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Forum: Current Events Topic: Good Call Liberal! Hammersly Backtracks! started by: kid dyn-o-mite Posted by kid dyn-o-mite on Apr. 09 2004,9:30 pm
Two criteria are necessary to give loans from the fund, according to City Attorney Steve Schwab at the pre-agenda meeting Thursday night."This is our criteria that we had to adopt to get the money from the state and federal government," said the attorney. First, the loans have to be for organizations that will use the money to create jobs. The Chamber wanted to use the money for building payments. "The whole point of the loan fund is to create jobs," said Schwab. Second, they have to loan it to a for-profit organization that is not an advocacy group. The Chamber lobbies for businesses, so they created a separate non-profit entity, which they were told could use the money. They were ill-advised. "This is an embarrassment to the Chamber and to the city because of the way that it was handled," said Hamersly. But the Chamber has secured financial aid elsewhere for the purchase of their former building on Broadway. "Since then we have had financial institutions step forward," she said. **How about the other illegal loans (gifts) they've already gotten? Do we just forget about those? These folks are not stupid. They can't just say whoops! Sorry! They knowingly engaged in criminal acts to steal from the taxpayers, you and me. How many other cities get away with this? Martha Stewart is in jail for less! Marge and company knew perfectly well what was legal or not, yet CHOSE to engage in fraud and deception for her own greedy purpose. Yet, I lie on loan application and get charged with a crime. She has everything to gain and nothing to lose by trying to steal. This is one place our taxes are wasted and it couldn't have happened without Paul Sparks help. She must step down and face prosecution and Sparks shall be cited as well. Posted by Madd Max on Apr. 10 2004,9:35 am
Our elected officials need to know that Q A Pubic Is now watching them and we are sick and tired of the back room underhanded deal making going on to defraud the tax payers of there hard earned money. This needs to be investigated and if charges need to be filled then so be it. Politics as usual is over in Albert Lea the public is watching. Posted by Nose for News on Apr. 10 2004,10:32 am
Where did this money come from :Taxpayers or Chamber members dues?Strategic plan will soon have a facilitator By Peter Cox, Tribune staff writer July 26 2003 Within the next two weeks a consultant will be hired to direct the Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce's strategic plan. The consultant will be a "facilitator" for the chamber's five year strategic plan: a road map for projects that the community wants taken care of, Hamersly said. It has been under development for the past seven months. A committee made up of community leaders interviewed three candidates last week, and should make a final decision soon, according to Marge Hamersly, the president of the chamber. "We'll be discussing which candidates have the qualities we want," she said. The three candidates come from companies in Milwaukee, Madison and Minneapolis. So far, $40,000 is budgeted for the project, a fund some say is too weak to hire a company to make a comprehensive plan. Hamersly said that the chamber considers this plan the "first phase," and expects more planning in the future. "We'll see how far we can take these dollars," she said. "But right now we aren't looking at a $150,000 strategic planning process. That's what you attach to a comprehensive plan for large governmental bodies like the city." Hamersly said the goal of the chamber project is to get an picture of what the community wants for the future of the city. She said that local people will be trained to lead sessions with different groups from the community. "Our listeners will be trained to conduct round-table discussions under the guidance of a neutral facilitator," she said. "We are going to try hard not to ask leading questions." When asked if the committee will, in the end, be more representative of the voices of the predominately active people in the community, Hamersly said it would be the other way around. "We want to give a chance for the public voice to be heard," she said. "We aren't going to suggest any particular types of activities to work on, that's what we are asking for." Posted by hoosier on Apr. 11 2004,8:49 am
Thats why this kind of crap has been going on in this town for years, no one was watching. Thanks to Liberal, we all found out about this one. But do you really think this is the only time something like this has happened? I havent noticed, but has this been in the paper? Illegal loans,if it hasnt, why not? Posted by medic on Apr. 11 2004,11:45 am
I hope we see it in the court records soon becouse that where it need to go.
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