About Me

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I have served the City of Isanti as Mayor since 2007. We have accomplished great things together and I look forward to building on our success. United, we move forward to a better future. You may contact me at 763-442-8749 or e-mail me at george@georgewimmer.com.

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Poll Results



Rick Wegwerth 39%


Mike Streiff 27%



Steven Lundeen 14%



Kimberly Horst 12%



Adam Johnson 6%


John Booth 2%



Lets see how close the August Primary is to these results

I like Lawn Signs


Isanti County News Website back up Finally

Isanti County News is finally back up yeah!!!! 

County Board Meeting

County Board meeting tomorrow at 9am at County Government Center in Cambridge ... more questions being raised about charging per diems for so many meetings and even phone call meetings from home ... this just gets more disappointing all the time....


Where are the reports and proof of attendance that back all these charges up? When do we get to see all the useful information that our tax dollars are being used for? When will actual policies and rules be put in place at the County level that will regulate how tax dollars are used to compensate County Commissioners....

Monday, July 30, 2012

Candidates for local office should buy their signs and other items locally ... I have every campaign ... support local businesses

City of Isanti Pristine Audit Report

Here is the link to the City of Isanti's excellent Audit Report

The Facts of County Audit Report


The Isanti County News Article ... the County News Website is down or I would link to them

Elizabeth Sias
The State Auditor’s report identified some concerns regarding Isanti County’s 2011 audit.
Juli Mader from the Office of the State Auditor presented the Isanti County Board of Commissioners at the meeting July 18 with the county’s 2011 audit report of the financial statements of government activities and major funds.
The purpose of the audit is to express opinions about whether the financial statements prepared by management with the county’s oversight are fairly presented in conformity with accounting principles accepted in the United States, according to the Office of the State Auditor.
Overall, all significant transactions were recognized in the financial statements in the proper period, the report stated. The statement disclosures were neutral, consistent and clear, and no misstatements were identified. The state auditor’s office had no difficulties dealing with management in completing the audit.

Segregation of duties
According to the report, several of the county’s departments that collect fees lack proper segregation of duties.
“A good system of internal control provides for an adequate segregation of duties so that no one individual handles a transaction from its inception to completion,” the report stated.
Offices in the county that do not have sufficient segregation of duties include highway, sheriff and public health. These departments generally have one staff person who is responsible for billing, collecting, recording and depositing receipts, as well as reconciling bank accounts.
“Inadequate segregation of duties could adversely affect the county’s ability to detect misstatements,” the report stated. “Due to the limited number of office personnel within the county, segregation of the accounting functions necessary to ensure adequate internal accounting control is not possible. This is not unusual in operations the size of Isanti County. However, the county’s management should constantly be aware of this condition and realize that the concentration of duties and responsibilities in a limited number of individuals is not desirable from an accounting point of view.”
The state auditor understands that the county does not have the funds needed to hire additional qualified accounting staff in order to segregate duties in every department, but recommends the county’s elected officials and management be aware of the lack of segregation of accounting functions and implement oversight procedures to ensure the internal control policies and procedures are being implemented.

Monitoring internal 
controls/accounting 
policies and procedures
The auditor’s report also noted that an inquiry of county management found that significant internal controls of its accounting system have not been documented, and the county lacks written policies and procedures, including risk assessment and monitoring procedures.
“Without formal policies and procedures including risk assessment and monitoring procedures, the county increases its risk of fraud,” the report stated.
The county has begun to develop formal policies that will include these procedures, but due to limited time and resources, the county hasn’t been able to complete the project.
The state auditor recommended that the county continue to implement procedures to document internal controls in its accounting system, and that a formal plan be developed that calls for assessing and monitoring the significant internal controls on a regular basis, no less than annually.
During the review of the sheriff and jail departments, numerous internal control weaknesses related to cash handling procedures were noted, but new procedures have now been implemented by the departments.

Other points of discussion:
As part of the audit, the state auditor took a sample of expense reimbursements and credit card transactions to verify policies were followed.
During the testing, they noted that one out of five Wright Express card transactions included the purchase of a non-fuel item that was not supported with a detailed receipt. Original itemized receipts should be retained to determine the date, time and items purchased, the report stated.
Odometer readings are not required for Wright Express gas transactions. Active monitoring of fuel purchases is important and should include reviewing all fuel purchases for each officer and vehicle at least monthly, as well as calculating fuel consumption for each vehicle, the report stated.
A monthly review of fuel purchases may “disclose that public funds were used to fuel private vehicles. Requiring odometer reading and monitoring usage may deter abuse by the users,” the report stated.
Additionally, two out of eight employee expense reimbursement claims tested were submitted at the end of the year for mileage throughout the entire year. To ensure expenditures are being paid and reduce the risk of error, the Office of the State Auditor recommended the policy be changed to require claims for reimbursement be submitted at least monthly.

In other action, the board:
• Approved a resolution in support of a change in the affidavit of candidacy. Currently, candidates filing for local office must maintain residence in the district for at least 30 days, but the board feels “a serious candidate should gain residency significantly before this date.” It is requesting the Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC) Legislative Committee to add the issue to their 2013 legislative platform.



Channel 5 lead in says audit report used to play politics ... They called me ... This is funny

Watch Channel 5 tonight at 6

Watch Channel 5 at 6 tonight and hopefully the sunlight with shed transparency and correct issues that have lingered far too long

Isanti County News broke the story originally last week
I hope the internal controls of the county improve
Scandal at Isanti County! Auditor's report has damaging claims of County Commissioner misconduct & County credit cards used for personal use
How can the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency change permitting rules for cities without being required to notify those cities
$350k of renovations to Community Center will cost $17.92 per $150k of home value for 10 years ... $31.93 per $150k of commercial/industrial
1st day back from vacation and just finished 7th call from residents/businesses ... Added to other events this morning ... UFF-DA
If a candidate promises to do or undo something ... Ask the next logical ? ... How ... Wishing a thing so does not make it so

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Candidate Mike Streiff's Announcement


Mike Streiff – Isanti City Council Candidate 2012
“The Better Choice in 2012”


Friends in Isanti,

I would like the opportunity to continue serving the City of Isanti as a Council Member due to the different perspectives I am able to provide as a small business / commercial banker, small business owner, husband/father, and several year resident of Isanti.  In representing the people of Isanti as a council member, I am able to carry the voices of 99% of the citizens in each piece of legislation.  It would be an honor to continue as a participant in providing the blue print of Isanti for many generations to come.

In continuing as an Isanti Council Member, I would work very hard to carry the will of all residents in each piece of legislation that enters the council chambers.  I do not seek this office due to any hidden agendas or personal opinions that do not look out for the best interest of all citizens.  I plan to use good common sense in approaching all the work that is accomplished by the Isanti City Council.  My idea of common sense is rooted in long-term financial planning/budgeting and policies that make actual sense to the common person.  I believe that in order for the future direction of Isanti to continue to be bright for many years to come, the City Council will need to use good common sense and ideas that are fresh and new.  For example, I believe the Isanti Public Works Department could share many resources with surrounding communities as well as Isanti County.  The sharing of common resources could provide several cost cutting measures to the city in both the short and long term.

I feel the biggest issue facing the City of Isanti is the current uncertainty in the amount of revenues the city receives annually from the State of Minnesota as well as the city’s stagnant commercial and residential tax base. 
The State of Minnesota continues to hand over fewer and fewer of our tax dollars to local municipalities, thus causing cities such as Isanti to take a hard look at what core services are essential necessity to it’s residents.  I feel it is very important that the voices of all businesses and residents are represented at the Isanti City Council in deciding what city services are essential long-term to the city.  The City of Isanti will need to work toward little-to-no dependence on funding from the State of Minnesota.

The business tax base continues to remain stagnant due to businesses that are forced to close down operations and leave town, as well as a lack of businesses spending capital on expansion and growth into the Isanti area.  The city continues to experience high levels of residential foreclosures, thus plaguing the revenues that the city receives from the residential tax base.  The City Council will need to work very hard to continue to build up the business tax base as well as continued work in reducing residential foreclosures.  The current citizens cannot afford to pay any more in additional taxes, thus the Council will need to work hard to attract additional tax payers to the City of Isanti.  I will not support any legislation that will increase taxes to the citizens of Isanti, thus I will pledge to work very hard personally to bring in additional business to the city, increase the commercial tax base, and fine tune any unnecessary spending of all our tax dollars.  I have many years experience working with all types of businesses, thus I am up to the challenge of working as an active council member to attract additional businesses and residents to the Isanti area.

I feel I am most qualified, and the better choice for Isanti Council Member, due primarily to my extensive background and the perspectives it provides.  I grew up on a farm, which provided a solid background in common sense, the meaning of hard work, and personal pride in a job done correctly.  I have a college degree in business administration, which offered me the opportunity to take the everyday real-life experiences of operating my father’s farm and reinforce these principles with the knowledge I gained in a college degree program.  I have worked for a St. Paul based bank for the past 10 years, currently serving as Vice President, Credit Risk Manager.  In my current position, I am in charge of creating financial solutions for business lending customers in the bank’s footprint ranging from Lakeville, MN to Minot ND.  In the past, I also owned and operated my own landscaping company in Isanti.  Currently, I have had the opportunity at the will of the current Isanti City Council, to serve as a member of the Isanti Planning Commission as well as a current member of the Isanti City Council.  It has been an honor to help guide the direction of our city as well as the planning and zoning of this great city for the past five years.  On top of all of this, my most important responsibility is that my wife and I are currently raising 6 children here in Isanti, MN.  I feel my background as listed above provides me with a good perspective on what the majority of Isanti residents and businesses are experiencing on a daily basis.  My background will aid in keeping my hand on the pulse of both the short term and long-term needs of residents and businesses in Isanti.

I appreciate your support and look forward to continuing to serve you, the residents and businesses that call Isanti home.

- Mike Streiff 
All Council and Commissioner candidates that want their announcements posted on the blog please send it over soon
All Council and Commissioner candidates that want their announcements posted on the blog please send it over soon

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Candidates

Council candidates speaking in platitudes ... only specifics so far are from Lundeen/Strieff on Council and Kimberly Horst ... also like seeing Candidate Horst putting her thoughts into words at her blog site http://khurdhorst.blogspot.com/

Friday, July 20, 2012

Should a County Commissioner claim they are doing good work for charity if they make Taxpayers pay them per diems each time they show up?

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Isanti Fire District has improved their ISO ratings meaning better insurance rates ... We have the best Fire Department in the State

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

New Poll

New Poll on the Blog ... go to http://georgewimmer.blogspot.com/ to vote for your favorite Council Candidate running in the August Primary

7/17/12 News Coverage of Council Meeting

Newspaper coverage of the 7/17/12 Isanti Council meeting http://isanticountynews.com/2012/07/18/bmx-national-race-to-be-held-in-isanti/

Community Center Update

Went through the Community Center this morning with staff & CM Larson to detail the needed improvements & layout the process going forward ... I am also having contractor bids done to give us accurate information to the complete cost of the renovations. This will allow us to show the impact any levy increase vote would have. I have not made my mind up on the issue but I want to make sure all the information is accurate and complete for the voters.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Update

Tonight's budget session and Council meeting went quite well.... we achieved everything we needed too..... We had only one Council candidate at Council tonight and none at the budget work session ... I hope attendance improves... we have a lot of work to do ...

Monday, July 16, 2012

Budget Work Session

Going over the City Budget tomorrow night at our work session 5:45 City Hall ... My 2011 estimate for the 2013 budget was off by only .6% ;)

Monday, July 09, 2012

Everyone should let Brian Strike and Chamber know they did a great job with the Parade ... It's a great Community asset Thank You !!!

Friday, July 06, 2012

City of Isanti needs some DFL election judges ... We do not have enough to balance GOP judges ... We have 5 GOP & 3 DFL ... has to be equal

Thursday, July 05, 2012

Send your recommendations for Mayor's Choice Award for the best float in tonight's parade ... Text 763-442-8749 or George@georgewimmer.com

Tuesday, July 03, 2012

Not trying to scold but after a good showing last meeting no Council Candidates were at the meeting again tonight except for sitting members