Why hasn’t Mayor Wallin made a recommendation to reappoint Donald Stang to the Brainerd Public Utilities Commission. Mr. Stang has been serving on the Commission for 12 years. He was an instructor in accounting and business courses at the former Vo-Tech College. According to reports, Mr. Stang has been doing an excellent job on the commission
Former City Administrator Dan Vogt, Sarah Hayden (certified energy manager and auditor for creative energy services) and Lucy Nesheim have also submitted applications to serve on the Brainerd Public Utilities Commission.
Mayor Wallin, who has been an elected official for 32 years, has decided to recommend his friend Lucy Nesheim, a council member for 24 years, to be appointed to this commission.
Based on their resumes and background experience, Mr. Stang, Mr. Vogt and Sarah Hayden all have better qualifications to represent the citizens as a commissioner for the Brainerd Public Utilities than does Lucy Nesheim
In 2012 Mayor Wallin declined to recommend the appointment of a qualified citizen to the Transportation Committee. The Council voted to place this citizen on the Transportation Committee.
In 2011 the Council voted not to approve a recommendation to replace a current member of the Civil Service Commission with a new member. The Council decided the current member was doing the job. Why the need for a replacement.
Won’t cronyism, favoritism and lack of transparency in Brainerd City government be very evident if the Council decides to approve the Mayor’s recommendation to appoint Lucy Nesheim to the Brainerd Public Utilities Commission.
No doubt Lucy wants this appointment because of the family health insurance benefits commissioner members receive. In 2013 the insurance benefits for commission members is approximately $13,000 per year, plus wages of $175.00 per month for attending one monthly meeting.
Bob Olson
Brainerd
Comments (23)
Add commentthis is irritating
Would that be why the cost keeps going up and more and more fees are added? Insurance for commission members?
What do they do?
Can they work on finding a way to control costs?
A gravy train job.
Please let me apply.
Thanks for writing Bob. Why does Lucy need insurance?
Don't confuse public service with self-service.
The BPU needs to be held accountable.
This appointment does not help.
Pretty good wages for someone.
Lets see,1 meeting a month at 4 hours = 48 hours per year.
So that comes out to $314.58 per hour.
I agree, Sadie.
A meeting once a month that includes paying $13,000 for health insurance! What a crock!
And Don and Lucy both must be eligible for Medicare.
Why single out Lucy as not needing it?
So is this money paying for Medicare plus supplements? Or is this a second policy?
Bob, did you vote for this boondoggle?
Southie
Sorry, I didn't mean to single anyone, I don't know Don or know how old he is. No one on the committee should get any insurance. If they have to, give them each $150 to use on their own to buy insurance.
I would like to find out how the BPU is set up and why there
are so many fees and why it cost so much. It seems like a big secret. Like it's always been this way.
Time to weed out all the cronies and favorites.
Lucy was mentioned so that is what I referred to.
How many members are there?
Inquiring minds want to know.
Southie,
I don't know for sure how the insurance works for the PUC but I know my father-in-law is on Medicare and he buys a $700 per month supplement that covers everything Medicare doesn't. $700 per month times 12 is $8400, however that wouldn't apply to someone younger.
Out to Pasture
Maybe Mr.Stang didn't fit into the local out to pasture club. Funny that the Grey Mafia(Speak Easy cronies) haven't brought this up. Where's Vincent when the public needs him.
LLR
We are on medicare. We pay about $105/month for medicare and $114/month for supplement. That doesn't include eye or dental. We do have co-pays for office visits, hospital and prescriptions.
My mom is 96 and her supplement is $275/month and also has co-pays on prescriptions. She has had 2 hospital stays and 1 short nursing home stay and only had to pay around
$100. No dental or eye. But, medicare does cover one eye exam each year.
$700/month just sounds so high. It may depend on what state he is in. It must cover eye, dental and all health coverage. and must work for him.
Insurance is always a gamble.
Sadie,
I have to make a correction, it was $700 before his wife passed away so it is probably less now I would assume. It does cover everything so he never pays a dime for anything.
I have a feeling
I have a feeling that Bob is going to be more of "a force to be reckoned with" than if he was still on the council.
This is insane! The insurance
This is insane! The insurance benefits are 619% of the salary! Nearly all part-time jobs come with no benefits at all. It would seem that one meeting a month would qualify as being part-time. What makes this group so special and deserving?
I'd like to see the commission submit a statement to the Dispatch, to be printed, outlining what justification it has for its members to receive this outrageous compensation.
Thank you for bringing this to our attention, Bob!
I appreciate knowing whats going on, and getting small bits of information that I am sure factor into the appointments!
Seems to me it's time that someone that is best suited for the job gets it in this area! There is far too much "handshakes under the table" and people sliding their friends into jobs that are cush and that other people want and are more suited for!
Out to Pasture Club
Not hard to find out who is pasturing on this commission. Look it up on the web site and you folks come to your own conclusion. I'll start out with O'Day, Samuelson and then add Lucy? I can see why Mr Stang wouldn't fit in with his background and expertise, he might be over qualified! Have to agree with Trish on this one. Bob is only exposing what was once untouchable.
What a group
Why do they get any pay? Many of us do actual volunteer work on some of these committees and do not get paid anything even mileage. Then, we find out that they get some expensive insurance.
Why has it taken so long for someone to point this out?
I've asked city council members about the BPU and they act like they know nothing. Maybe they don't but, it is time to look into it.
The gravy train should stop, then we will see how many of them "volunteer". I suggest they are nothing but a rubber stamp for someone, I just don't know who.
Any of us could do what they do.
Not THE
Don Samualson? Hero of the Lefters and Union Boss in Brainerd for decades.......
ey
Right and that is why they call it "service" however, this is
not service when you get $150/month and any insurance.
It is thankless as I've done some of it but, I never expected or even wanted a thanks. I never went to the volunteer dinners either, as I just wanted to volunteer.
When people start calling you at home with all the problems, then I'd reconsider and not do it. If it starts to be a problem for your home life.
Yes but the real issue
When is mayor wallin gonna allow concealed/carry at the council meeting? The bedtime way to protect are freedom from tyranneasaurs. Sic sempre tyrannis! This is what the holy fathers chanted when they put the 2nd amendment in!
SMTN
Aitkin
Utility Rebate and Missing Copper
Sometime back in the late 80's or early 90's, Bob was responsible for free utilities for two months to residents of Brainerd thanks to his work either as Mayor or Councilman at the time. Correct me if I am wrong, but that was about the same time Sheriff Ball was investigating a supervisor at the W&L for missing copper and utility poles from the "bone pile". I always have meant to thank Bob for that and can't recall the conclusion to Sheriff Ball's investigation . Also at the time, one requirement needed to be hired for a city position, one had to be either related or know someone in that department. So cronyism and favoritism is nothing new to Brainerd, it was almost a entitlement to the lucky few who had the connection.
Follow the Money
Many Appointees/Electees don't need the insurance but get it anyway. Nice perk at the expense of residents and other employees. Anyone on these committees is certainly not going to kill the goose that lays the golden egg. A big Thank You for those that serve on uncompensated committees and to the majority that serve on any committee that enhances our area.
Wake up
This is not news. If you think this is bad look at our schools. they waste more money than the council.
so my question is when are we
so my question is when are we as citizens of Brainerd going to make it a point to be at the council meetings and keep our council members feet to the fire? (not to mention its time to get rid of Wallin).. However We should be doing that rather than just sitting around writing about it on the forums. See those of you who really (Brainerd city residents) want to do something about it at the next council meeting.