Anoka City Forum

Bjorn's Blunders Bleed Taxpayers

Bjorn Skogquist stayed a little too long.

Many of his blunders are now blowing up.  The cost is being counted.

Anoka City Forum's Short List:

• $186,000 was written off for 302 Fremont. Thousands more were squandered in legal fees and lost staff time.

(302 being the one thing 302 neighbor Aaron Barr will be remembered for since arriving in Anoka in 2002.)

• $100,000 -Skogquist helps delay Riverspointe.
• $500,000 each year delaying condo project by city hall.
• $1,500,000 in embellishments for downtown ramp.

It's unfortunate the taxpayers money that's been lost can't be divided up and charged just to those citizens who voted to put Skogquist into office.

Don't forget quality of life:

• Expanded liquor hours, expanded policing costs.
• Habitat houses + fence on south Ferry instead of nice townhomes.
• Fractious partisan politics.
• A reputation as a dysfunctional city.

That's just the short list.

Good Olde Boy Bjorn

In Bjorn Skogquist's dysfunctional Anoka things often become arbitrary and capricious.  Compare Gould Jewelry and CVS, two projects proposed for 7th and Main.

One is now built: Gould Jewelry Store.

• The other one, a CVS store, is finally in the process of going forward.

Gould had a dream.  But family jewelry stores are going the way of the dinosaur. Witness Hoff and J. B. Hudson Jewelry stores.

• CVS had a market study.

Gould's project was granted changes in zoning and several variances.

• CVS, (SuperAmerica-site owned by local family, the Dehn's), could have gone ahead and built their project with no special dispensations (ie. variances, zoning changes, etc.).  They were stopped by a moratorium.

And today Gould has boulders strewn in the sidewalks (not in any approved site plan).  A backwards fence (illegal).  And the building is unfinished.

The Difference:

Gould hosted events for both of Mayor Bjorn Skogquist's non-profits.

• CVS and the Dehn family only had signatures of scores of mere Anoka residents.

There's never been a good old boy like Bjorn. 

Distasteful New Low

Mark McGowan brought a much needed reality check on very specific issues about Windego Park Society (WPS), Mayor Skogquist's pet project.

The meeting 6-16-08 was a new dysfunctional low even for Skogquist.

Finance seemed incompetent. She couldn't answer finance questions but attempted an engineering one. The city manager was invisible as usual.  Erik Skogquist did a lot of sideways dancing with one reckless thrust at the end.  Bjorn shamelessly assisted his brother and moderated his baby. And yet strangely abstained from voting.

Dr. Rusin made the most sense to many people when he voiced his disgust, "just kill the damn thing. This thing has to die. Move on."

Freeburg had the clearest thinking and reasoned list. He characterized WPS as just another romantic, futile effort like Mayor Skogquist's scandalous loss of $186,000 on 302 Fremont.

Anderson actually joined the mob and proved himself biased and ungracious growling, "just go home."

Council could have been at least courteous and thanked McGowan for the important issues he brought to their attention that have perhaps been overlooked.   Council basically received a free feasibility study.

Mr. Skogquist, the elder, couldn't find his gavel when his groupies (and Anderson) were heckling and out of order.  And, in fact, as mayor he sincerely thanked that part of the audience for their outburst!

The heckling and then the deliberate libel/slander of McGowan at the very end by Mr. Skogquist, the younger, all seemed a little too coordinated.

One question is:  was the slander "due diligence" done months ago?  Or was it an attempt to dig dirt between the Planning meeting on the 3rd and the council meeting on the 16th to discredit a person?

It's the weakest, most desperate position:  Can't answer the issues?  Smear the man.

They say politics doesn't develop character.  Politics only reveals character.

Unfortunate Legacy

One of the many unfortunate legacies of King Bjorn Skogquist's reign is the diminishment of Anoka's volunteer advisory boards.

2008 was the third year in the smaller room at Greenhaven.  It's called a Board Appreciation Dinner. It is meant to be a recogniton and honoring event of the many citizen volunteers of the city.

It was a bad omen, a few years ago in the largest room, Mayor Skogquist said in his opening remarks, "People have asked me, why do you bother with advisory boards?"

After that it went downhill. This year and last only two retiring board members came forward (one each year) for their service recognition. 2006 it was painfully obvious we were broken when Bjorn read 10-12 names and none of them were even there.  How sad.

2007 the King himself left immediately after opening remarks. Basically saying "Nuts-to-you" to the whole room. 

He handed the program to his manager instead of mayor pro tem Mark Freeburg. Once again indicating the rest of the council was irrelevant.  He and his manager were the ones running things.

I remember Mayor Beberg was especially proud of the high rate of agreement of the council and advisory board recommendations.

Skogquist's record is all over the place to say the least.  He will totally ignore unanimous recommendations.  Other times he backs down opposition by saying we have to do this because of a board's recommendation.  Arbitrary and capricious seems to mild a description.

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Background research indicated that city manager Tim Cruikshank had very little experience working with Advisory boards or even Department heads when he came to Anoka.

That helps explain why these two key groups goals were not even incorporated into council goals in 2007 like always had been done in the past.

That's another unfortunate thing and Anoka's loss.

Community Interventions

The experts recommend:  "Pay attention to how council members are acting and progressing at meetings, use your vote to eliminate dysfunction and get involved in citizen groups to keep tabs on your council."

"There has got to be a group of citizens that are able to identify when things are starting to go to pot in their government and somehow put the focus on that."

Mike Gundlach's Prior Lake had 60 people attend their first meeting of Citizens for Ethical Government. The name of the group tells Prior Lake's story. Gundlach (recent migrant to the anoka political scene) was apparently a political ally, a lieutenant for Prior Lake's dysfunctional mayor. The machine boss era used the unflattering, but descriptive, "thug ugly".

Roseville fought their extreme dysfunction with an impressive website, much community activity and ongoing monitoring. Roseville Citizen's League at www.rosevillecl.org/  Formerly known as the Roseville Citizens Council for Fair and Open government.

Maplewood has just organized at www.maplewoodcitizensleague.com to challenge and change their dysfunctional dynamics.

They also have www.maplewoodmn.blogspot.com/ . Self described as "verbal cartoons about Maplewood city politics." This is a brilliant LOL (laugh out loud) read. It contains eerie similarities to Anoka's mess.

Historically, America had the Good Government Clubs (Goo Goos) that fought the corruption of the Boss era and brought reforms.

Hell to Pay

Currently there seems to be equal-opportunity-dysfunction in the City of Anoka. Staff, mayor, advisory board members all share alike.

Things get blurry quick once ethical barriers are broken by leadership.

On "Houston there is a problem" 5-03 post it was the planning commission in trouble. There is the question of no notice of meetings in the newspaper, no agendas and no minutes for quorum meetings. (Sounds like secret, limited access meetings to me).

Just imagine. . . if, instead of:

• Braun's Planning Commission. . . it was the Mayor's HRA.
• Gould Jewelry. . . it was Kaiser Homes. Exerting undue influence.
• Bjorn appt. Mark Jenson. . . it was Elvig and Schmidt being excluded.
• Main Street design. . . it was pre-1920 housing design. For example.
• Councilmember Weaver. . .it was Councilmember Pierce. In attendance. (Both of these men have every right to participate fully as stakeholders. But not to have undetected undue influence and access to meetings having been notified as a councilmember. While other Main Street stakeholders were excluded.)

Damned if they do. . .

One of our reluctant researchers insisted that Planning Director Carolyn Braun be notified of "Houston, there is a Problem".

Ms Braun was emailed this post on April 30, 2007. Subject Line: "Courtesy Draft for comment: blog submission and News Release". "Houston, there is a problem" was accepted and posted on the blog "Anoka City Forum" on May 3, 2007.

Ms Braun's only response to these issues has been to ask Planning Commission members to approve seven sets of fabricated minutes on June 5, 2007.

(There is no newspaper notice of this meeting either. They wouldn't be excluding public input and scrutiny deliberately, would they ?)

This Is So Bad:

Kerflooey Meetings

In the classic dysfunctional city you can expect to see extra and extra long and often unproductive meetings.  Advisory boards (HRA) begin to have off camera "work sessions" where they deal with the "difficult" issues. Also known as the wild meetings.

Some Commissions (Planning) start having excessive numbers of backroom, unposted-invitation-only meetings.

Minutes for meetings may cease to be kept. This began in councilmember Paul Pierce's time when City Manager Tim Cruikshank first arrived.

It's ironic, Pierce was supposed to be some history guy, and yet there is scant record of City Council work sessions while he was pontificating over the city. Agendas, but no minutes. As many as 30-35 meeting minutes just don't exist.

Now it's common, accepted practice. Witness Ms. Braun's Planning Commission and Star Planning Group.

No research can be done when no records are kept.

Ah, but your political options are kept wonderfully wide open. Meeting deliberations become open to anyone's interpretation or selective memory.  And there is no public record to check for the truth.

No historic record = no accountablility.

Minnesota Open Meeting Law would seem to require a record of deliberations.

"It is most unbecoming for law makers to be law breakers."

Who can you appeal to when the keepers of the law fail?

            ? ? ? ? ? ?        ? ? ? ? ? ?        ? ? ? ? ?

In Anoka, Mr. Skogquist, began the corruption with arbitrary, artificial deadlines. These deadlines become the rationale for abandoning due process.

Bring in the appropriate Greek Choir (landlords, sober house spokesmen, preservation junkies, Star Planners for Transit Village, Main Street design special interests: Frank Gould etc., etc., etc.) and let the bogus process begin!

In Anoka, susceptible staff soon got the hang of it and Skogquist could choir direct from off-stage.

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In Anoka, meetings have become a charade and in reality irrelevant.  The sheer number of them becomes the rationale to accept the orchestrated "results" .

One Outcome: the very nature and purpose of professional staff, independent studies and advisory boards becomes perverted. . .corrupted.

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Reference was found that volunteer citizen commissioners may be suspicious they are being stovepiped and marginalized:

"Chair Tom Fitzpatrick stated that Council should not direct the Planning Commission to make a finding before public input has been received.

He stated that the Planning Commission serves a quasi-judicial function which has a process of holding public hearings and receiving public input after which a finding is made.

He commented that if the City Council makes a decision before the PC has made a recommendation it is similar to a judge making a finding before holding a hearing." 

Planning Commission minutes 1-3-07

Stovepipe the Organization

A popular method of "management " in your average dysfunctional organization is what is known as "stovepiping".

It is a management model in which departments, employees and even advisory boards are constrained to isolated, narrow and rigid sets of responsibilities.

A good stovepiper controls all information and every city function. People and functions are separated. Suggestions, alternative opinions and especially: professional cross pollination of ideas are to be avoided at all costs.

In Anoka, the employee suggestion box left shortly after Mark Nagel did.

A city that once coordinated staff, advisory board and council goals will focus down to just individual councilmember goals.

Intimidation, threats, "loyalty tests" and "setting examples" of those few free thinkers are all effective methods used by the modern stovepiper.

Rocky insecurity is familiar and smooth collaboration is foreign to the stovepiper. Also known as silo management.

Propaganda and not information is set before councils and advisory groups to micromanage to the desired outcome.

It works wonderfully. . .for awhile.

The downside is that it is very stressful, creates crisis and is harmful to human beings.

The upside is that it is very stressful, creates crisis and is harmful to human beings. . .if you like that sort of thing.

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"Disregard for human beings is the first qualification of a dictator."   M. Eisenhower

"I don't think trying to prevent hurting people's feelings should be part of our political process."  Bjorn Skoquist

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Results from stovepiping "get you through the day" but do not hold up well over time.  That is usually acceptable because the stovepiper is not a long term, invested-in-the-community player.

They exist to facilitate today's politically correct agenda. They usually get rave reviews as someone who is very responsive, and can "move through situations to get the job done". Said of Anoka's Tim Cruikshank, too, by the way.

They are exactly the sort of manager a politician on the make would like to set him up for "achievements" to point to. . .at whatever cost to the community left behind.

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Details and standards are inconvenient: like whether 302 Fremont followed Nat'l Register Standards or not. Who knows? Who cares? Or the financial credibility of the rescue buyer. Who knows? Who cares?  The politician needs a win for his future campaign material.

Stovepipers can't afford to slow down to consider complete or contradictory information.

Inconsistent applications of standards?  Who knows?  Who cares?

No due process?  Who knows?  Who cares?

Open Meeting violations?  Who knows?  Who cares?

Help!

Special State legislation was introduced to break the impasse over Anoka's HRA.  Www.anokacountywatchdog.com noted "it is quite unusual for local, special legislation to be passed this way."  He's right.  It is quite unusual.

It is also quite unusual for Anoka's mayor to go on an independent and unauthorized lobbying trip to the State Capitol on this issue.

It is outrageous that he pinched official City of Anoka letterhead to use on his little field trip.

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What's going on is that Anoka is dealing with an out-of-control political adolescent. It apparently was felt that we needed outside intervention: "Help! Bjorn's being unreasonable again and we can't do a thing with him".

Lord knows the City Fathers gave it their best shot:

Father Weaver had him in his office for a long chat.

Father Rice even took him to dinner.

Father Freeburg held the big stick. . .threatening "we'll make your game field smaller and reduce the HRA back to normal". (He's still got a 3-2 majority of appointments).

Grandfather Anderson left it all to the younger ones to discipline the kid, much like real family dynamics. Grandpas are for fun, not for discipline.

The City Fathers got nowhere in four months, except more bad press airing our dirty dysfunctional laundry.

So, what's left but appeal to the State Fathers. . . We need help controlling this kid.

It used to take a Village to raise the fatherless boys, now apparently it takes a State.

Grampa Sam

Follow-up: The Anoka City Council regular meeting website agenda May 7th lists: RESOLUTION/ Supporting HRA Appointment Process Legislation. If this passes, the mayor is required to sign it (pg 112 of 128 of electronic packet). www.ci.anoka.mn.us.

Follow-up: It passes, but he refuses to sign it.  So he is now refusing to do his job. . . does that mean he'll be wandering off soon?

Electronic packet comment: It's odd but revealing that Speakman's letter of resignation from the HRA is to the mayor and copies Gundlach and not staff.

This supports the erroneous dynamic of "King Bjorn" Rich Goldman first coined, the fallacy that "the mayor runs the city". (Speakman's father was Corriveau's AA sponsor and Corriveau, of course, was a Skogquist/Gundlach "constituent" and supporter.)

Always Late- Big Deal

Follow-up to "Political Theater-Always Late" post . . .Regarding Bjorn Skogquist being chronically late (42 of 52 mtgs were called to order late), the following report was submitted:

Being chronically late is a big deal. According to employment experts chronic lateness can be a serious behavior disorder. It is damaging to a person's relationships, personal and work life. Struggles with chronic procrastination often accompany the chronically late. Self esteem issues grow from there.

The chronically late are perceived by others to be poor planners, undependable and inconsiderate.  It is generally unacceptable in every walk of life.

The experts note many reasons:  job dissatisfaction, resentment over salary and lax or no policy.  These people often want extra attention or need to be in control.

Tardy types also may be motivated by:

The adrenaline rush: "I'm late, I'm late for a very important date."

An ego boost: "I have so many important things to do. . ."

Perceived thrill of snubbing rules. (Nuts to them again). They have difficulty conforming to rules and structure.

Experts conclude:  Punctuality is a life skill of healthy, mature, productive people.

Chronic lateness exists only where tolerated by others.

Chronic lateness especially thrives and goes unchallenged in dysfuntional environments.

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What does that say about Anoka. . .

Hypocritical?

"Vote not for mortgage officers".  Candidate Bjorn Skogquist said that in 2004.

In 2006 Skogquist's running mate, Aaron Barr, was "vice president of mortgage".

Nothing hypocritical about that whatsoever. If you are that most hated/mistrusted of all the species: a professional politician.

"I seen my opportunities and I took em." Tammany Hall Boss. Nothing personal, no hard feelings.  Feelings have no place in politics, the way I plays em.   King Bjorn says so.

Never mind that Anoka, by it's founding document/charter states that Anoka shall have nonpartisan government.

Barr understood he was on a side with his talk of "crossing the aisle". (We're a five person council!) But Skogquist has, in fact, established a political party of sorts. Complete with political action groups: like Anoka Neighborhood for example and now Rivertown.

Brought out as needed for rabble rousing, mass bullying and unofficial candidate forums. Silent until needed.

Applicants to advisory boards must pass party loyalty tests or they are out. Like Bonthuis.  In the end she must have been a free thinker.

No room for freethinkers in King Byorn's vision of Anoka.

The real concern is whether he is an anomaly or the first of a new wave. How big of a problem do we have?

Legal Troubles

A common eventuality in the dysfunctional city is the emergence of various legal troubles.

Mike Gundlach's participation in Open Meeting Violation in Prior Lake was ruled to be so by the MN Supreme Court. Last month in Anoka's local paper a council member mentioned open meeting violations in Gundlach's Anoka HRA.    Old dog, old tricks? 

Reading the records on the Prior Lake case, one got the impression that the violation they got him on was just the best, most obvious to prosecute.

Mike Gundlach is the import from Prior Lake who landed on our HRA less than four months after hitting town. He went on to have his campaign literature for city council delivered tucked in with Skogquists in the fall of 2004. Of course his campaign signs were on the same properties, heavy on rental, with Skogquist. So much for non-partisan local govt. . .

Can a four month resident be expected to know Anoka's housing particulars? No, of course not, but he met the main criteria set by King Byorn: someone who will do what he is told.

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Anoka's mayor, Bjorn Skogquist, along with his first two sidekicks (Paul Pierce and Dori Schumacher) were investigated by the county attorney for campaign violations. The mayor gave this intriguing public statement: "The county attorney dropped it on my behalf."

That's a future research project. It would have been so much more comforting if he'd said something like, "It was thoroughly investigated and no wrong doing, yada, yada."  But he said, "The county attorney dropped it on my behalf."

The local Anoka paper has a policy to report on campaign fraud and violations.

But if they did so, we missed it.

Double Speak

"His ideas were half-baked and inedible". . .or were they?

Early in Baron Bjorn's reign (Mayor Bjorn Skogquist) the Union reported he said, "Anoka has to seriously consider establishing an EDA (Economic Development Authority) to compete with other communities like Blaine, which has successfully negotiated and landed several large developments because of their EDA."

Fact:  Blaine is 34 square miles with 1/3 available for development.  Eleven square miles is available for development.  Fact: Anoka is a total of 7 square miles. Fact: Anoka will never compete with Blaine.

In the same meeting - different manipulations: expanding the HRA from 5 to 7 with his appointments -Skogquist said, "Anoka had very little land left for development. . .approx. 1%".

What is the meaning of this double speak?  Was he really so ignorant or was he power grabbing?

If EDA had replaced EDC, Skogquist could have pulled additional salary and re-appointed all slots.  He stacked his deck further on the HRA, which also has significant monies and levy power.

Imported trouble

John Kysylyczyn, former mayor of Roseville, was back in town.  There was a John K. sighting at the Anoka City Council meeting February 20, 2007.  He and an unidentified cohort stayed for a meeting-after-the-meeting at 12:30 am with Mayor Bjorn Skogquist.

Anoka has not been without outside assistance in layering in dysfunctional attitudes and dynamics. There is Mike Gundlach from Prior Lake (that's another story).  And for the last six years there has been John Kysylyczyn (John K.) from Roseville.

As recently as December 15, 2006 the Tribune was reviewing his time as mayor (2000-2004):

"His term had been marked by lengthy meetings, battles over procedure, personal bickering, unexplained absences and quibbles with the city manager."

John comes off as very nice and personable at first; he's a Boy Scout at-large after all. However, researcher #7 gave this report: after 15 minutes she had to excuse herself as his language continued too colorful for a lady to forbear.  To his mother's credit, perhaps, he did blush mightily.

John K.'s time in Roseville was marked by ethics complaints and calls for his resignation.

Deer in Headlights

One common occurrence as a city sinks into dysfunction is that the "disease" becomes systemic. It affects the whole "family".

City staff hires become about "a good fit" rather than the most qualified professional.  They fit the dysfunctional dynamics. There are abrubt resignations and unfair firings. Healthy people leave. Functions often become fragmented and less efficient. The big picture of the city suffers neglect.

Advisory board appointments become about who  "will do what they are told".  Recruits that best fit that criteria are the newest residents.  They know the least about the city and can be told whatever. They know few people outside the machine/clique to balance or challenge the information they are being fed.

However, it becomes a great disadvantage to only know what you have been told.  Sooner rather than later you will be playing the fool. When the coach/choir director is not there with the cues, you're flying blind.  Sooner rather than later you will display your ignorance.

Just such a thing happened at the HRA meeting 2-12-07. Bjorn's boys: Joe Garrick, Aaron Barr and Mike Gundlach were stumbling over themselves on the fire suppression program details. . .they looked like deer in headlights. None of them had a basic working knowledge of Anoka's relatively small downtown. Nor had any of them studied the packet unto comprehension.

Duck and Cover

The 2-2-07 Union article was indefinite as to who exactly is dysfunctional.  Clearly, the people in charge who have been there for the past six years are the mayor and his assistant, the city manager.

The buck really has to stop with these two.

They are the architects of Anoka's dysfunction. Everyone else on the council is just too new. Freeburg has been on longer, but the dysfunction dates back to this current mayor and his manager, not to previous councils.

What really affects the health of a city, it's bond rating and reputation are governance and management. One of these alone going south is surmountable, but both?

It's kindof amusing to see the dysfunctional Mayor/Manager team dodging and bobbing so the buck of dysfunction isn't laid squarely at their feet.

The only thing left to bet on is who will pull a double cross first?

-Tough Henry.

Newspaper Headlines: A Shabby History

Skogquist Snaps, Flings Allegations/  shameful behavior or campaign performance?

Cruikshank, Brooklyn Center City Manager Finalist/  second attempt to escape

Moratorium: A City Divided Upon Itself?/   political plank set-up for 2006

Skogquist Shot Down, Loses Bid For Moratorium/  gains supporters, wrangles for downzoning

Greenhaven Golf Pro To Go: Citizen Tees Off Against Council, Manager/  unfair firing

Future Locked Up In Historic Preservation?  More homeowners rights assigned to government

Anoka Lends $485,000 for 302 Fremont/ Skogquist defends his appts. and unprecedented amount

Owner 302 Fremont Doesn't Meet Deadline/ HRA acknowledges no-win default situation/foreclosure waiting to happen