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 Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p

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Lady Hawk
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Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Empty
PostSubject: Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city plenty.   Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Icon_minitimeThu Feb 25, 2010 12:42 am

There have been many claims that the EDA has made money. Consider the following facts.

1. ) The EDA invested $5,000.00 in an illegal venture the Eahtonka II. A loss

2. ) The EDA forgave the loan to Sonny's at a loss of $6,044.55 The minutes of that meeting are still missing. A $6,000.00 loss.

Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Acctstat050708-1


3. ) The EDA traded lots with Barr Bros and it is questionable if the trade was equal. See minutes below. A $40,000.00 loss?

Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Sparks

4. ) The EDA exchanged the Too Mad Cafe corner property for the outstanding BSAG loan of $13,512.00 and the property has an estimated market value of $8,400.00. A $5,000.00 loss.

It should also be noted that at the same meeting June 18. 2008, the EDA voted to give the BSAG $10,000.00 for the housing study. If the EDA wanted $10,000 to go to the housing study why didn't they just pay it to the housing study? Why did they give it to the BSAG? It should also be noted that Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson were on both the EDA and the BSAG boards.

Finally consider the status report on the top. Look at the section "Unpaid Bills."' in the fourth item down called "Fairway View."

Fairway View____$96.00____April Lunches.

The EDA voted to pay a per diem each month to Fairway View for lunches on Jan 31, 2006. While they are squandering city funds lunch is on the city too.
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mouthpiece
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Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Empty
PostSubject: Where are the minutes?   Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Icon_minitimeThu Feb 25, 2010 8:01 pm

This afternoon I received a phone call from Sonny Arndt. He informed me that the EDA loan was paid when his building was sold to the present Hardware store. He said there had been a second mortgage placed on the property.

I advised him I would print this potential correction but that he needed to provide the minutes of the meeting that we acknowledged we didn't have, the satisfaction of the second mortgage or some similiar type of document.

He advised that he would obtain that and share it with this site.

We will print that document just like we printed the other documents in the post.

I would like to remind all of you that we requested this information and Mr. Lang advised me that Ms. Oakes had prepared the answers to our request. There are missing meeting notes perhaps Ms. Oakes has an explanation for this oversight.
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Vicki Oakes
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Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Empty
PostSubject: Re: Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p   Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Icon_minitimeThu Feb 25, 2010 8:57 pm

No oversight. I supplied all information that was available. You posting incorrect informaiton about Sonny is certainly not my fault. Nice try.
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Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Empty
PostSubject: What is incorrect?   Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Icon_minitimeThu Feb 25, 2010 10:24 pm

Vicki you say the information is incorrect. Could you point out what one of the two documents posted was incorrect? They are the exact documents. This means the documents are wrong, not our site.

Here is the way it should have been done. The minutes of the meetings should reflect exactly what Sonny claims. Can you post the minutes that reflect a second mortgage from Sonny was given to the EDA? We just cannot find it. Where are these minutes?

The issue is just another example of the mistakes made by EDA. Perhaps Mr. Johnson made the motion and Mr. Johnson seconded the motion and the motion was lost.
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Lady Hawk
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Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Empty
PostSubject: Re: Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p   Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Icon_minitimeThu Feb 25, 2010 11:42 pm

Vicki Oakes wrote:
No oversight. I supplied all information that was available.

No oversight? You have supplied ALL of the information, Vicki? Thank you for finally acknowledging that there are no minutes for the Jan 10, 2008 meeting. Up to this point in time neither you nor David Lang would acknowledge that fact.

Why were the minutes not prepared? Evidently there was an attempt to do so. In your minutes for Jan 23, 2008 you stated that the "Minutes from the previous meeting will be submitted at the next EDA meeting."


Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p EDA012308

Here is the timeline.

Jan 10, 2008 EDA met with no minutes produced.

Jan 23, 2008 EDA meets and Vicki Oakes is listed as staff and taking minutes. Vicki stated the minutes for Jan 10 will be presented next meeting. (See document above.)

Feb 6, 2008 Vicki Oakes states in the Agenda item "3. Approve Minutes January 10, 2008 (to be provided)"

Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p DEAAgenda020608

In the actual minutes for Feb 6, Vicki Oakes stated "January 10, 2008, minutes will be submitted at the next meeting."

Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p EDA021608-1

At the next meeting there is no mention of them:

Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p EDA022008

In the minutes for February 20, 2008 there is no mention of the January minutes. You cannot claim that it wasn't your responsibility because you are the secretary and it was your job to make the transition. You were obviously aware that minutes needed to be prepared because you spent the next few meetings stating that you would get them. That was your job to make sure they got in the record.

It is disingenuous to say the minutes don't exist and I had nothing to do with it. In a meeting of such importance why didn't you secure the minutes?

Vicki Oakes wrote:
You posting incorrect informaiton about Sonny is certainly not my fault. Nice try.

What information is incorrect? All the information I posted about Sonny's was based on the information you gave me. What information have you provided that is incorrect? Look at all the documents in this thread. Look at all the documents on this website. What have you provided that is incorrect?

Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p AcctStatus112007

I respectfully disagree with you. It is your fault if the minutes don't exist. That is what you are paid to do. It is a sad state of affairs when people cannot trust the minutes in the city records and a citizen has to produce his own verification of events because the EDA Director and his secretary don't keep accurate minutes.

Always a pleasure chatting with you Vicki, stop by anytime. handshake
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Vicki Oakes
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Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Empty
PostSubject: Re: Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p   Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Icon_minitimeFri Feb 26, 2010 8:17 am

I was not at that meeting - therefore I cannot produce the minutes. I made a PDF copy of very page that you marked as directed. The markers are still on the pages.

A date on a summary showing last payment date and a zero balance does not state that it was written off - that was your assumption I guess.
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Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Empty
PostSubject: If everything is on the up and up why the cover up?   Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Icon_minitimeFri Feb 26, 2010 8:25 am

If everything is on the up and up why the cover up?

I have read the minutes have you?

Do you know the implications of bankruptcy or debt forgiveness?

The accuracy should be easily resolved. There has to be a check from Sonny Arndt to the EDA. Ths should be easy to produce.
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Vicki Oakes
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Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Empty
PostSubject: Re: Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p   Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Icon_minitimeFri Feb 26, 2010 8:45 am

A copy of the receipt (upon their request) was sent to Sonny yesterday late afternoon.
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PostSubject: Why a receipt?   Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Icon_minitimeFri Feb 26, 2010 8:50 am

Why a receipt? Was it paid in cash? Or did the EDA do an exchange? Was their a bankruptcy? If so, shouldn't the money have gone to the bankruptcy trustee?

Here are the acuatal minutes that reflect the payment?

Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p SonnyEDAmin081507

Note the Notice of Bankrutcy in last paragraph.

Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p AcctStatus112007

Note the last line.

Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Sonnymtghandnotes

Note the last paragraph.

The EDA then entered into a subordination agreement with Minnwest Bank and we will post this if that becomes necessary.

The next action was:

Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p SonnyEDAmin112107p3

The next action was:

Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p SonnyEDAmin120507

Note on the next action that Sonny was requesting a subordination:

Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p SonnyEDAmin121907

Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p SonnyWatson121707

Now note in the next transaction it is not the lawyer for Sonny drafting the agreement but the lawyer for Minnwest. Who is the real party in interest?

Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p SonyWatson120507

Now you say there is a receipt but was there cash paid or did the EDA do something to the value of the Real Property so as to give the appearance that it was paid. If that is the case where is the independent appraisal?
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Lady Hawk
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Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Empty
PostSubject: Re: Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p   Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Icon_minitimeFri Feb 26, 2010 5:14 pm

First of all I would like to state for the record that I respect Vicki Oakes for stepping forward and speaking up. applause

I have no high opinion of cowardly men who operate behind closed doors in a smoke filled room and then crawl away and leave a woman behind alone holding the bag. Suspect

The EDA was run by David Lang, Blair Johnson, Burt Nypen, Donnette Herberg and others. These were the voting members. Where are they? Are they accountable for their actions?

Vicki Oakes wrote:
I was not at that meeting - therefore I cannot produce the minutes.
Vicki, the minutes for Jan 23rd above, clearly state that you wrote that the minutes for Jan 10th would be available. As secretary your job would be to secure them from whomever took them. When ever the secretary did not take the minutes then Blair Johnson did. The fact that you didn't attend the meeting is irrelevant. You were at the next meeting and it would be your job to see that the previous minutes were placed in the book after the board approved them. For the next two meetings the minutes for Jan 10th were discussed. You were the secretary then and you are accountable for seeing to it that the minutes were done.

If a secretary does not attend the meeting she is still responsible for seeing to it that who ever does the minutes gets them approved and in the record. Your excuse that you were not there is not valid. Are you being used as a scapegoat? Will Blair Johnson, David Lang, Burt Nypen and the others make you hang out to dry for their actions?

Vicki Oakes wrote:
I made a PDF copy of very page that you marked as directed. The markers are still on the pages.
I will address this one more time. Then let's move on. Don't try to blame me for not asking for the right thing. I requested hard copies of some documents that were not in the city's computers. You can't throw it off on me for not tagging the minutes for Jan 10, 2008 because they were not in the book. I also requested electronic copies of ALL EDA minutes for 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. That means I was requesting the minutes for Jan 10, 2008 that do not seem to exist. I also verbally requested those minutes from you in the city office and you walked across the street to your office and then came back and said you could not find them.

Instead of making excuses saying you gave me what I asked for why not just admit that the minutes don't exist and then explain why they don't exist.

Vicki Oakes wrote:
A date on a summary showing last payment date and a zero balance does not state that it was written off - that was your assumption I guess.
This assumption you are referring to comes from the numerous minutes up to that time which talk about forgiving the loan to Sonny. If there is an error in judgement then it is the EDA minutes that were misleading. On five occasions the minutes reflect bankruptcy and forgiving the loan. It is a logical and reasonable conclusion when the status changes from bankruptcy to zero. Any error in conclusion would be the responsibility of the EDA for not documenting what they did. They left the paper trail. (Or in this case minutes-less trail.)

Vicki, you are responsible for taking and keeping the minutes for the EDA. That is what you are paid money for. The fact that the minutes are missing is your responsibility. If you don't wish to accept that responsibility then you might consider another profession that doesn't have that responsibility. You are not responsible for what the EDA did at that meeting. That is for the board members to be accountable for. It is time they accepted their responsibility.
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Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Empty
PostSubject: Here is the Check and Mortgage   Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Icon_minitimeMon Mar 01, 2010 7:53 pm

Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Scan-2

Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Scan0013-1-1-1
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Lady Hawk
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Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Empty
PostSubject: Re: Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p   Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Icon_minitimeMon Mar 01, 2010 9:43 pm

Thank you to Sonny and Mary Arndt for the documents. It is to bad the minutes don't reflect what happened. Vicki Oakes stated in her minutes of Feb 6, 2008 that the "Jan 10, 2008 minutes will be submitted next meeting." They have never been produced to this day.
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Zorro
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Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Empty
PostSubject: Re: Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p   Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Icon_minitimeMon Mar 01, 2010 10:44 pm

So, what kind of game were the city and the EDA playing by not being forthcoming with this public record information? The stance has ranged from stonewalling to coy to deceptive.
When a citizen asks a legitimate question on a matter of public record, they are supposed to be given the answer--simple and clear public service and accountability.
They have done a disservice to Sonny and Mary Arndt, and have failed in their duty for public accountability.
What do people have to do to get the government processes they deserve and pay their tax dollars for?
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Lady Hawk
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Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Empty
PostSubject: Re: Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p   Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Icon_minitimeSat Mar 06, 2010 4:13 pm

mouthpiece wrote:
This afternoon I received a phone call from Sonny Arndt. He informed me that the EDA loan was paid when his building was sold to the present Hardware store.....I would like to remind all of you that we requested this information and Mr. Lang advised me that Ms. Oakes had prepared the answers to our request. There are missing meeting notes perhaps Ms. Oakes has an explanation for this oversight.

Last summer when I went into the city office and viewed the minutes there were two meetings that were missing. I asked David Lang specifically what happened to Sonny's loan. He said the answer to that was in the minutes and he would have Vicki get them. Shortly after that Vicki Oakes came into the city office and I pulled her over to the EDA minutes binder and showed her where the minutes were missing and asked her what happened to Sonny's loan and that David said he would ask her to get the missing minutes. Vicki left and later returned with one of the missing meetings and said she could not find the other one. Vicki Oakes was in control of the information.

At any time I have ever talked to city employees they are always ready to help a person. If what they ask for is not available they then offer solutions to find it. Doesn't it seem odd that minutes are missing from a meeting and Vicki is showing no concern? She says they don't exist and then turns away and walks off. Like having a meeting without minutes is no concern. Vicki had been informed as to what I wanted but she never followed through. What's worse she leaves the impression of some type of gamesmanship.

Vicki controlled the information. Vicki Oakes wrote the information. When the loan was paid off Vicki Oakes never had that information placed in the minutes to show that the loan was paid off. The Account Summary never stated "Paid In Full" which would have easily fit in the Last Payment column. The word bankruptcy is removed from the Account Status and then doesn't clairify that the account was Paid In Full. How disgraceful to treat a resident of Ortonville who dutifully fullfilled their obligation and then to leave the records incomplete and not correct the error. That is what Vicki is paid for, to keep accurate records. Can any resident of Ortronville feel safe that their records will be properly handled?

Then what does Vicki Oakes do? She gets on a public forum and toys with the information that she withheld from the records?

Vicki Oakes wrote:
...A date on a summary showing last payment date and a zero balance does not state that it was written off - that was your assumption I guess.

Your assumption? Your assumption? When Vicki wrote that she knew the truth. She knew that the payment had been made. Her job is to handle that information. Vicki Oakes, Community Development Coordinator, made no attempt to come forward either on this site or privately to me to set the record straight. Instead she makes a call to Sonny and informs him, causing him to have to gather the documentation and bring it forward. Why did the citizen have to bring forward the information that the bill was paid when it is the job of the "Community Development Coordinator" to keep accurate records and release information.

Vicki Oakes wrote:
A copy of the receipt (upon their request) was sent to Sonny yesterday late afternoon.

What hat does Vicki Oakes wear? When Vicki came on this site now she is a "citizen" and she doesn't speak as the Community Development Coordinator? To some people it might appear that Vicki uses her position as a weapon rather than as a public servant. Vicki knew the truth and made no attempt in the past six months to correct it. What could be the reason that Vicki did not accurately record the payment? Is there some pleasure in knowing that one has information and can keep it, waiting for the opportunity to "pounce" and discredit? The only discredit Vicki Oakes has done is to herself. In a shameful second public display Vicki Oakes has again used her position at the expense of a citizen.

Just as Vicki Oakes used her position to write a web policy to restrict a local business from being linked to the city she then scurried to the Chamber to influence them to pull the web link of the same business. See here.

Now Vicki Oakes did not accurately show a loan was paid off leaving the citizen to have to correct the lack of public information. Was there some attempt to discredit Sonny? Did Vicki get some satisfaction calling Sonny to tell him about it? Do the citizens of Ortonville want a public employee who doesn't keep accurate records and then instead of correcting the error leaves it to the citizen to have to produce the documents?

I have talked with numerous public employees in jobs like Vicki's. These people were all serious about their jobs and VERY conscious of their duty to releasing public information and wanting to not allow misinformation about a citizen leave their office. This blatent display of gamesmanship by Vicki Oakes and her lack of concern about her duty to the public is...is...I can't even bring myself to say the word.

Vicki Oakes wrote:
...A date on a summary showing last payment date and a zero balance does not state that it was written off - that was your assumption I guess.

- that was your assumption I guess.

That is all Vicki Oakes cared to say about the results of the records she keeps. A statement one could define at best as callous indifference. I have nothing but respect for civil servants who keep the public trust. My opinion is very different for unelected politicians who use their power for self-serving means at the expense of the citizens they are supposed to be looking after.
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PostSubject: Re: Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p   Burt Nypen and Blair Johnson through the EDA cost the city p Icon_minitime

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» Ortonville Agenda January 4, 2009

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