Background: I earlier published the opinion that Jim Deal might have had the successful VA proposal based on having a more professional team involved; this link. The mayor noticed and sent an email questioning my position. I sent an email in reply, there was an exchange about "email tag" and official public data and the city website being the official information source citizens should be able to fully rely upon independent of having to talk to individuals to learn things. It was not hostile or uncordial, but the email exchange, I presume, triggered the request by the mayor to have the city administrator provide the pages, above. The pages contradict my presumptions in publishing the earlier post, (the part about the VA clinic whereas the remainder of the post was ignored by the mayor and the city administrator, or met their attention without any desire to pursue that part of it with me further - again, this link).
Now, moving on ---
The above published excerpt pages are part of some larger item. I have no knowledge whether the entire thing is online and accessible from the city website for citizens to read and weigh and form opinions about the quality of the submission made by the city (in competition with the winning Jim Deal proposal and other proposals from Elk River applicants).
I have acknowledged before and acknowledge again that Mayor Ramsey had worked hard on the proposal, and that getting the VA clinic is a benefit to Ramsey whether on city owned Ramsey Town Center land, or on Jim Deal's private holdings there.
It is good for Ramsey, for Anoka County, for veterans, and for the VA.
It was thoughtful of the mayor and staff to provide the pages, and it is appreciated as helpful to my clarifying an earlier misconclusion.
I wish there were such a promptly available and clearly stated paper trail on the Jungbauer SF 2500 bill, the idea of some kind of untried water recycling situation at Town Center and what risks for the city it might entail, what the publicly unknown or unpublicized total installation cost is projected to be if implemented, and whether city engineering professional opinion favors or is dubious about such a proposal.
Also something I would like to see equally prompt public response about from the mayor and others is how Landform was talking to some officials of the city but excluding others before the purchase of the distressed vacant Ramsey Town Center land, in detail, and how the situation of having some officials on council unaware of things arguably material to the decision to purchase, while it was being made.
All that should be so clearly documented. Connect the dots was not needed to promptly clarify the VA situation and should never be needed to clarify the questions about irregular procedures and documentation levels published by Ramsey on its website with regard to this allegedly trend-setting water recycling thing where talk of two million bonding or grant money has been public, at times, but hard to find as part of the normal course of city record keeping.
I do not believe the situation is any fault of the city clerk in not maintaining documents that exist. I believe it is much more the fault of those who should be assuring that documentation exists where it should.
It reminds me of the key evidence being the dog that did not bark in the one Sherlock Holmes mystery story.
Civic mystery stories are another matter.
__________UPDATE__________
There was error in posting the pages, page 4 being posted twice. Now the fifth page posted is the fifth from Ulrich. (The sixth page was intentionally left blank.) Where this team roster fits the grand scheme of what Ramsey offered and what others offered, is as closed a story, to my knowledge, as is the criteria set the VA used in reaching a decision. It declines to discuss decision making detail. Ramsey, to my knowledge, has declined to post its proposal.
Again, I solicit and welcome any information or corrections anyone has to offer. I especially would welcome any addiitonal paper trail items concerning Sen. Jungbauer's authoring and sponsoring SF 2500 this past session, and how Landform's use of Jungbauer time in its gaining and continuing its contract with Ramsey has unfolded. Specifics of inducements given to Ramsey officials in the course of Landform's initial contract and the cut over to flat-fee are welcome, from whatever source.
So far all I have heard is the Silence of the Lambs. It is deafening.