Where is the money mayor?

As this mayor and clerk force the elderly and children to pay more, the issue came up in Mondays meeting that the EDA needed more money totaling over $30,000. Councilmen Berkner pointed out that the EDA was supposed to be self sufficient. Apparently the EDA has only a slush fund of less than $30,000 and have overspent their budget and need more.
When asked how to fund this sum the mayor sounded like a manager of a casino and suggested a number of ideas including the reserve and borrowing from the sewer fund. Councilmen Berkner held the EDA and the City Clerk responsible.
Other communities take a look at how not to conduct your business. Ortonville is a perfect example.

The mayor? Sleeping at the wheel?

I don't know that much about the EDA, but along with making loans to various businesses, isn't part of their job to collect payments on loans they are making?

It would be interesting to know the statistics -- i.e. how much in outstanding loans are there and how does the EDA plan to recovery said money?

Was there any mention of this at the meeting or has this been discussed previously?


nascargirl

There was a bit of discussion by some council members about the $35,000 to the EDA. Steve Berkner kept asking why the money didn't come from Fairway as it was supposed to help support the EDA. Steve Berkner also wanted to be sure that if the money was given to the EDA that when the money was paid back it first comes to the city.

There are other questions that should be asked. Like, why the EDA needs this money. It was supposed to be self sufficient. Artie Arndt boasted that the EDA has raised $500,000 in grants. See Artie Arndts email to City Council

My question is, if the EDA has $500,000 in grants why is it coming to the city for $35,000. Where is the money?

Another question is do you need the grant? If the EDA has $500,000 in grants then why does it need more? Is there a demand for it? Has the EDA used the money it has and they still have businesses in line in desperate need of loans? And while we are on that tack why don't these businesses get a loan from the local banks? Is the EDA competing with our local banks?

Is the EDA undercutting the banks in price? How can the EDA compete with local business?

My underlying thought is this, if the EDA has loaned out money to businesses and the businesses have paid them back (assumedly with interest, but even without they get the money back) then why is the EDA asking the city for $35,000? What kind of game are they playing? Where is the money?

Not long ago four different people gave me the same information within a weeks time. This information was that an email was circulating around town in regards to Mayor Blair Johnson and the Board of Accountancy newsletter. If you click here go to the bottom of page 3 on the left.

The actual Stipulation and Consent Order that this decision referenced to should have been on the same website, but for some reason it is missing and you cannot access the order. After some searching the actual Stipulation and consent order was located. You can view it by clicking the links below.

Stipulation page 1 , Stipulation page 2 , Stipulation page 3
Stipulation page 4 , Stipulation page 5 , Stipulation page 6


This still leaves in question what was Mayor Blair Johnson's certified public accountant permit censured and reprimanded for? What act or acts did this involve? What is this in reference to? Did this reprimand and censure have anything to do with public money?

Does this censure and reprimand have anything to do with the Cease and Desist Order that Mayor Blair Johnson received for the Eahtonka II.?
See: Eahtonka pg. 1 , Eahtonka pg. 2 , Eahtonka pg. 3 .

Mayor Blair Johnson was the treasurer for the Eahtonka LLC. According to the Ortonville City Council Meeting Minutes of November 5, 2007 (item 11.d) It was noted that Ortonville EDA was the single largest shareholder of the boat. See here.

What happened to the money the EDA invested in the Eahtonka? I made a request with Mr. Lang for the EDA finances and after a month he still has not produced the information. I wonder how long I will have to wait?

Makes one wonder what else the Mayor has done unethically if he does it in his own business and does not have a problem paying a $1,000.00 civil penalty and take an ethics class.

What else has the Mayor gotten away with under the operation of city of ortonville business UNETHICALLY? Can only begin to wonder and things just discussed as just recently the penisula project he was trying to push down the residents and certain councilmen's throats just to name one.

Keep up the good work Lady Hawk & Mouthpiece for keeping us informed and spending the hours digging up the truths and bringing them to the surface so others know about this information that does not make the Ortonville "UN" Independent

Bad things can happen to good people. I'm inclined to give the benefit of the doubt -- But it seems that if someone holds public office and has responsibility for public funds, then they would be very interested in making sure all the details of something like this get published so people know what happened. It's never good when things like this are 'discovered,' as if they were meant to stay hidden. It just doesn't send a good message or instill confidence.
In a case like this, the people have a right to the facts, and they have a right to choose to overlook them or act on them accordingly. It's called ACCOUNTABILITY.