"The question comes up why would he leave for a $1,000 raise?"

by: TwoPuttTommy

Fri Sep 10, 2010 at 13:24:12 PM CDT

And "The question" -  above - is from a story in yesterday's Eden Prairie News print edition, reinforces that distrust. It's a story about Eden Prairie City Manager Scott Neal leaving for the same job in Edina.  Several reasons are given:

Edina City Council member Scot Housh was "amazed at what we have accomplished."

He's coming to Edina for about $1,000 more than what he makes now, Housh noted. The question comes up why would he leave for a $1,000 raise?

"I think Edina's a community that's always strived to be the best," Housh noted.

Though the city is smaller in population, "reality is, in stature, Edina is premier."

"'It's a testament to the city of Edina, the people of Edina that we're able to attract the kind of talent that we got with him," said Housh.

Here's Mr. Neal's reasons, emphasis mine:

In a previous interview, Neal said there were two reasons he applied for the Edina job, one being that it was a comparable community to EP. Secondly, he did not feel secure at his current position given the political issues that have popped up this year when Neal discovered the Mayor had taken reimbursement for meetings he had not attended.

I'm surmising Mr. Neal doesn't trust Young, Duckstad, or Aho either.  But, I don't know that; I'm just guessing based on what's been written.

I almost titled this post "Puttin' In The Fix" - based on last Tuesday's City Council Meeting in Eden Prairie; Mr. Neal and the City Of Edina hadn't officially agreed to terms of new employment, nor had Mr. Neal tendered an official resignation to the City of Eden Prairie - yet Young, Duckstad, and Aho were already scheming "planning" on replacing Neal.  And while we don't know that they already have their replacement picked (who knows? Maybe FEC Tony nor MudSlingerMike haven't signed off on it...yet...), it seems obvious The Tragic Trio had their "recruiter" picked.

I'm hoping to have the exchange regarding "Puttin' In The Fix" posted on YouTube Monday; it's roughly the 20:00 minute through 42:00 minute mark in the City's video of the meeting.  For today, just a couple of comments:

And once that point in the meeting is reached, (approx. 21:30 into the City's video of the meeting) Duckstad gets "right" to the point - he feels there's an "imminent need" and wants to hire a "recruiter" to find Neal's  replacement "with dispatch."  And - surprise! - he's got just the guy, to find just the guy, in mind.

Hey - it sure looks clear to me, that if Council Members Nelson and Case hadn't spoken up as forcefully as they did, The Tragic Trio would have moved forward with their chosen one.

The most ironical comment, again - to me - was from Phelonius Phil.  Here's how my transcription reads:

Young:  "The notion we would punt the decision to a future Council, I, ah, I don't know where that came from, but I have every intention of fulfilling my obligatios to the City until December 31st."

Say, Phil?  You want to "fulfill your obligations" to the City?

RESIGN.  Like, yesterday.  No one has disgraced the office of Eden Prairie Mayor more than Phil Young.  It's apparent to me, IMNSHO, that if it weren't for the Hennepin County's Prosecutorial Discretion, Phil Young would be preparing a defense to felony charges - perjury, to be exact.

Actually, until Phil Young, no one HAD disgraced the office of Eden Prairie Mayor; until Young came around, there had never been talk of "Eden Prairie's worst mayor."  Of course, until Young came around, I never thought I'd hear "Eden Prairie Mayor", "felony", and "perjury" in the same sentence, either.

As I watched, and rewatched, the Council Meeting Video, Council Member Case's observation that there seemed to be an appearance of an Open Meeting Violation struck me as accurate.

At the last minute, Duckstad adds a request for Council Member Reports" time; and suggests a specific individual/firm be retained.  Young and Aho (and Aho admits he'd already talked to the guy) seem to be all over it.

Now, I don't know this guy ("Greg Albrecht") and from a quick google search he seems to be a swell guy, but I do know that two years ago, he wrote a letter in the Eden Prairie News supporting Brad Aho's re-election efforts.

Prior to watching the City Council Meeting, but after reading the story cited above about Neal in the Eden Prairie News, I called Aho.  And I asked him if he had any problem voting to hire a guy that had written a letter of support to his re-election efforts.  Aho said "no" so I asked him if I could quote him, to which he said "yes." (Aho then suggested I watch the video of the Council meeting, to "add context."  So, I did.)

The reason I asked Aho that, was the appearance thing:  a guy supports your candidacy with a letter to the paper, two years later, it looks like you're ready to hire the guy on a no-bid contract.  Does a belated "quid pro quo" come to mind to anyone but me?

Another key exchange came between Council Member Case and Mayor Young, after Young's "we're not gonna punt" comment above.  Case asked if this current Council, with maybe a month and a half left - perhaps as few as 3 meetings - before the next duly elected Council takes over in January, "would hire a new City Manager?"

Young:  "Mr. Case, what I'm suggesting if is there an obligation for this Council to take an action, we're going to take an action."

Unreal.  Young, who has declined to resign, is taking the position he's still qualified to help choose a new City Manager that he won't be around to work with.

Above, I made a snide comment about GOP Chair Tony Sutton and Deputy Chair Michael Brodkorb "signing off" on the next City Manager in Eden Prairie.

There's a reason for it.  I firmly believe that were the GOP endorsed candidates for Mayor (Jon Duckstad) and City Council (Donna Azarian) to win in November, and join incumbent GOP endorsed Council Member Brad Aho  to maintain GOP-endorsed Council majority, and Sutton and Brodkorb wanted them to pick their guy as the next City Manager, that's EXACTLY what would happen.

But, hey - why take a chance on an election?  Sutton and Brodkorb could do the same thing "right" now, what with GOPers Young, Duckstad, and Aho already currently forming a GOPer Majority....

Elections have consequences.  "Selections" do, too.

The best way to ensure "your guy" gets installed?  Control the "search" selection - which gets back to why last Tuesday's appearance of "Puttin' In The Fix" is so disgusting.

Video, and more, later.