As we near the new year, we would like to wish everyone a safe and Merry Christmas and A prosperous New Year.
Uh, why ain’t the attorney workin on this to-do list? She gave that final, FINAL notice an theres still four weeks left till thd end a the year. How much we be payin her a month anyways?
I have visited with the Town Attorney and she is working on some of the towns issues. She has submitted her resignation effective 31Dec 2017, but there is a chance that she would be willing to continue. We are awaiting her decision and are hopeful that she will agree.
As most Attorneys charge at the very least $100-$150 and hour, we are very fortunate to have an Attorney that charges us much, much less to represent the towns legal issues.
As of this date , she earns less than $10,000 per year, that amount does not even begin to cover gas, mileage and extra research that she does.
We have recently expended almost twice her monthly wages just in newspaper ads .
This can’t be real. Stay for what? Why? Cry the atty a river. I don’t see this at all.
As we visited with the Town Attorney recently, we learned that there several untruths that caused her to submit her resignation. Personally I do not like these tactics . Being honest and above board with the public, the Council and the employees is essential to good government. Several suggestions were made at budget workshops on cutting costs to the town, but the Town Attorneys position was NOT part of that conversation.
We have wasted money on ads for that position, when it was not needed. If we had been aware of the reasons behind her resignation , at the time, all this could have been avoided. I for one, am tired of ex parte meetings and figuring ways to gum up the process. The Mayor, Council and employees are to be held to a higher standard and should pride themselves in doing just that, they work for the taxpayers of this town and should keep that in mind.
My hope is that the new leadership will work cohesively and intelligently to do what is best for the community. It is also my hope that the employees want that also. Changes need to be made in order to preserve and save for the betterment of Fromberg.
What about the barley fiield sale? Was this not scewed up from the start? Oh I just interpret the law, I don’t make the law, my name is Ralph Freeman. I make the laws. And I do what ever Rich tells me to do. Get rid of these fools.
It would seem that Hope Freeman, Attorney at Law, having been hired by the Town of Fromberg, would be aware of all specific procedures she should follow. Freeman’s actions speak loudly. The advice she gave in her official capacity in several key Town of Fromberg decisions had a huge impact. She should be held accountable for those suggestions. Attorneys are hired to interpret the law. A big part of their job is to stand firm; to not be intimidated by rumor or innuendo or even threats. If someone is trying to unduly influence an attorney, they have the right and responsibility to advise their employer. If said conversation with the Mayor was unsatisfactory, the next logical step would be to contact the Fromberg Town Council. An attorney should be well versed in “chain of command” protocol. Choices do indeed have consequences.
Scott Advocate:
As stated previously, that barley field has been in the ownership of the town for about 23+ years. The Town of Fromberg had many chances to do something with it, to possibly generate revenue for the town. But , not only lack of funding and very little vision and lack of initiative, it has been and continued to be just a piece of land. Now, someone expressed an interest in that land and we (including me) , were all hot to hold onto it.
No one, but no one ever came forward with a viable idea or funding to do anything at all with it. Some ideas were brought forward on how to utilize the land, and how to fund it , over time, but those ideas were moot at that point. Perhaps if more people in the community had voiced concern we could be making plans now. Again, not enough voices .
Yes, the whole process of selling the property was screwed up and that was addressed, many times and at many meetings. Now, Hope freeman is hired to interpret the law, she is after all, doing what she was hired to do. I have at times challenged and questioned her interpretations, and after speaking to many, many State Officials about this issue, was assured that she was indeed doing her job.
Mr. Dawson is gone and Mr. Anderson is gone, it is a new year, let’s stop beating a dead horse and start putting our efforts towards a better Fromberg. Continued focus on the past and continually dredging up it up will not help us move forward.
These issues have been discussed with the attorney, and as stated, there were some things relayed to her that were patently false and she is aware of that. The law says that we are not mandated to have an attorney, BUT.. it is recommended to have one on staff. Right now, with the budget and others things on our plate, Hope Freeman is a good choice, not because the price is right, but because she knows her job.
So, let us stop looking to the past and focus on the future.
While all of these statements are accurate , I feel that the Town Attorney trusted the statements that were made to be true. Her reaction to my rebuttal was one of shock and surprise. Honesty runs both ways, and there are times when even those who put their trust in others can be deceived.
As cuts were brought into the conversation during budget sessions, she had no reason to believe otherwise. In other words, trust was afforded by a person put in authority as an elected official . Again, the idea was planted, that the council (or I should say me) was looking to replace the attorney position, which was completely false, as that position was not brought up. There was not a reason for the attorney to doubt or to seek explanation from the council. I am sure that some of the decisions made on resolutions or ordinance, were due to the wishes of some and even partially composed by some, but the legal advise given on any decision was researched and a history in the law. (MCA) The” Party Events” ordinance was one, and that wording had a lot to do with certain persons who were adverse to business’ that serve liquor and people who imbibe. It also had a lot to do with personal opinions of the Law Enforcement office and discourse with those business owners. BUT.. that can be amended or changed according to MCA. The Town Attorney was acting in accordance of what she felt was wanted by the Town , at the time.
We are past that now and it is time to start anew. There isn’t any future in the past and we can only learn from it and move forward in a more reasonable and cohesive way.
Would not an atty know if something was not right? How can someone schooled in law claim they were lied to and not say a word? This is weak at best. All the years I have witnessed this continued complicity with a corrupt way of doing things. Is this what we should continue with? Does dumb as a brick apply? There have been so many laws broken with this atty’s ok it makes me want to puke.
Honesty only runs one way, and that’s with the truth. It is not a 2 way street. The judge is not a judge, only a justice of the peace, the cop is not a police chief. Am I a king cause I say so? The atty quit 2 times. You are just now finding out why. Not too above board, not someone I would want to represent me, let alone a whole town.
Scott Advocate:
#1. We were all lied to. And just because you are employed or sit on a council seat , does not mean you are privy to everything.
#2. As we found out, recently, she was not aware of this untrue statement. And we were just as dumbfounded by the revelation.
#3. I am not defending the way some things were done. But I would ask you to make a list of laws that were broken and state specific laws.
As you and I both know, there are many times when we all wanted to vomit. BUT, again, can we prove laws were broken in the process??? No, all we have is opinion. Did anyone who had a run in with the former police officer come forward with depositions, witness’ to the action taken? No???
And, yes, we only recently learned the reason for the resignation!!!! Why shouldn’t she believe what she was told? It is not her job to come to the council for an accurate statement. She was not sitting in on the budget sessions, when this supposedly was said.
We have to work together, fighting each other is not going to help one bit.
Hope Freeman, Fromberg Town Attorney is a member of the Montana State Bar. Attorneys not only interpret law but also guide their clients through legal processes using known successful procedures. Attorneys should be well aware of their rights and responsibilities. We assume the Town Attorney had the means and knowledge necessary to seek an appropriate answer to any potential changes in her employment status. Attorneys should stand firm in their knowledge of the law and not allow outside influences to sway them. What has come before does indeed affect the future. These types of incidents leave constituents with a bad taste in their mouth. We need true change and not just not more of the same. Town Attorney Hope Freeman should not get a free pass. As a member of the Montana State Bar, she is certainly held to a higher standard.
The Attorneys contract will come up at the council meeting Jan 8, anyone who feels this strongly about retaining her, should attend to voice their opinion. Keeping in mind that these issues have been discussed with her. You can also get in touch with your councilmembers and voice your opinion.
It is after all, their decision to retain her or not. I have absolutely no vote in this matter. The Town Attorneys’ job is to interpret the laws, if there was any wrong doing in any way, then it needs to be submitted to the States Attorney General with specifics and proof.
I am sure she does have knowledge and means to seek appropriate answers to any changes in her employment, but the fact is, is that she did not see a reason to question the statement made to her.
Mr. Nottingham and I made it a point to visit with Mrs. Freeman while in Red Lodge. She was informed of the concerns at that time. She was willing to send a draft of her contract to be considered. The position was not promised to her. Mr. Nottingham, at the time was satisfied with her answers and both of us were made aware of the circumstances surrounding her resignation. We were willing to review the contract and give her a chance.
Not once did I or anyone else at the council meetings hear anyone question her ability to give legal advise to the town, nor did anyone question her bias or lack thereof. If everyone was so concerned , why weren’t those voices heard?? It’s trying to put out the fire after the barn has burned down.
Admin:
Agreed, Attorneys do interpret the law and some also have used certain procedure to guide the client. We can not “assume” (and you know what that means) that she had the necessary means to seek any answers from council on decisions about the budget. It falls to the executive officer of the town to discuss changes made during the workshops. In this case, , the discussion relayed was untrue. There have been many things relayed to employees about what was discussed at these sessions and all were skewed to make “one councilperson” lose the trust of employees. The reasons behind these misinterpretations are not a mystery. I confronted employees about these statements and offered to bring up and confront the Mayor at that time. I was told that if it was brought up, they would lose their jobs. This in itself is a huge lawsuit, but they preferred to keep their mouths shut.
Should we as a council, brought it up? probably, but it was left up to the employees concerned whether or not, to voice their concerns.
The past does indeed affect the future, but , the future does not have to predict and endorse the actions of the past. There are such things as discussion, questions and answers. Some have come to council meetings for years and made their concerns heard, others have only recently started to attend, usually because of the actions of one person. The specific duties of the Town Attorney are clear in MCA 7-4-4604. There are legal ways to bring about changes.
This brings to mind the “Special Events” Ordinance/Resolution. We all we quite aware that Mr. Dawson and the mayor had a hand in the wording. We are all aware that the document was not made available to “some” of the council until the meeting, as are many other pieces of information, BUT, we can change, amend or rescind . Mrs. Freeman was given an outline of that document and put it in legal context. Was she influenced in any way?
We don’t know that as fact. Again, if people feel that these inequities have been going on for years, where were the voices, the outrage, the demand for answers?? We need to act on fact, not hearsay.
I will do my best, as will the council, to take into consideration any and all concerns. The best place for anyone to bring up those concerns, is at the official council meetings , where questions can be asked and answered. If anyone has a better choice in mind to fill the attorneys position, that falls within our budget, please make them available.
I will be in the office at City Hall on Tuesday afternoon , Jan 2,2018 between 2pm and 4pm, if you have any questions.
An the barley field fiasco? Didn’t Lady Attorney put her ok on that evera step a the way? so professional, NOT!! Be some lawsuit ovr that un. Sounds like washinton dc ta me!
git real:
The Attorney did not put her ok on the barley field. She stated the law. I looked at every MCA I could find. I felt the process should have been done differently, but there is no law stating it had to be. Billings passed a Resolution pertaining to the sale of city owned properties, but it only applies to Billings. I argued very hard for the town to go about the process ethically, but ethical is not the law.
Shirley Miller, you were the one that made the motion that finalized the sale of the Barley Field. It is a well known fact that we should always remember history as it often repeats itself. So your actions are resembling our former mayor. Which gives us all cause to wonder where we are headed.
Anonymous:
Yes, I did make a motion to accept the sale of the barley field. If you were at that meeting, you will remember that the Mayor recused himself from the vote, which would’ve let the whole thing die. BUT, he then changed his mind and decided to have a vote, knowing he could break the tie and push the sale forward. That being a factor and knowing it would happen no matter what the vote was, led me to make a decision at the time, that I will always regret. I fought hard for the barley field to stay in town ownership, something you seem to forget now.
I do not believe that my action is starting to resemble that of the former Mayor and if there is cause to wonder, take up a petition and ask me to resign. I have been on the council for close to three years, I have challenged and questioned to no avail. Where were all the voices of support then? I did not hear anyone speak out, except for the few who attend council meetings regularly.
A Point of Fact. As evidenced by YouTube videos posted on this site, several persons at several different times did indeed try to bring items up of concern. They were summarily shut down by Mayor Richard Anderson.
The former Mayor is not the Mayor anymore. If concerns are voiced, they will be heard and answered. We may not have a ready answer at the time, but one will be found and it will be addressed in a timely manner.
the.fromberg.advocacy.com opening statement reads: “Strenghening our Community! Through Open Forum Discussion. Join Us!”
We practice the 1st Amendment which states in part: “Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right…to petition the Government for a redress of grievances”. On this site, anyone is allowed to express their opinion without fear of castigation. It seems to be one of the few places where this is allowed. With specific regard to a few statements made recently we offer the the following:
To: “We have to work together, fighting each other is not going to help one bit”, We offer “Those unable to catalog the past are doomed to repeat it.” Lemony Snicket
To: “Did anyone who had a run in with the former police officer come forward with depositions, witness’ to the action taken?” We offer: “As per the POST investigation, several people did”.
To: “As we found out, recently, she was not aware of this untrue statement”, We offer: Our 9.21.2017 post entitled: “Fromberg Town Attorney Ad to Run 10 Times in Carbon County News?” Is 3 plus months a long enough time span to question one’s employment status?
To: “but ethical is not the law”. We offer: It is our hope The Fromberg Mayor and Town Council would strive toward ethics and not merely the Letter of the Law.
To: “It’s trying to put out the fire after the barn has burned down”, We offer: After-the-Fact-Legislation has oftentimes been instrumental in preventing such occurrences from re-occuring.
Admin//:
The past has been cataloged.. And I still say, fighting one another is not helping. The questions posted on this site are all valid concerns and have been noted.
My question as to the local law enforcement officer, was a question put forth as to these items being brought to the Mayor and council.
The POST complaints came some time after the Mayor did not take action. You seem to forget that one person took the initiative and perseverance to get involved, write letters and contact State Officers by phone and in person, to find some resolve for a person who had had a crime committed against her, with no answers coming forth. With that , came an Advocacy Group and another person who carried the ball forward.
Having an ad in the paper for consecutive weeks or months does not constitute “questioning” ones employment status. The resignation had been submitted and there was no reason for her to question anyone other than the Mayor.
There is a Law of Ethics and there is MCA.. We will indeed strive toward ethics including the law. Being ethical is a moral obligation to oneself and others, My ethics and principals are intact and will remain so. If a time comes and I feel I have not lived up to those principals, I will gladly step aside.
I have a list , as do other council members to write Ordinances/Resolutions to address these situations. Any other suggestions are very welcome.
We will have to have special meetings/workshops to discuss these matters, and as you have to specify what will be discussed at that meeting (with nothing else on the agenda) it could take several meetings.
One last question…. If everyone is so concerned about how the town will be run… why were there only two people on the ballot for the Mayors position???? I will NOT run this town with an agenda . Changes will be made, with the consent of the council, the town in its entirety, and responsible legal advise. I will not play favorites to anyone, I will adhere to my principals and do everything I can to fulfill the oath of office .
“Kites rise highest against the wind, not with it.” Winston Churchill
Having revisited these comments, I have to say that while I feel all are valid concerns, I feel sufficiently blistered from being raked over the coals and I am not even officially the Mayor yet.
In the words of one elected councilperson, “It will be red for a few months.” Everyone is determined to bring much needed changes and we all realize that there will be heat generated towards us. But continued turmoil is not the best way to achieve these goals.
I have heard phrases like “we were thrown under the bus”… when the problem with that statement is that the bus was pretty much empty.
we are trying to figure ways to save money in the budget and still keep town services flowing nicely. There is a lot of work ahead and it would be nice to be able to get it done without constant turmoil and discontent.
That being said, questions and concerns are welcome to be heard. But please be specific and state clearly those concerns. Let’s not go off on a tangent and half cocked.
Your comments on this site are valued and give one something to think about, and I thank those who have taken the time to bring them forward.
To Admin//:
Be advised that the dates on the site are way off. My comment was made at 10:25 pm, Dec 31, 2017… not 6:51 am, Jan 1, 2018. Just sayin
A Point of Fact. This site is posted via Host Gator. They have several servers worldwide. the.fromberg.advocacy.com is powerless over the date stamp on whichever undisclosed server is being used. Changes however are made in real time. We are a privately funded, volunteer organization. An approximate 8 hour date time stamp difference seems minimal with all the other challenges facing us.
Admin://
Thank You… Was not aware of that fact, and noted it. Please note that I will be available to anyone who wants to speak with me about anything, Tuesdays and Thursdays between 2 and 4pm every week.
As we near the new year, we would like to wish everyone a safe and Merry Christmas and A prosperous New Year.
Uh, why ain’t the attorney workin on this to-do list? She gave that final, FINAL notice an theres still four weeks left till thd end a the year. How much we be payin her a month anyways?
I have visited with the Town Attorney and she is working on some of the towns issues. She has submitted her resignation effective 31Dec 2017, but there is a chance that she would be willing to continue. We are awaiting her decision and are hopeful that she will agree.
As most Attorneys charge at the very least $100-$150 and hour, we are very fortunate to have an Attorney that charges us much, much less to represent the towns legal issues.
As of this date , she earns less than $10,000 per year, that amount does not even begin to cover gas, mileage and extra research that she does.
We have recently expended almost twice her monthly wages just in newspaper ads .
This can’t be real. Stay for what? Why? Cry the atty a river. I don’t see this at all.
As we visited with the Town Attorney recently, we learned that there several untruths that caused her to submit her resignation. Personally I do not like these tactics . Being honest and above board with the public, the Council and the employees is essential to good government. Several suggestions were made at budget workshops on cutting costs to the town, but the Town Attorneys position was NOT part of that conversation.
We have wasted money on ads for that position, when it was not needed. If we had been aware of the reasons behind her resignation , at the time, all this could have been avoided. I for one, am tired of ex parte meetings and figuring ways to gum up the process. The Mayor, Council and employees are to be held to a higher standard and should pride themselves in doing just that, they work for the taxpayers of this town and should keep that in mind.
My hope is that the new leadership will work cohesively and intelligently to do what is best for the community. It is also my hope that the employees want that also. Changes need to be made in order to preserve and save for the betterment of Fromberg.
What about the barley fiield sale? Was this not scewed up from the start? Oh I just interpret the law, I don’t make the law, my name is Ralph Freeman. I make the laws. And I do what ever Rich tells me to do. Get rid of these fools.
It would seem that Hope Freeman, Attorney at Law, having been hired by the Town of Fromberg, would be aware of all specific procedures she should follow. Freeman’s actions speak loudly. The advice she gave in her official capacity in several key Town of Fromberg decisions had a huge impact. She should be held accountable for those suggestions. Attorneys are hired to interpret the law. A big part of their job is to stand firm; to not be intimidated by rumor or innuendo or even threats. If someone is trying to unduly influence an attorney, they have the right and responsibility to advise their employer. If said conversation with the Mayor was unsatisfactory, the next logical step would be to contact the Fromberg Town Council. An attorney should be well versed in “chain of command” protocol. Choices do indeed have consequences.
Scott Advocate:
As stated previously, that barley field has been in the ownership of the town for about 23+ years. The Town of Fromberg had many chances to do something with it, to possibly generate revenue for the town. But , not only lack of funding and very little vision and lack of initiative, it has been and continued to be just a piece of land. Now, someone expressed an interest in that land and we (including me) , were all hot to hold onto it.
No one, but no one ever came forward with a viable idea or funding to do anything at all with it. Some ideas were brought forward on how to utilize the land, and how to fund it , over time, but those ideas were moot at that point. Perhaps if more people in the community had voiced concern we could be making plans now. Again, not enough voices .
Yes, the whole process of selling the property was screwed up and that was addressed, many times and at many meetings. Now, Hope freeman is hired to interpret the law, she is after all, doing what she was hired to do. I have at times challenged and questioned her interpretations, and after speaking to many, many State Officials about this issue, was assured that she was indeed doing her job.
Mr. Dawson is gone and Mr. Anderson is gone, it is a new year, let’s stop beating a dead horse and start putting our efforts towards a better Fromberg. Continued focus on the past and continually dredging up it up will not help us move forward.
These issues have been discussed with the attorney, and as stated, there were some things relayed to her that were patently false and she is aware of that. The law says that we are not mandated to have an attorney, BUT.. it is recommended to have one on staff. Right now, with the budget and others things on our plate, Hope Freeman is a good choice, not because the price is right, but because she knows her job.
So, let us stop looking to the past and focus on the future.
While all of these statements are accurate , I feel that the Town Attorney trusted the statements that were made to be true. Her reaction to my rebuttal was one of shock and surprise. Honesty runs both ways, and there are times when even those who put their trust in others can be deceived.
As cuts were brought into the conversation during budget sessions, she had no reason to believe otherwise. In other words, trust was afforded by a person put in authority as an elected official . Again, the idea was planted, that the council (or I should say me) was looking to replace the attorney position, which was completely false, as that position was not brought up. There was not a reason for the attorney to doubt or to seek explanation from the council. I am sure that some of the decisions made on resolutions or ordinance, were due to the wishes of some and even partially composed by some, but the legal advise given on any decision was researched and a history in the law. (MCA) The” Party Events” ordinance was one, and that wording had a lot to do with certain persons who were adverse to business’ that serve liquor and people who imbibe. It also had a lot to do with personal opinions of the Law Enforcement office and discourse with those business owners. BUT.. that can be amended or changed according to MCA. The Town Attorney was acting in accordance of what she felt was wanted by the Town , at the time.
We are past that now and it is time to start anew. There isn’t any future in the past and we can only learn from it and move forward in a more reasonable and cohesive way.
Would not an atty know if something was not right? How can someone schooled in law claim they were lied to and not say a word? This is weak at best. All the years I have witnessed this continued complicity with a corrupt way of doing things. Is this what we should continue with? Does dumb as a brick apply? There have been so many laws broken with this atty’s ok it makes me want to puke.
Honesty only runs one way, and that’s with the truth. It is not a 2 way street. The judge is not a judge, only a justice of the peace, the cop is not a police chief. Am I a king cause I say so? The atty quit 2 times. You are just now finding out why. Not too above board, not someone I would want to represent me, let alone a whole town.
Scott Advocate:
#1. We were all lied to. And just because you are employed or sit on a council seat , does not mean you are privy to everything.
#2. As we found out, recently, she was not aware of this untrue statement. And we were just as dumbfounded by the revelation.
#3. I am not defending the way some things were done. But I would ask you to make a list of laws that were broken and state specific laws.
As you and I both know, there are many times when we all wanted to vomit. BUT, again, can we prove laws were broken in the process??? No, all we have is opinion. Did anyone who had a run in with the former police officer come forward with depositions, witness’ to the action taken? No???
And, yes, we only recently learned the reason for the resignation!!!! Why shouldn’t she believe what she was told? It is not her job to come to the council for an accurate statement. She was not sitting in on the budget sessions, when this supposedly was said.
We have to work together, fighting each other is not going to help one bit.
Hope Freeman, Fromberg Town Attorney is a member of the Montana State Bar. Attorneys not only interpret law but also guide their clients through legal processes using known successful procedures. Attorneys should be well aware of their rights and responsibilities. We assume the Town Attorney had the means and knowledge necessary to seek an appropriate answer to any potential changes in her employment status. Attorneys should stand firm in their knowledge of the law and not allow outside influences to sway them. What has come before does indeed affect the future. These types of incidents leave constituents with a bad taste in their mouth. We need true change and not just not more of the same. Town Attorney Hope Freeman should not get a free pass. As a member of the Montana State Bar, she is certainly held to a higher standard.
The Attorneys contract will come up at the council meeting Jan 8, anyone who feels this strongly about retaining her, should attend to voice their opinion. Keeping in mind that these issues have been discussed with her. You can also get in touch with your councilmembers and voice your opinion.
It is after all, their decision to retain her or not. I have absolutely no vote in this matter. The Town Attorneys’ job is to interpret the laws, if there was any wrong doing in any way, then it needs to be submitted to the States Attorney General with specifics and proof.
I am sure she does have knowledge and means to seek appropriate answers to any changes in her employment, but the fact is, is that she did not see a reason to question the statement made to her.
Mr. Nottingham and I made it a point to visit with Mrs. Freeman while in Red Lodge. She was informed of the concerns at that time. She was willing to send a draft of her contract to be considered. The position was not promised to her. Mr. Nottingham, at the time was satisfied with her answers and both of us were made aware of the circumstances surrounding her resignation. We were willing to review the contract and give her a chance.
Not once did I or anyone else at the council meetings hear anyone question her ability to give legal advise to the town, nor did anyone question her bias or lack thereof. If everyone was so concerned , why weren’t those voices heard?? It’s trying to put out the fire after the barn has burned down.
Admin:
Agreed, Attorneys do interpret the law and some also have used certain procedure to guide the client. We can not “assume” (and you know what that means) that she had the necessary means to seek any answers from council on decisions about the budget. It falls to the executive officer of the town to discuss changes made during the workshops. In this case, , the discussion relayed was untrue. There have been many things relayed to employees about what was discussed at these sessions and all were skewed to make “one councilperson” lose the trust of employees. The reasons behind these misinterpretations are not a mystery. I confronted employees about these statements and offered to bring up and confront the Mayor at that time. I was told that if it was brought up, they would lose their jobs. This in itself is a huge lawsuit, but they preferred to keep their mouths shut.
Should we as a council, brought it up? probably, but it was left up to the employees concerned whether or not, to voice their concerns.
The past does indeed affect the future, but , the future does not have to predict and endorse the actions of the past. There are such things as discussion, questions and answers. Some have come to council meetings for years and made their concerns heard, others have only recently started to attend, usually because of the actions of one person. The specific duties of the Town Attorney are clear in MCA 7-4-4604. There are legal ways to bring about changes.
This brings to mind the “Special Events” Ordinance/Resolution. We all we quite aware that Mr. Dawson and the mayor had a hand in the wording. We are all aware that the document was not made available to “some” of the council until the meeting, as are many other pieces of information, BUT, we can change, amend or rescind . Mrs. Freeman was given an outline of that document and put it in legal context. Was she influenced in any way?
We don’t know that as fact. Again, if people feel that these inequities have been going on for years, where were the voices, the outrage, the demand for answers?? We need to act on fact, not hearsay.
I will do my best, as will the council, to take into consideration any and all concerns. The best place for anyone to bring up those concerns, is at the official council meetings , where questions can be asked and answered. If anyone has a better choice in mind to fill the attorneys position, that falls within our budget, please make them available.
I will be in the office at City Hall on Tuesday afternoon , Jan 2,2018 between 2pm and 4pm, if you have any questions.
An the barley field fiasco? Didn’t Lady Attorney put her ok on that evera step a the way? so professional, NOT!! Be some lawsuit ovr that un. Sounds like washinton dc ta me!
git real:
The Attorney did not put her ok on the barley field. She stated the law. I looked at every MCA I could find. I felt the process should have been done differently, but there is no law stating it had to be. Billings passed a Resolution pertaining to the sale of city owned properties, but it only applies to Billings. I argued very hard for the town to go about the process ethically, but ethical is not the law.
Shirley Miller, you were the one that made the motion that finalized the sale of the Barley Field. It is a well known fact that we should always remember history as it often repeats itself. So your actions are resembling our former mayor. Which gives us all cause to wonder where we are headed.
Anonymous:
Yes, I did make a motion to accept the sale of the barley field. If you were at that meeting, you will remember that the Mayor recused himself from the vote, which would’ve let the whole thing die. BUT, he then changed his mind and decided to have a vote, knowing he could break the tie and push the sale forward. That being a factor and knowing it would happen no matter what the vote was, led me to make a decision at the time, that I will always regret. I fought hard for the barley field to stay in town ownership, something you seem to forget now.
I do not believe that my action is starting to resemble that of the former Mayor and if there is cause to wonder, take up a petition and ask me to resign. I have been on the council for close to three years, I have challenged and questioned to no avail. Where were all the voices of support then? I did not hear anyone speak out, except for the few who attend council meetings regularly.
A Point of Fact. As evidenced by YouTube videos posted on this site, several persons at several different times did indeed try to bring items up of concern. They were summarily shut down by Mayor Richard Anderson.
The former Mayor is not the Mayor anymore. If concerns are voiced, they will be heard and answered. We may not have a ready answer at the time, but one will be found and it will be addressed in a timely manner.
the.fromberg.advocacy.com opening statement reads: “Strenghening our Community! Through Open Forum Discussion. Join Us!”
We practice the 1st Amendment which states in part: “Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right…to petition the Government for a redress of grievances”. On this site, anyone is allowed to express their opinion without fear of castigation. It seems to be one of the few places where this is allowed. With specific regard to a few statements made recently we offer the the following:
To: “We have to work together, fighting each other is not going to help one bit”, We offer “Those unable to catalog the past are doomed to repeat it.” Lemony Snicket
To: “Did anyone who had a run in with the former police officer come forward with depositions, witness’ to the action taken?” We offer: “As per the POST investigation, several people did”.
To: “As we found out, recently, she was not aware of this untrue statement”, We offer: Our 9.21.2017 post entitled: “Fromberg Town Attorney Ad to Run 10 Times in Carbon County News?” Is 3 plus months a long enough time span to question one’s employment status?
To: “but ethical is not the law”. We offer: It is our hope The Fromberg Mayor and Town Council would strive toward ethics and not merely the Letter of the Law.
To: “It’s trying to put out the fire after the barn has burned down”, We offer: After-the-Fact-Legislation has oftentimes been instrumental in preventing such occurrences from re-occuring.
Admin//:
The past has been cataloged.. And I still say, fighting one another is not helping. The questions posted on this site are all valid concerns and have been noted.
My question as to the local law enforcement officer, was a question put forth as to these items being brought to the Mayor and council.
The POST complaints came some time after the Mayor did not take action. You seem to forget that one person took the initiative and perseverance to get involved, write letters and contact State Officers by phone and in person, to find some resolve for a person who had had a crime committed against her, with no answers coming forth. With that , came an Advocacy Group and another person who carried the ball forward.
Having an ad in the paper for consecutive weeks or months does not constitute “questioning” ones employment status. The resignation had been submitted and there was no reason for her to question anyone other than the Mayor.
There is a Law of Ethics and there is MCA.. We will indeed strive toward ethics including the law. Being ethical is a moral obligation to oneself and others, My ethics and principals are intact and will remain so. If a time comes and I feel I have not lived up to those principals, I will gladly step aside.
I have a list , as do other council members to write Ordinances/Resolutions to address these situations. Any other suggestions are very welcome.
We will have to have special meetings/workshops to discuss these matters, and as you have to specify what will be discussed at that meeting (with nothing else on the agenda) it could take several meetings.
One last question…. If everyone is so concerned about how the town will be run… why were there only two people on the ballot for the Mayors position???? I will NOT run this town with an agenda . Changes will be made, with the consent of the council, the town in its entirety, and responsible legal advise. I will not play favorites to anyone, I will adhere to my principals and do everything I can to fulfill the oath of office .
“Kites rise highest against the wind, not with it.” Winston Churchill
Having revisited these comments, I have to say that while I feel all are valid concerns, I feel sufficiently blistered from being raked over the coals and I am not even officially the Mayor yet.
In the words of one elected councilperson, “It will be red for a few months.” Everyone is determined to bring much needed changes and we all realize that there will be heat generated towards us. But continued turmoil is not the best way to achieve these goals.
I have heard phrases like “we were thrown under the bus”… when the problem with that statement is that the bus was pretty much empty.
we are trying to figure ways to save money in the budget and still keep town services flowing nicely. There is a lot of work ahead and it would be nice to be able to get it done without constant turmoil and discontent.
That being said, questions and concerns are welcome to be heard. But please be specific and state clearly those concerns. Let’s not go off on a tangent and half cocked.
Your comments on this site are valued and give one something to think about, and I thank those who have taken the time to bring them forward.
To Admin//:
Be advised that the dates on the site are way off. My comment was made at 10:25 pm, Dec 31, 2017… not 6:51 am, Jan 1, 2018. Just sayin
A Point of Fact. This site is posted via Host Gator. They have several servers worldwide. the.fromberg.advocacy.com is powerless over the date stamp on whichever undisclosed server is being used. Changes however are made in real time. We are a privately funded, volunteer organization. An approximate 8 hour date time stamp difference seems minimal with all the other challenges facing us.
Admin://
Thank You… Was not aware of that fact, and noted it. Please note that I will be available to anyone who wants to speak with me about anything, Tuesdays and Thursdays between 2 and 4pm every week.