Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Fink Reminds Us He Voted Against the Adoption of the 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness

At their regularly scheduled Board meeting on Tuesday, July 6, 2010 Commissioner Fink reminded us that he voted against the 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness and continues to have "concerns" related to the costs of implementation of the plan. This was within the context of an item on the agenda related to authorizing an amendment to the current contract with the State to serve as a fiscal agent for the NE Minnesota Project to End Long-Term Homelessness.

Commissioners O'Neil and Sweeney pointed out that it costs more to provide services to people that experience homelessness than to does to provide long term solutions.

Commissioners Dahlberg and Fink indicated concern regarding the salary of the Executive Director of the Hearth Connection. Commissioner Nelson says "let the market" determine salaries. He is concerned about the amount of resources dedicated to serve a relatively small number of people.

After nearly an hour of debate/discussion the Board voted to approve amending the State contract. The contract will bring $736,009 into St Louis County.

WAW Asks Board to Address Comissioner Fink on Fish Lake Issue

Kathy Heltzer, WAW Spokesperson, spoke to the SLC Board on July 6th regarding Commissioner Dennis Fink's recent attempt to influence legislation regarding a "slot limit" for walleye fishing on Fish Lake. It should be noted that Commissioner Fink owns property on the lake.

Commissioner Fink provided information to Senator Chaundhary of Fridley, MN asking for him to "influence timelines" related to the DNR's position on these slot limits. The subsequent request to insert this slot limit language into the Natural Resources Omnibus Bill during the last legislative session resulted in an investigation by the Senate Ethics Committee.

In their investigation into the conduct of Senator Chaudhary the Senate Ethics Committee found that his behavior was “threatening public confidence in the legislature”. Heltzer asked, " Does this Board not have the same concern with respect to “public confidence” in the St Louis County Board?"

She concluded by asking the Board to consider addressing Commissioner Fink on this matter.