Anoka City Forum

ATC Foundation Take Note

The local newspaper in February printed a thorough article about the ATC (Anoka Technical College) faculty union vote of no confidence in President Anne Weyandt.

One of their concerns was hiring practices.

Mayor Bjorn Skogquist of Anoka was placed on staff about that same time.

The ATC foundation members and MnSCU hopefully will take note of these ongoing concerns. 

The following questions need to be asked and answered about this particular hire:

1. Was the job posted?  If so, when, where and for how long?
2. What is the job description?
3. How many applicants were there?  How many were interviewed?
4. What was the selection criteria?
5. What were the required educational qualifications?
6. What was the required work experience?

The ATC website, www.anokatech.edu/atchiresnewemployee , gives the impression of a job that was crafted for and offered to one particular individual.

This website calls Bjorn Skogquist "a Business and Education Solutions Manager".

However, general public knowledge has Mr. Skogquist possessing only a high school diploma.  The last HR dept that may have a file on him is Menard's.  He was a part-time flooring specialist there in 2006.

There is no public record of any business or education specific management training or experience.

Mr. Skogquist was elected in 2000 (took office in 2001) as part-time, ceremonial mayor of Anoka with a current salary of $8,817 per year.

Being mayor has no qualifications but resident over age 21 and a $20 filing fee.

The mayor presides at 3 evening council meetings a month and attends various public events in a figurehead capacity.

In council/manager govt., such as Anoka has, the mayor has no authority beyond his one public vote with no power to veto.  He cannot legally direct staff or make deals/decisions apart from the full council.

Being mayor is not an administrative, management or educational function.

The ATC hiring of Mr. Skogquist mocks Weyandt's new mission of "rich academic quality and rigor."

And it certainly adds credence and builds urgency to the faculty union's vote of no confidence.

Impeccable Integrity

When Hwy 10/Thurston comes back for a council decision, will Bjorn Skogquist be representing the City of Anoka or Anoka Technical College?

Maybe that's why he stalled it last time.  Some thought it was just his usual, irrational procrastination and indecision.

But maybe Skogquist hadn't checked with his new employer (ATC) for their position.

We'll just have to count on his impeccable integrity.

Casual Observer notes: "Like when Anoka Mayor, Bjorn Skogquist, was approached for a Chinese Garden site in one of our parks?. . . Windego founder, Bjorn Skogquist, stuck it under the foot bridge at the amphitheater."

Thereby disregarding staff, two advisory boards and the city council in a single act.

Skogquist thus continues to demonstrate his ongoing contempt for our form of government.

The city manager (keeper of the charter) has said the mayor can do whatever he wants.

It's as if there is no adult supervision whatsoever in ye olde city hall.

Rules? What Rules?

Jeff Weaver says-it's-against-the-rules-that-govern-this-body but let's do it anyway: Instructing staff to craft a letter of support for Anne Weyandt during Open Forum.  (Weyandt being the beleagured president of Anoka Technical College/ ATC.)

Anoka Mayor Bjorn Skogquist, aka new ATC employee, Bjorn Skogquist, guides it through by asking; What exactly do you need Madame President aka my boss-in-trouble-trying-to-smooth-things-over-without-changing-your-ways?

There is to be no public or even city council discussion. 

Casual Observer asks, "What about that recent 51-4 no-confidence-in-madame-president vote by the faculty union? The people in the know?"

So, a letter of endorsement and fiction is to be written.

Will Bjorn Skogquist, Mayor of Anoka, or will Bjorn Skogquist, Business & Education Solutions Manager, employee of ATC, sign the letter?

On May 27, 2008 these people (the mayor and his council) will be discussing some fine points of ethics and conflicts of interest. 

Real. Classic. Anoka Bully.

Submitted as a letter to the editor, but censored by Peter Bodley, Editor of the Anoka County Union:

ABC Newspapers printed an article 2-29-08 "Union goes public with no confidence vote in ATC president", Anne Weyandt.

The faculty union at Anoka Technical College had called for a change in senior leadership 51-4.

The article described years of concern over hiring practices and unacceptable, classic bully behavior.

On 5-5-08 Anne Weyandt appeared at Anoka City Council Open Forum.

She demonstrated her new policy of staff participation and shared governance.  One of the three staff who accompanied her was scheduled to speak for 10 minutes.  With no explanation she bumped him and spoke for 20 minutes.

Weyandt demonstrated her new policy of Respect by cutting and chiding a vice president of the college for not being able to read her mind as he advanced slides.

Another disparaging dig drew gasps and a clearly audible reaction from the audience.

Weyandt demonstrated her new policy of Openness by not recognizing her newest hire Mayor Bjorn Skogquist.

Skogquist, of course, being the moderator on the council being solicited for endorsement and approvals.

The mayor of "the city that matters most" having recently been placed in a job apparently crafted just for him at ATC.

A new policy of Openness may have revealed and acknowledged this conflict-of-interest-political hire.

Looks like same old, same old for the long-suffering at ATC.

Submitted by Linea Kirchner

5th generation Anokan

Rife with Conflict of Interest

Who does Bjorn Skogquist represent?

Recently, as an elected mayor, he was caught diverting interest in Anoka City Parks to a non-profit he founded and "helps".

He is also recently employed at the Anoka Technical College.

See  www.anokatech.edu/atchiresnewemployee.htm

The plot and conflict thicken as the individual (Dave Jeffrey) introducing Skogquist on this site is also a Ramsey City councilmember and is Skogquist's direct supervisor.

Anoka Technical College may have some serious "splainin to do" if proper hiring practices were not followed.

There seems to be no educational, business or work history to support what looks like a political hire.

ATC, as an educational facility, preparing people for the workplace, should have the highest and fairest hiring practices.