Issue of the week(2): Politicizing the Maplewood City News

If we all use our votes wisely, come January we can look forward to once again receiving useful resident information in the City News, rather than the self-congratulatory campaign literature we get now. Ms. Longrie and the other members of the council majority have co-opted the $4,600 monthly public expenditure to print and mail the City News to every resident household. This may have become easier once the publication's editorial board was abolished in summer 2006.

The May 2007 issue provides a recent example of what you pay to read. Mr. Rossbach wrote a short column briefly explaining the process for developing the city's Comprehensive Plan and invites citizens to get involved. Mr. Hjelle used substantially more space to attack prior councils, the previous city manager, Mr. Rossbach, Ms. Juenemann, the planning staff and consultants who developed the Gladstone master plan, the Police Civil Service Commission, the City of St. Paul, citizens who disagree with him, and the press. Mr. Bartol, whose candidacy had not then been announced, was praised. Ms. Longrie used the most space of all, including two pictures of herself, to tell us what a wonderful job Ms. Cave is doing throwing open the cable TV doors.

Perhaps the most disturbing example was the November 2006 issue, in which Mr. Copeland published a misleading chart depicting Maplewood senior staff as overpaid compared to other metro public employees. The article was subsequently used to demonize the staff in preparation for the reorganization incorporated in the 2007 budget proposal. Listening to the November 13, 2006 city council meeting provides a good example of this demonizing. Aside from the inherent disrespect for the staff he leads which Mr. Copeland displayed in the article, the apparent intent was to divide Maplewood residents. This was done by exploiting the resentment some people feel when they learn others are more highly compensated. Mr. Copeland only talked about salary cost. He ignored qualifications, experience, and productivity.

Using the City News this way is improper in and of itself. But it is also an example of an even larger problem: the council majority's habitual practice of ignoring the role of process in providing sound public service. Instead, they implement personal desires.

Behavior like this from elected officials is not what we mean when we say rule of law. The only way in a democracy to stop the council majority from acting this way is to replace the council majority.

Complete printable newsletter - Issue 2 [pdf]