Cliff Buchan
News Editor

Mike Robinson of Rush City is the new chair of the Chisago County Board for 2006.

Robinson was elected on a 3-2 vote at the Jan. 3 meeting and takes over the helm from Commissioner Bob Gustafson. Commissioner Lynn Schultz was elected vice-chair, also on a 3-2 vote.

Robinson won the post over a bid to name Rick Olseen chair. The nomination for Olseen came from Commissioner Ben Montzka of Wyoming.

Robinsonís election came with votes from Gustafson, Schultz and Robinson. Montzka and Olseen were opposed.

The vote followed a hard-knuckled attack on Olseen by Gustafson who distributed a blistering nine-point critique, explaining why he would not support Olseen for the job of chair or vice-chair.

ìHe (Olseen) has not demonstrated the leadership I look for in a Chairman,î Gustafson wrote. ìWhen an elected official publicly lies and provides false accusations against a fellow colleague, he is not worthy of being elected to a leadership position.î

The nine-point list contained a host of accusations against Gustafson that he attributed to Olseen. They ranged from accusations that Gustafson was conducting illegal activities to Gustafsonís duties on the park board.

He also criticized Olseen for voting in 2005 to remove Gustafson as county board chair while the state auditor was conducting an investigation into Gustafsonís private recreational association functions.

The state auditor found last year that Gustafson had broken no state laws.

In addition to Olseen, Montzka and former Commissioner Lora Walker were also listed in the Gustafson letter to the county board.

ìRick Olseen, Montzka and Walker illegally voted to put a moratorium on thousands of acres in Chisago County without notifying landowners,î he wrote. ìThere had been no public hearing. This issue was not on the meeting agendas and was passed about 11:30 p.m. after the public had left. This was a serious violation of the Open Meeting Law.

ìRick was one of the three commissioners who forced the $6.5 million, non-emergency bond issue upon the taxpayers without their input. He refused to allow the citizens to vote on it.î

The bond was utilized to construct three new county libraries that are part of the East Central Regional Library system.

County board pay

With the new year here, county commissioners are now in line to receive a 3 percent pay increase. The wage increase was passed at the Dec. 28 board meeting on a 3-2 vote with Olseen and Montzka opposed and Robinson, Schultz and Gustafson in favor.

The increase will push the commissioner annual salary to $28,237 from the $27,410 county board members were paid last year. The approval at the Dec. 28 meeting came with language that sets the 3 percent increase ìunless the commissioners refuse the increase.î

The pay increase will be a topic on the Jan. 18th meeting when commissioners will be asked to accept or refuse the pay increase on a roll call vote.

The 3 percent hike matches the raise for county non-union employees and officials. Elected officials will also receive a three percent increase.

That means that in 2006 the county sheriff will earn $88,237, the county attorney $86,485, the treasurer $65,047 and the auditor $80,514.

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