Woodland Development's Request

On Tuesday December 30th 2008 I had posted -http://georgewimmer.blogspot.com/2008/12/by-numbers.html which further broke down the financial issues we are facing as a City. I had the following paragraph that Woodland Development objected to:

3 more quick points... There would be no need for any of this if either the State lived up to its promises or if the delinquent taxpayers - especially developers- paid their taxes.

Mr. Carlson of Woodland decided to write a memo of complaint to me and copy the entire Council for reasons I can only imagine. The statement I made is true, if delinquent taxpayers did pay the City would not be in such a difficult situation. Some of our largest delinquent taxpayers are developers..... my statement did not say all developers just as it did not say all citizens or business or anything else. There is a line in Hamlet Act 3, scene 2, 222–230 that sums up my feelings about this leap of logic.

Mr. Carlson did call me several days later, which would have been useful before the memo was sent, asking to discuss his concerns. Mr. Carlson however had chosen to make a very public display, again for reasons only he knows, by sending a memo of complaint to the entire City Council. I have never spoken to or met Mr. Carlson but have met and worked with Mr. Westlund of Woodland Development on many different developments within the City. I have always been impressed with Mr. Westlund and have used Woodland and their proposed Farmstead development as a model project. I had also appointed Mr. Westlund to represent me on the Committee tasked with developing ordinances for the City under our new Comprehensive Plan.

I have offered Mr. Carlson the opportunity to place his letters of complaint here and he has accepted - with another letter written to the entire Council.... still not sure what he is trying to do with that. Of Course the last time a developer, Mr. Iverson, involved the Council in my blog my readership increased by well over a 1000% so it is not all bad. I did try to make the point to Mr. Carlson that my blog is personal and not a City funded entity but he seemed not to understand. I write the blog about City issues and I am the Mayor but Mr. Carlson the Council nor anyone else has the right to infringe upon our most sacred Freedom of Speech.

A past Council tried this before and was told it could not. That battle was at least based on something. Mr. Carlson seems to have taken a very large leap in logic and against all my past actions and words pertaining to Woodland Development as a good company.... But as I said I will publish his words -

Mayor George Wimmer
City of Isanti
110 First Ave North
PO Box 428
Isanti, MN 55040

RE: YOUR COMMENTS IN THE BLOG TITLED “WIMMER’S RHETORIC”

Honorable Mayor Wimmer,

I have taken the liberty of copying the other council members on this letter since I do want my comments to be taken very seriously.

I’ll start by saying that Woodland Development has been in business for 40+ years. I am the owner. Not once in those 40+ years has my company not timely and fully met its obligations to any municipality that we have ever been involved with. I consider our track record, and therefore our reputation, to be without a single blemish. I am not only proud of that but intend to keep it that way. Byron is now the principal from our office that represents us with the community and I can assure you that he feels the same. Let it be said that we are good corporate citizens of Isanti.

There have been times over the years when I/we have had to fight to retain our reputation and I have and always will do so. I believe that your comments in the blog titled “Wimmer’s Rhetoric” are slanderous to our company. I am not only asking that this be stopped but that you correct your earlier statements.

Specifically the latest comment in your blog dated December 30, 2008, is “3 More Quick Points…there would be no need for any of this if either the state lived up to its promises or if the delinquent – especially developers – paid their taxes.” I believe this is the third time that you have put all developers in the same rotten barrel rather than specifically naming perhaps who should be in that rotten barrel and which developers should not be which would include Woodland Development.

You will probably recall meeting with Byron Westlund on November 10th, 2008, and this matter of your comments in the blog were on that meetings agenda. I am confident that Byron did a good job explaining how important our reputation is to us; that we believe we have been and will continue to be a good partner/citizen for the City of Isanti; that certainly we need the city’s support and understanding as we work through ongoing land issues and finally, he asked that you end these misleading comments.

Obviously citizens that read your blog, including fellow council members, will not be as prone to work with us if they are misled by comments such as you have made. As far as I know, and surely you have the wherewithal to correct me if I am wrong, I believe we have timely and fully paid our real estate taxes in Isanti County going back to the very beginning through today’s date.

I don’t understand why you feel compelled to destroy all developers’ reputations just because of one or two “very bad developers” that may have been involved in your community. I ask for two things from you as Mayor (please understand that your blog may be personal in one sense but it clearly identifies you as Mayor).
­ Don’t slander our company any further
­ Make a specific correction in your blog stating that your use of the term developers not paying real estate taxes refers either specifically to named companies or specifically does not include named companies such as Woodland Development.

If you would please handle it as I am asking, then the matter is finished.

In closing, I want to make it clear that I am truly sorry that this letter is necessary. We do want to continue working amicably and cooperatively with you and the other council members and staff. It is our hope and intent to be a part of the Isanti community for many years to come. It is a matter of all of us at Woodland being just as concerned and protective over our reputation as I must assume you and all the other council members would be about your own reputation. I would also say that there are too many in the development business that are “less than trustworthy”. I hope that these slow times will drive many of them out of the business which would certainly be beneficial to the citizens, the city as a whole and we remaining developers. Thank you.

Yours truly,




Lary Carlson
sll


cc: Council Member Jim Kennedy
Council Member Jeff Kolb
Council Member Sue Larson
Council Member Ross Lorinser

His second letter to the Council:

DATE: January 13, 2009

TO: George Wimmer

FROM: Lary Carlson

RE: A RESPONSE TO YOUR JANUARY 9, 2009, EMAIL

In order to put an end to my genuine concerns regarding the reputation of our company, perhaps the most important issues must be understood by all concerned.

­ It is my absolute impression through discussions with Byron and from what I read, that you have in fact been a solid, hardworking mayor. Your efforts on behalf of a financially stressed community is commendable. I have absolutely no goal or wish to “go after” Mayor George Wimmer.
­ Woodland Development is admittedly in an industry that has more than its share of shysters. Therefore, having a good reputation doesn’t just help our conscience. It is a most important business tool. We need that tool at all times, not just from time to time, to operate a successful business. Our business philosophy is caring for the people we do business with and to always be open and honest with everyone.
­ Frankly, when you say your blog is personal, this seems to be a somewhat foolish statement. You are speaking as Mayor through that blog. For example, when you campaigned against Sue Larson you used the blog. You are talking directly as Mayor to the citizens. I absolutely commend you for having this blog. However, with it comes the responsibility of being quite careful of what is included. You have stated that developers are a problem. I think you would see quite a backlash if you stated that council members are the cities problem if you were actually referring to only one of them. Likewise, if you said farmers aren’t paying their taxes or city residents aren’t paying their taxes. The broad brush just doesn’t work and I think you know very well that is where I am coming from.
I have dictated this after leaving a message for you yesterday. Hopefully you will have an opportunity to return my call.

Finally, at this moment I can only say I certainly see no problem with publishing my letter to you on your blog. I also would ask that you clarify that your earlier comments were never intended to include Woodland. I believe this is a reasonable request.




Lary Carlson

sll
cc: Council Member Jim Kennedy
Council Member Jeff Kolb
Council Member Sue Larson
Council Member Ross Lorinser