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Comments on Gustafson letter

To the editor:
In his letter to the North Branch press last week, Chisago County Commissioner Bob Gustafson manages to pack three major mis-statements of fact into the first sentence of his letter. This is a record number of howlers by my estimate, even for a guy like Bob.
First, library supporters plan three, not four new libraries. Then, cities and towns will pay for their maintenance, not the county. Finally, staffing is paid by the East Central Regional Library system, where Chisago is chronically short-changed due to our inadequate facilities. These facilities have been rendered woefully sub-standard during Gustafsonís 15 years asleep at the switch on the county board.
As to other mis-statements Gustafson makes, courthouse repairs have already been bonded for as Bob knows but tells not. Every department head at the courthouse knows that next yearís levy increase will be half of what Bob prepared for us last year and which Bob neglects to tell us.
The July 16 library vote Bob now claims was ìillegalî was posted and mailed as part of that meetingsí agenda as Bob knows since he moved and voted to approve that agenda before the meeting, but which Bob neglects to mention.
The bonding for libraries will not begin to be repaid until at least 2005, so it in no way impacts this yearís budget as Bob well knows yet refuses to divulge, claiming it as reason for his library opposition. In his letter Gustafson simply seeks to blame others for his own chronic failures during his political career showing an utter incomprehension which he tries to project onto library supporters.
Bobís seat-for-life on the Chisago County Board is an embarrassment and a great dis-service to all county residents and not just on the library issue.
Voters in Chisago Lakes will need help from their friends in North Branch and elsewhere, however if we are to finally remove Bob from his life time tenure on that board
Mark Oberg
Lindstrom

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