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Tuesday, October 16, 2012

RAMSEY - A reply to an inquiry of the new QCTV manager, regarding who's on board. And who was on board at a point in the past.

Per an email, this is the current QCTV board roster:


My inquiry to Ms. George had two parts, current board roster, and roster for March-April 2011, when Sakry reported of the QCTV board reducing an equipment reserve fund the business maintained, via the four individual cities drawing down reserves pro rata, for in-city spending purposes; see also Crabgrass, this post. That earlier post includes commentary on the profligacy of over-depleting reserves for current spending, (questionable or sound current spending), while maintaining a fiction that current expenses were kept low so that tax levy impacts would be minimized - "no new taxes" - when the actual impression arguably is one of eating the seed corn.

I inquired into who constituted the board roster back then in spring of 2011, because I am curious whose bright idea it was to deplete QCTV reserves at the same time those making up a council majority were doing the same in Ramsey. And again the caveat, I believe during Norman-Gamec days reserves may have been built to a more than needed level; the question being whether now the spending without parallel taxing has depleted reserves dangerously, where a rating agency might, on review, decide that factor impacts bond rating for the City.

In the earlier post, I questioned the wisdom of where $40,000 seemed to have been taken from the QCTV reserves and thereupon spent for questionable ends. As if the ends might have precipitated the choice of means. As in, "Hey, there's money reserves elsewhere, let's raid." Again, this link, and the Sakry link, for her writing then of the contemporaneous spending.

_________CORRECTION__________
Relying on Sakry reporting, the spending in Ramsey was not $40,000. Sakry reported that 3/4 of the Ramsey "CIP" reserve account was utilized; $30,000 of the $40,000 on account. Also, it was not clear to me from Sakry's reporting whether the other three cities depleted any part of their own CIP reserves they held on account with QCTV. Sakry's report is what I relied upon in drawing my conclusion. If anyone on council or staff then would provide clarifying commentary, as needed, if Sakry in any way erred, such effort would be appreciated. From the spending reported, any Landform person with knowledge is also requested to consider a comment.