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Replicant 
Group: Members
Posts: 1570
Joined: Dec. 2004
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Posted on: Jan. 18 2005,9:57 am |
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I've been thinking about doing this, decided to give it a try.
Most people seem to want the Tribune to investigate matters more deeply. So, here's a place to ask questions you want answers to.
I'd ask that instead of trashing on this thread, challenge them to cover things more completely.
I'll start with two items:
1. The mayor and city council do not have direct authority over city employees. I would like to know at whose direction did the city clerk go to the Eaton home to swear in the mayor. Who is the city clerk's supervisor? The city manager I assume. Was the city manager aware of this? What is in the charter or city ordinances about this? Is the city clerk the only person empowered to administer the oath of office?
2. In the Sunday 1/16/05 edition on the front page was a news item about a fatality on the freeway. The name of the victim had not been released by press time for that edition. That happens. However, there was nothing in the Monday edition, unless I missed it. Not sure about todays yet. Who was the victim?
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Some drink deeply from the river of knowledge. Others only gargle. - Woody Allen
The problem is not that we have too many fools, it's that the lightning isn't distributed right. - Mark Twain.
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| Post Number: 2
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Paul Harvey
Group: Members
Posts: 2778
Joined: Aug. 2004
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Posted on: Jan. 18 2005,10:46 am |
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Honestly, I know I'll get better information here, where a free flow of ideas can occur. The net truly is changing the world.
I can't ever envision a time when a couple entry level reporters can come anywhere close to what we have here...
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~I love trolling n00bs and pwning assholes~
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| Post Number: 3
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Liberal
Group: Moderator
Posts: 11451
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Jan. 18 2005,12:00 pm |
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It was a male truckdriver, he was with a group of truckers and he went off the road at mile marker 22. The first law enforcement officer to respond requested Mayo 1 but said they might have them turn back so it must have been a bad crash. I got the information from listening to the scanner when it happened, so I'm sure they got the same information I did.
Since our Charter prohibits the elected officials from telling staff what to do.The only person that could have told the city clerk to go there is the city manager or she could have done it on her own.
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Section 2.11. Interferences with administration.
Neither the council nor the mayor nor a council member may dictate the appointment by the city manager of a person to an office or employment. The council may not interfere with the city manager or prevent the city manager from exercising judgment in the appointment of officers and employees in the administrative service. Except for purposes of inquiry the council and its members must deal with and control the administrative service solely through the city manager.
Neither the mayor, the council nor a council member may give orders, publicly or privately, to a subordinate of the city manager.
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The people are masters of both Congress and courts, not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow the men who pervert it!
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| Post Number: 4
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Alfy Packer
Group: Members
Posts: 1197
Joined: Dec. 2004
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Posted on: Jan. 18 2005,6:21 pm |
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I was in Austin this morning and got my ears filled while spending time in the doctors office. Of course it was all prefaced with the qualifier, "Is it true that". Well I am just a dummy from Albert Lea and could only respond with "I don' know."  So if the Tribune is up for a challenge I would like to know the answer to what Austin seems to already know. That is, is it true that:
a) by being adminstered the oath of office for her second term, Mayor Eaton pension rights as a public employee became vested; and
b) by being adminstered the oath of office for her second term, Mayor Eaton has life time medical benefits courtesy of the city of Albert Lea.
There other things that I was told about the political asperations of Freeborn County officials that I didn't have the foggiest idea what they were talking about. I would not feel very bad if they do not know what they are talking about, but if they are on the mark, why are we in the dark?
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hairhertz
Group: Members
Posts: 3489
Joined: Dec. 2004
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Posted on: Jan. 18 2005,6:54 pm |
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Interesting stuff Alfy, but the subject of Jean's pension & future benefits are probably potentially too embarrassing for the AL Trib & Fishwrap to investigate.
The Trib, if it had the intestinal fortitude, would print a big article detailing the pay, benefits [not just health insurance, but car allowances, free internet access, sick pay, severance packages,etc.] golden parachutes & incentives of all the leaders of public organizations in the county.
Those entities certainly won't voluntarily print this type of information. They bury it in accounting double speak as shown on the posting regarding the expenses of the United Way. Presently they are able to make deals w/o having to be scrutinized by the public. The public has the right to know...
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metis movement
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MADDOG
Group: Moderator
Posts: 7821
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Jan. 18 2005,7:10 pm |
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Here's a few details. mayors I didn't read much of it, but if retirement is the same as the county, yea, she finishes out her term, she in.
I don't think that's what she's after here, though.
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Actually my wife is especially happy when my google check arrives each month. Thanks to douchbags like you, I get paid just for getting you worked up. -Liberal
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| Post Number: 7
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Expatriate
Group: Members
Posts: 16819
Joined: Oct. 2004
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Posted on: Jan. 19 2005,8:33 am |
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| Quote (Alfy Packer @ Jan. 18 2005,6:21,pm) | | b) by being adminstered the oath of office for her second term, Mayor Eaton has life time medical benefits courtesy of the city of Albert Lea. |
Alfy, I'm not challenging you here but most city, county , employees are covered under a program like or called PERA Public Employees Retirement Association the names can differ slightly for Teachers and other Minnesota Government entities..
To my knowledge your able to purchase your health insurance from your employer when you retire until age 65 when Medicare kicks in, and then that's over..this is similar to the COBRA plan where each of us can pay our employer for health ins after we retire, I believe it's 18 months. it's a better deal for public employees...
There are some programs where you can put away tax deferred dollars to make premium payments on your retirement health ins.
Again I'm not doubting you, it's often that our Elected Officials get a better deal then the people they represent...
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History is no more than the lies agreed upon by the victors.
~NAPOLEON BONAPARTE
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| Post Number: 8
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Slashin
Group: Members
Posts: 107
Joined: Aug. 2004
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Posted on: Jan. 19 2005,8:39 am |
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Alfy, there are times I think you are a nut, other times I feel that you see things very clearly, and then there are the times I see you as Robespierre out to lead the Revolution. Alfy, do you know where you are going?
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| Post Number: 9
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Alfy Packer
Group: Members
Posts: 1197
Joined: Dec. 2004
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Posted on: Jan. 19 2005,9:49 am |
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Ouch!!! Funny, but I could say the same. I do not have a goal except that I want this town get up and going again. From a personal standpoint, I'm just feeling my way day by day. How about you?
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| Post Number: 10
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Slashin
Group: Members
Posts: 107
Joined: Aug. 2004
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Posted on: Jan. 19 2005,3:24 pm |
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Just thought that you might have been starting the run for an office. Wasn't sure that I knew what you were about so I wanted to know if you did.
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