLAIMER
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Nose for News Is Pleased To Announce That We Have Absolutely No Affiliation Whatsoever With The Albert Lea Tribune Or Its Parent, Boone Publishing.
Like Other Minnesota/Iowa Residents, We Simply Endure Them.
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MrTarzan
Group: Members
Posts: 564
Joined: Feb. 2004
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Posted on: Feb. 29 2004,3:05 pm |
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What a crock, she is empire building again. Of course it is for the good of the "people", she wont hardly make a thing. Except for what she gives herself and expenses out. How does this stuff happen around here?  Smart lady though, she knows how to pull the heartstrings and dupe the press.
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Be not simply good, be good for something-Henry David Thoreau
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Grinning_Dragon
rideo draconigena
Group: Members
Posts: 3095
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Feb. 29 2004,3:37 pm |
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Well MrTarzan, I know this woman very well. How I do is not important, and will not go into details to protect another person.
Collette Turcotte, is only interested in linning her own pokets, cannot manage money worth crap, treats employees like children and makes very irrational decisions. She doesn't give two hoots about what either program is helping anybody or not, just the image of being somebody with money and a state charter behind it.
As for CAC, I say good riddance. 90% of the recipiants were illegal aliens anyways. The low of lowest would show up for their free hand outs, with no intention of becomming a responsible upright citizen. Why would they when they can get free stuff. Welfare only breeds dependancy.
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*SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS / MOLON LABE / Se Defendendo
memoria of cado frater ,Semper fidelis
*The object of war is NOT to DIE for YOUR Country, but to make the OTHER BASTARD DIE for HIS...Patton
My Constitutional Rights trump your dead.
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MrTarzan
Group: Members
Posts: 564
Joined: Feb. 2004
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Posted on: Feb. 29 2004,3:47 pm |
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She is pretty slick. I don't understand how she keeps sliding into power. CAC was a duplication of services offerred without the requirement of showing citizenship.
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Be not simply good, be good for something-Henry David Thoreau
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Grinning_Dragon
rideo draconigena
Group: Members
Posts: 3095
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Feb. 29 2004,3:56 pm |
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I think alot of the money came from in the form of GRANTS.
And of course they never asked for proof of citizenship, it was to help those poor(sarcasm) illegals, so they could stay in the US.
And become a further drain on society.
Out of all of the species that inhabit this planet, the HUMAN is the most resourceful. Welfare just breeds dependancy, if one was to take that away, any person would find other means to make it from day to day. Most likely by getting a job.
But humans are just like any other creature, if they can get something for free, why work for it when you can just go back to the free zone..
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*SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS / MOLON LABE / Se Defendendo
memoria of cado frater ,Semper fidelis
*The object of war is NOT to DIE for YOUR Country, but to make the OTHER BASTARD DIE for HIS...Patton
My Constitutional Rights trump your dead.
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| Post Number: 7
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MrTarzan
Group: Members
Posts: 564
Joined: Feb. 2004
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Posted on: Feb. 29 2004,4:10 pm |
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Very few of those grants came from private foundations, most of her grants were taxpayer money, and she should be held accountable. A non-profit is supposed to be very accountable exactly because it is excluded from taxation like a fee based service.
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Be not simply good, be good for something-Henry David Thoreau
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| Post Number: 8
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Nose for News
Group: Members
Posts: 431
Joined: Feb. 2004
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Posted on: Mar. 02 2004,4:17 pm |
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Beware of Greeks Bearing Gifts
Or in this case Collette bearing gifts and then taking away health insurance
Tuesday, April 23, 2002
News
New agency operators tour facility
By Lee Bonorden/Austin Daily Herald
The Mower County Transit is a "well-run plum in Minnesota."
That's how Colette Turcotte, executive director of Freeborn County Community Action, described the Austin-based public transit system.
Turcotte and Freeborn County Community Action board members visited Austin Monday for a tour of the MCT offices in the former Austin Public Schools Administration building. They met dispatchers and drivers and rode the system on a tour of the city.
Turcotte and board members and staff distributed gifts to the dispatchers and drivers, served donuts to those MCT staffmembers taking a break at the headquarters and visited with Austin Mayor Bonnie Rietz and Len Miller, 4th District Mower County commissioner and chairman of the county board.
Mower County gave Freeborn County Community Action, an arm of Semcac, a 3-year contract to administer the public transit program.
It mean the local service would be supervised by an out-of-county agency and that met with some concern about locals. Kim Jensen, the popular MCT program coordinator for five years, resigned and later so did Harold Hoffman, the operations supervisor.
At Monday's meeting with Mower County and city of Austin officials, Turcotte said, Jensen and Hoffman will be missed, but the program will continue its high level of service.
It also appears the sensitive issue of not recognizing MCT employees as legitimate county employees, who would qualify for insurance and other benefits, has been resolved, but without the workers receiving paid health insurance benefits.
"Since we took over operations, there have been no hitches," said Turcotte. "They left us with a wonderful package and we appreciate all who helped set up this program."
Turcotte had high praise for MCT drivers and dispatchers, saying their customer service skills and professionalism were impressive.
One new driver has been hired, a bilingual dispatchers is being recruited and five candidates have expressed interest in Jensen's coordinator position.
Turcotte will not seek the coordinator's position....
...Jean Meyer, transit project manager for the Minnesota Department of Transportation's district No. 6 admitted the MDOT has a "large educational curve to work with in this transition."
The Freeborn County Community Action agency has no experience at administering a public transit program
Meyer said the MDOT would continue to monitor the transition
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DISCLAIMER
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Nose for News Is Pleased To Announce That We Have Absolutely No Affiliation Whatsoever With The Albert Lea Tribune Or Its Parent, Boone Publishing.
Like Other Minnesota/Iowa Residents, We Simply Endure Them.
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| Post Number: 9
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Nose for News
Group: Members
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Posted on: Mar. 02 2004,4:58 pm |
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What a coincidence that this "well run plum in Minnesota" suddenly needed Collette for "troubleshooting problems "at the exact same time she loses her job in Albert Lea.
2002 Turcotte takes over said she will not seek the coordinator's position.
2002 No troubleshooter position before she took over and everything going great according to article below
2004 Turcotte hired for troubleshooting.
How did they do it before she came along?
Tuesday, April 23, 2002
News
New agency operators tour facility
By Lee Bonorden/Austin Daily Herald
The Mower County Transit is a "well-run plum in Minnesota...."That's how Colette Turcotte, executive director of Freeborn County Community Action, described the Austin-based public transit system...
the program will continue its high level of service....
"Since we took over operations, there have been no hitches," said Turcotte. "They left us with a wonderful
package ...
...Turcotte will not seek the coordinator's position.
...Carol Bertelson, chairman of the Freeborn County Community Action board, said of Turcotte, "She will do her best.She is very committed to continuing the outstanding services Mower County has offered.:
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DISCLAIMER
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Nose for News Is Pleased To Announce That We Have Absolutely No Affiliation Whatsoever With The Albert Lea Tribune Or Its Parent, Boone Publishing.
Like Other Minnesota/Iowa Residents, We Simply Endure Them.
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| Post Number: 10
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MrTarzan
Group: Members
Posts: 564
Joined: Feb. 2004
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Posted on: Mar. 02 2004,5:48 pm |
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Amazing, completely amazing. A county, a government entity, will give complete control of a tax payer based organization to a transportation neophyte, and cheer about it. Not only a totally unqualified person to head it, but an out of county organization that lost its funding because of accounting irregularites. Additionally, CAC is not an arm of SEMCAC, but a seperate organization in and of itself founded by Turcotte whos very existence kept SEMCAC from being able to set up operation in Freeborn County on the scale that was needed. I am flabbergasted about this. Well, someone call jimhanson and let him know that I am starting a new organization called WAHOO (we are helping ourselves only) and I am going to run the airport in Olmstead County on a bid and I want him on the board (but only as a volunteer advisor you know) since I have no experience running airports, but what the heck, as long as the money rolls in, WAHOO can do it.  FAA, FA-Shmay, they will just let us, and then keep us under observation like MNDOT. 
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Be not simply good, be good for something-Henry David Thoreau
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