Zorro, I agree with almost all of your points about journalism. You are way off base in saying that the root of my displeasure is not in the cartoon. That is solely my point of contention. If the way that cartoon was used doesn't journalisticly and ethically offend you, especially with your experience, you miss the point. The fact that the administrator is silent on my questions on how this site is administered speaks volumes. This site may fill an information gap for this community, but it dominated by the opinionated views of a few.

I spent way too much time going back through this forum's past posts. All I can say is that I'm grateful I don't live in Ortonville. Allegations made of fraud, conflicts of interest, and financial misconduct paint a bleak present and worse future for the town. Funny thing is for all of the allegations, why doesn't the accuser (an officer of the court no less) get the Minnesota attorney general or league of municipalities involved? Lots of talk here-precious little action results from it.

Trying to Change the Topic?

I believe in good government. These are political issues not legal.

Just out of idle curiousity how many city council meetings have you attended? It is the city council that lacked accountability not this site.

Going in front of this city council frightened people and frustrated many of its citizens. A taste of rudeness, interruptions and a complete lack of compassion. In the 22 years I seldom appeared at a city council meeting. In the last six years I have made numerous appearances.

When I appeared I was mocked, threatened, interrupted, and shouted down. Everyone can have a different opinion but we need to listen. I am looking forward to more of your posts. You notice we have not stopped you from your posts. In fact, we encouraged you.

We need good government. Government that listens to the people, fulfills promises like the police referundum and spends money in a responsible fashion.

There is a political philosopher and historian Lord Acton once said "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

Checks and balances is the stalwart of our nation and the press has a duty to inform the public. The problem with the existing press is that large sums of money come from the government making its slant pro-government and holding government less accountable.

Mouthpiece, in my capacity as an environmental manager of a company
I've attended and testified at more city council, zoning commission and
planning commissions than I can count. The one thing I learned very
quickly was that if you go into a municipal meeting thinking that you're a hammer and everyone else is a nail-you often lose. It appears from your posts you've done plenty of hammering to little if any avail. To satisfy your idle curiosity-you won't see me at any Ortonville City meetings-as previously noted-I'm not a Ortonville resident.

LadyHawk-you lost me. Why would I need any judicial system experience to state what I did? Did I call on "Big Daddy" gov't to do anything? Are you telling me that when fraud and financial impropriety are alleged that nothing should be done other than to post on this site? Mouthpiece throws out the allegations-he's a knowledgeable and experienced jurist he certainly knows how to pursue them. I think it's a lot easier to call all of the issues politics and wait for the elections. If he does nothing about allegations but voice them on his bully pulpit-is that enough? It's laughable that with all the hammering he does on the current mayor that Mouthpiece is peeved that he wasn't invited to play a role in the debate. Maybe it's time to get off the sideline and run for office.

As far as administration of the site is concerned-I don't know how many administrators there are. Go back to mouthpieces responses to my questioning the cartoon. He refers to "we", I'd guess that means that there is more than 1 administrator and somehow he's involved.

Oh how forgetful you are. I agree with style making a difference. Mr. Horman was cleared by malicious accusations made by the Mayor. He then moved.

That is one of the reasons I am here. In this town when an employee wins and is right, the mayor did not quit.

The mayor ran a family out of town and has destroyed jobs, good paying jobs and claims to be in favor of EDA.

These are political issues. By the way, one of my resources represented 10 or more cities, maybe you know him. He was a city attorney for almost fifty years.

We can change this city to someone who is more cordial.

At the hearings I have named others have complemented me on my presentation. Sometimes you have to be aggressive and sometimes when you are treated correctly things go smooth.