Here is the lead page of the "special meeting" agenda, showing it was set for the Lake Itasca Room, not council chambers where the broadcast capability exists so that we citizens might be better informed of planned events and participants.
So in view of that, apparently, a non-televised "consensus" is all there was on this year -- Vegas. With the mayor and Strommen absent, and Tossey opposed, a majority consensus could only mean Elvig, Wise, McGlone [who junketed this year], and Backous collectively were that consensus. Vote or no vote, it's how it is.
In response to my email inquiry Tossey responded that he thought there might have been a different other meeting, he was not sure, but believed it possible because the interchange between himself and Council member Wise, as he recalled it, was a bit more heated and direct than is reflected in online minutes for the Feb. 21, 2012, meeting at p.3 and 4, (as set out in this earlier Crabgrass post).
Wise has not yet responded.
Strommen, so far, is the only other addressee of the email who responded, writing:
I don't think there was a vote. It was included in the HRA budget that was approved. I do know there was a work session to discuss who, how many, whether the city should have booth this year, etc. Unfortunately, I was absent from this session. I shared my concerns with the expenditure with Kurt and Heidi prior to the meeting. I was just looking this up too, and I think the consensus was to authorize 3 staff and 2 council members. In the end, only McGlone went from CC. Kurt, Patrick, and Darren went as staff.
By the way, as you've probably heard, I filed for mayor this week.
Well that is good news. Good news for Ramsey, the community and its people. I had not heard that she filed, but learning of the filing in the email was a pleasant disclosure.
Every council position up for reelection, any time, should best be contested, and by a credible alternative candidate (presuming Strommen does not end up as the only candidate filing for mayor, which would be okay too).
I am presently pushing a data disclosure request for documentation disclosure by the City of contracting documents between McGlone and the City, on McGlone's hauling contract. Whenever a council member has a direct financial benefit in and under a contract with City of Ramsey, it is most important to scrutinize such a situation to see if there is any hint of any irregularity.
I believe McGlone has been a gigantic disaster as a council member, and needs a bona fide challenger. I know of several very decent and capable people in Ward 2, some having indicated in private deliberation an unwillingness to pursue the Ward 2 seat, yet others, hopefully, will not be so inclined.
I contemplate waiting until around 3:30 pm or so on the final filing day and seeing from the Clerk's records who has filed in Ward 2. If there is no credible challenger I might file myself, for Ward 2, although I really would not want to do that. I would very, very, very much prefer some other sober and responsible community person, as a bona fide challenger to McGlone, would step up and want to help Ramsey move into the next year and onward under as sound a leadership set-up as feasible.
I believe Sarah Strommen would be an excellent mayor. Not doing things alone half cocked and without full exploration of possibilities, not confrontational in any way, but just a sound level-headed person for the job.
Presuming Strommen might win, it would only be helpful if she has ward and at large representatives elected along with her who could work well with her in looking at present things, and at future possibilities to do things as well as feasible and without rancor or discord infecting the process.