Need I Say More?

Sept 7, 2011 Special City Council Meeting

Sorry I was at surgeons and got home 7 minutes late.

I hope you realize that you have been lied to.

That slate mailer claimed to be public record yet had things taken out and things added in as you could see. That is voter fraud.

The hand outs at the Town Hall had the same things going on.

Public records that were changed.

The crime is unduly influencing the voters.

It is also tampering with public records.

That is voter fraud.

The five alarm recall was not allowed to mass mail slate mailers yet did.

That is voters fraud.

I have got the Secretary of State, State Attorney General and Oregon State Police all involved in this.

I do not know if it will stop the election but I suspect there are going to be some hefty fines and I do not know what is going to happen on the criminal charges.

Cody

Correction & Soon To Be Disgruntled Worker

Subject:	Re: Thanks
Date:	Mon, 11 Jul 2011 13:02:19 -0700
From:	Rich Carson <Deleted>
To:	rOB bROSTOFF <Deleted>
CC:	<tcramblett@cascade-locks.or.us>, <ezerfing@cascade-locks.or.us>, <lmasters@cascade-locks.or.us>, <kevinbenson@cascade-locks.or.us>, <tlpruit@cascade-locks.or.us>, <dhaight@cascade-locks.or.us>, <mayor@cascade-locks.or.us>

I didn't leave on short notice. My agreement with the mayor was for 4 months

to the day. My letter explains this. My plan was always to take off some

vacation and to go back to school for my doctorate at WSU. I have no issues

with Kevin Benson's land use application. He applied for the permit he

needed and Hood River County is fine with it. I will be issuing a

organizational audit regarding the city later this week as I promised the

mayor. As a professional public servant, I have no issues. I would not be

happy if my departure became the latest conspiracy theory in Cascade Locks.

----- Original Message -----

From: "rOB bROSTOFF" <Deleted>

To: <richcarson Deleted>

Sent: Monday, July 11, 2011 12:34 PM

Subject: Thanks

> Hello Rich.......

>      I want to thank you for your patience in dealing with a difficult

> situation in Casade Locks.  It's been trying for everyone here.  Although

> I have some fundamental disagreements with the current council I think

> that for the most part they're sincere in what they do, I just disagree.

>       I am curious as to why you left on such sudden notice, normally

> professional people give at least 30-90 days notice, or until a

> replacement has been found.  I don't think this is the case and am would

> appreciate your sharing your reasoning, it's taken me by surprise.   Did

> it have anything to do with Kevin Benson and his KOA, or were there other

> issues.

> Thank you in advance,

> Rob Brostoff

> PHONE NUMBER DELETED

> EMAIL ADDRESS DELETED

Now let’s see what everyone is buying into.

I want you to look at the slate mailer that was sent to all of us to unduly influence our vote.
They claim this to be a public records release.
We would assume that it would be exactly as received through public records requests right? 

Now look at the original email's.

Look At this very close.

This is so wrong!!!!

Subject:	Re: Legal Issues
Date:	Tue, 23 Aug 2011 13:23:54 -0700
From:	Rich Carson <richcarson@q.com>
To:	Rich Carson <richcarson@q.com>, <mayor@cascade-locks.or.us>, <dhaight@cascade-locks.or.us>, <tlpruit@cascade-locks.or.us>, <kevinbenson@cascade-locks.or.us>, <lmasters@cascade-locks.or.us>, <ezerfing@cascade-locks.or.us>, <tcramblett@cascade-locks.or.us>
CC:	Rob Brostoff <Robcity@clbb.net>, Bernard Seeger <brseeger@clbb.net>, <jpricher@clbb.net>

I can see by your Monday city council meeting that you think my request is a joke. On Wednesday afternoon, your 24 hours are up. At that time I am notifying the states of Oregon and Washington of the illegal activities I observed in my tour of duty of Cascade Locks. These include:

1.     1.  The City Council approved a system development charge credit for a low income housing project for several thousand dollars. The credit was for a water main going to the project. However, the credit was illegal under Oregon law because it did not serve any other purpose than getting water to the project. Such a credit is only allowed if the water main would have served other properties and it would have been prorated. I was instructed not to ask the city attorney at the time about this. The City Council approved the credit and not me.

2.    2.   I was told by the mayor that I had to be in the city hall from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM everyday and go to night meetings that at times added 15 hours a week due to city council meetings and budget committee meetings. There was nothing in my contract that requires me to work 55 hours a week without comp time. In fact, I was only required to “attend all meetings of the City Council.” This directive was a violation of my contract.

3.   3.   I was asked to fire the Fire Chief and constantly harassed to find reasons to do it. There was a personal vendetta against the Fire Chief because of the new fire station cost. I was asked to investigate if the fire chief bought a motorcycle with city money. He didn’t and it was his. I was asked to investigate if the fire station open house was politically motivated. It was not and all fire stations routinely have an open house for public relation reasons.

4.  4.  One of the City Council members, Kevin Benson, bought two modular cabins and illegally placed them in his KOA camp. The Mayor, George Fischer helped him install them in the camp ground. I was asked to make them legal. I contacted the City Attorney about this and he confirmed they were illegal and needed both a conditional use permit and site plan review. The City Attorney was then fired. When I left my job, I gave Kevin Benson a letter that stated he had to get a conditional use permit and site plan review. That was when I decided my contract was over.

     By the time you read this, I will have more legal complaints. I have omitted all of the names and phone numbers of people who will verify all of this.

 ----- Original Message -----

From: Rich Carson

To: mayor@cascade-locks.or.us ; dhaight@cascade-locks.or.us ; tlpruit@cascade-locks.or.us ; kevinbenson@cascade-locks.or.us ; lmasters@cascade-locks.or.us ; ezerfing@cascade-locks.or.us ; tcramblett@cascade-locks.or.us

Cc: Rob Brostoff ; Bernard Seeger ; jpricher@clbb.net

Sent: Monday, August 22, 2011 2:40 PM

Subject: Legal Issues

I just received a letter from the State of Washington, Employment Security Department stating that my unemployment benefits will not be paid because the City of Cascade Locks is contesting my unemployment benefits. This is one more attempt to bayonett the wounded. I will appeal this decision under Washington rules. And I will tell them the truth. The facts are that:

1. I completed my contract. Take the time to read it.
2. I was asked to do things that were illegal and that ended my contract by law.

These things alone under Washington law that reinstate unemployment compenstation. I have a long list of illegal and unethical requests and emails I can add to these.

If you do not contact the State of Washington, Employment Security Department within 48 hours and retract your statement and tell them I completed my contract and did not resign and that my contract ended, then I will pursue both an appeal and a civil lawsuit. The city of Cascade Locks has a pattern of illegal, unethical activities and hostile work environtment practices that can be proven by me and by the staff. It will cost you millions of dollars in a lawsuit. It is time you learned that your actions have consequences. You can talk about this all night at a council meeting, but I am saying you broke the law and I will not tolerate it.

What I want is a simple letter from the city of Cascade Locks to the Washington Employment Security Department that says that Richard Carson completed his contract as specified and did not resign. No more and no less.

The City Council has already spent too much money acting outside of the law and by making stupid decisions that you required you lawyers to spend hours of time. I am willing to document the legal violations in order to reinstate my unemployment compenstation. And I am ready to tell them the truth about the reality in Cascade Locks that I was forced to live with. My advice is to take my advice. I do know the law and the best lawyers.

By the way, my law firm of record is Garvry, Schubert, Barer. They have represented me in the past in human resource cases and always served me well.

I have had enough of the current Cascade Locks government. I suggest you stop the stupidity and stop the expense of your stupidity.

Let me put this in dollars and cents. You over spent the attorney budget settling with the previous city administrator. In this case, it is cost you a postage stamp to send a letter to the Washington State Employment Security Department stating "Richard Carsons contract ended and he did not resign." The address is:

Employment Security Department

Benefit Payment Control

P.O. Box 24928

Seattle, WA 98124-0928

I suggest you put this on you Executive Session immediately. We are talking about a civil lawsuit involving myself, the fire chief and the previous city administrator.

This will be cheaper than the thousands you spent settling a class action suit with all of the former employees you screwed. For the record, I never lost a legal case. The movie Kramer vs. Kramer was modeled on my life. I never give up.

___________________
Richard H.Carson,  MPA
12920 NE 227th Avenue
Brush Prairie, WA 98606
Mobile:   (360) 635-8161
www.richcarson.org

Do you see all the things added and taken out?

Do you see all the BOLD ADDED for emphasis?

Do you know what you call that?

Voter fraud and unduly influencing the voters.

Not to mention.

162.305 Tampering with public records. (1) A person commits the crime of tampering with public records if, without lawful authority, the person knowingly destroys, mutilates, conceals, removes, makes a false entry in or falsely alters any public record, including records relating to the Oregon State Lottery.

      (2)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection, tampering with public records is a Class A misdemeanor.

      (b) Tampering with records relating to the Oregon State Lottery is a Class C felony. [1971 c.743 §205; 1991 c.962 §16]

 Are you still buying into their garbage and lies?

All to steal your vote!
So they can steal through our utilities and we pay.
Or steal from tourism.
Or shut Parks and Recreation down.
Or shut the museum down.
I guess they want to censor our history?

What part of they crashed the EMS department do you not understand?

Watch the videos and see when the threats started and go from there.
"if you have any voluteers left".

Also look at who Carson is ccing his emails to and thank about it.
Bernard and Jeff???
What the hell is that about.

Lets not forget this political action committee is not allowed to mass mail even a single slate mailer.
Click on this link.

"Secretary of State

"The committee is not a slate mailer organization."

Proof right here.

Trouble is a coming!!!

Wake up you are being played by power hungry people.
If you don't know the rules, don't play the game.

I have More later.

Cody

To the Voters of Cascade Locks,

     Do not join in the destructive political coup that is now taking place in an attempt to undo the will of the voters in the election of last November. This coup is being led by a group of self centered elitists who believe they know better what is best for our town than you, the voters do. Their scare tactics, outright lies, and attempts to create chaos within our volunteer fire department clearly shows all of us that their desire for power borders on the psychotic. They care not what happens to our city in the process, their only concern is to get you to put them in charge. Take a close look at the leaders of this coup, especially the ones who, although less vocal, are far more ambitious and dangerous.

     This mayor and council were elected because the voters wanted to get our city on a path of fiscal responsibility and of obeying laws. They are doing that, but you can’t expect them to change, in a few months, all of the problems that have been created over many years of incompetent leadership. And remember, with the resignations of the administrator and planner prior to the new mayor and 3 council members being sworn into office, the city council came into power under chaotic circumstances. The new members were forced to immediately focus on finding replacements instead of having time to get up to speed on the upcoming budget process and other normal city issues.

    In spite of the disruption caused by resignations, a political coup, and obstructionism on the part of Council Member Lance Masters, this council has made significant improvements.

·         This Council Budgeted For Debt Repayment As Required By State Law.

The previous council passed on to the new council fire hall debts of $150,000, $125,000 and $464,000, with no provision for repaying the $464,000 loan even though state law required a plan for repaying the money within five years. The new council and the budget committee included in the 2011-2012 budget a repayment plan for all of the fire hall debt without raising taxes or fees.

·         This Council Retained New Legal Counsel To Protect Our Best Interests

Ex-City Administrator, Bernard Seeger, negotiated his resignation terms with the city attorney in private. An $18,000 severance payment and an immunity clause were part of that agreement, neither of which was required under Mr. Seeger's employment agreement. These two terms were definitely in the best interest of Mr. Seeger only and not in the best interest of our city. Yet the previous council and the city attorney agreed to these terms.

·         This Council Ended Emergency Services Deficit Spending

The previous council repeatedly allowed inter-fund transfers in order to cover the Emergency Services' continual deficit spending. They failed to curb this deficit spending in spite of repeated warnings from the city's auditor that it was illegal. The inter-fund transfers were never repaid, which meant that other city departments were operating with reduced budgets.

·         This Council Reduced City Costs

- They retained a local Hood River attorney at a lower rate and reduced travel costs.

- The new planner charges a higher hourly rate than Mr. Morgan, however the increased level of efficiency and competence will result in a lower total cost for planning. Consider that Mr. Morgan spent 3 years working on Columbia Cascade Housing Corporations' McCoy Meadows development proposal and never obtained approval. CCHC finally requested the removal of Mr. Morgan from the project. He was replaced with the new city planner and the project is now under construction.

-The Public Works superintendent's full time position has been replaced with a part time contractor, which saves the city the high cost of employee benefits and payroll taxes.

Our city needs this council and this council needs and deserves your support.

Please vote to retain our council and end the chaos.

Gary Munkhoff  9/5/11

WILL BE HAND DELIVERED TUESDAY

There will be revisions to this.
I will not post them till the Secretary of State serves them.
At that time I will repost this with additions due to new information.

BEFORE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR THE STATE OF OREGON, THE OREGON SECRETARY OF STATE, THE OREGON STATE ELECTIONS DIVISION FOR THE COUNTY OF HOOD RIVER AND THE ELECTIONS OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF CASCADE LOCKS, OREGON

COMPLAINT

            I Michael “Cody” Steelman, with a home address of __ S.W. Ruckle, a mailing address of P.O. Box ___, Cascade Locks, Oregon, 97014. Who can also be contacted by Phone at __________ or by email at ______________.

            I am a registered voter in the State of Oregon, assigned voter number _______, for precinct 12, in the County of Hood River and I wish to report an election laws violation.

           

            A Statement of Organization was filed for a political committee with the Oregon elections division. The political committee’s name was “Five Alarm Recall”. The elections division assigned this political committee ID number 15190.

            This political committee supports the recall of three City Councilors and one Mayor as reflected in the Statement of Organization for the “Five Alarm Recall” political committee found on the State “orestar” web site.

            This political committee also Opposes the recall of one City Councilor as reflected in the Statement of Organization for the “Five Alarm Recall” political committee found on the State “orestar” web site.

            Due to this Committee supporting the recall of 4 city councilors and opposing the recall of one city councilor that classifies the “Five Alarm Recall” political committee as a non slate mailer organization as reflected on the State “orestar” web site.

            In accordance to ORS 260.005(23) states; “Slate mailer” means a mass mailing that supports or opposes a total of three or more candidates or measures.

(24)(a) “Slate mailer organization” means any person who directly or indirectly:

(A) Is involved in the production of one or more slate mailers and exercises control over the selection of the candidates and measures to be supported or opposed in the slate mailers; and

(B) Receives or is promised payment for producing one or more slate mailers or for endorsing or opposing, or refraining from endorsing or opposing, a candidate or measure in one or more slate mailers.

Attached to this complaint are two mass mailings which were mailed to every resident of Cascade Locks, Oregon.

The originals mass mailings I received by U.S. Postal Service delivery, to my mailing address as reflected on these mass mailings, will be mailed first class with this complaint to the Attorney General of the State of Oregon. All other agencies as reflected in the heading will be disclosed a true copy of these originals.

As reflected in these exhibits had the “Five Alarm Recall” political committee been allowed to be a slate mailer organization, the mass mailings would have violated ORS 260.737.

ORS 260.737 Disclosures required on slate mailer; definitions. (1) A slate mailer organization may not send a slate mailer unless all of the following are satisfied:

(a) The name and address of the slate mailer organization shall be shown on the outside of each piece of the slate mailer in a legible size and type.

(b) The following notice shall appear in a legible size and type at the top or bottom of the front side of the slate mailer:

________________________________________________________________________

NOTICE TO VOTERS

THIS DOCUMENT WAS NOT PREPARED BY A POLITICAL PARTY COMMITTEE OR PARTY CAUCUS COMMITTEE.

CANDIDATES AND MEASURES MARKED WITH AN * PAID FOR APPEARANCE IN THIS DOCUMENT.

________________________________________________________________________

(c) Each candidate that has paid to appear in the slate mailer and each measure on whose behalf payment has been received to appear in the slate mailer shall be designated by an asterisk of legible size immediately following the name of the candidate or the name or number of the measure in each instance where the name of the candidate or the name or number of the measure appears in the slate mailer.

(2) The Secretary of State by rule shall define “legible size” and “legible size and type” as used in this section.

(3) For purposes of ORS 260.735 and this section, “address” means the address of a residence, office, headquarters or similar location where the slate mailer organization or a responsible officer of the slate mailer organization may be conveniently located. If the slate mailer organization is a political committee, the address shall be the address of the political committee included in the statement of organization under ORS 260.039 or 260.042.

(4) The Secretary of State by rule may define the term “payment” as used in this section and ORS 260.005 (24) and 260.735. [1993 c.710 §§4,5; 1995 c.607 §56a; 1999 c.999 §21; 2001 c.965 §17; 2005 c.809 §§47,48; 2009 c.818 §18]

 ORS 260.345 states; Complaints or other information regarding violations; action by Secretary of State and Attorney General. (1) Any elector may file with any filing officer a written complaint alleging that a violation of an election law or rule adopted by the Secretary of State under ORS chapters 246 to 260 has occurred and stating the reason for believing that the violation occurred and any evidence relating to it. A complaint alleging a violation involving the Secretary of State, a candidate for the office of Secretary of State, or any political committee or person supporting the Secretary of State or a candidate for the office of Secretary of State may be filed with the Attorney General. The Secretary of State or Attorney General shall not accept an anonymous complaint.

(2) The Secretary of State by rule shall prescribe the procedure for processing a complaint filed with any person other than the Secretary of State. If the complaint concerns the Secretary of State, any candidate for the office of the Secretary of State, or any political committee or person supporting the candidacy of the Secretary of State or of another person for the office of Secretary of State, the complaint and any additional information relating to the complaint shall be sent to the Attorney General.

(3) Upon receipt of a complaint under subsection (1) or (2) of this section the Secretary of State or Attorney General immediately shall examine the complaint to determine whether a violation of an election law or rule has occurred and shall make any investigation the Secretary of State or Attorney General considers necessary. Except as provided in this subsection, within 48 hours of receiving a complaint under subsection (1) or (2) of this section, the Secretary of State or Attorney General shall notify the person who is the subject of the complaint that a complaint has been received. If the Secretary of State or Attorney General receives a complaint or complaints involving 25 or more individuals, political committees or petition committees in any 24-hour period, the Secretary of State or Attorney General need not notify the persons who are the subjects of those complaints within 48 hours of receiving the complaints but shall notify those persons not later than 10 business days after receiving the complaint or complaints.

(4) If the Secretary of State believes after an investigation under subsection (3) of this section that a violation of an election law or rule has occurred, the secretary:

(a) In the case of a violation that is subject to a penalty under ORS 260.993, immediately shall report the findings to the Attorney General and request prosecution. If the violation involves the Attorney General, a candidate for that office or a political committee or person supporting or opposing the Attorney General or a candidate for that office, the Secretary of State shall appoint another prosecutor for that purpose; or

(b) In the case of a violation not subject to a penalty under ORS 260.993, may impose a civil penalty under ORS 260.995.

(5) Upon receipt of a complaint or report under subsection (1), (2) or (4) of this section involving an alleged violation subject to a penalty under ORS 260.993, the Attorney General or other prosecutor immediately shall examine the complaint or report to determine whether a violation of an election law has occurred. If the Attorney General or prosecutor determines that a violation has occurred, the Attorney General or prosecutor immediately shall begin prosecution in the name of the state. The Attorney General or other prosecutor shall have the same powers in any county of this state as the district attorney for the county.

(6) Upon receipt of a complaint under subsection (1) or (2) of this section involving an alleged violation of an election law or rule not subject to a penalty under ORS 260.993, the Attorney General shall examine the complaint to determine whether a violation of an election law or rule has occurred and shall make any investigation the Attorney General considers necessary. If the Attorney General believes after an investigation that a violation of an election law or rule has occurred, the Attorney General may impose a civil penalty under ORS 260.995.

(7) In the case of an alleged violation subject to a civil penalty under ORS 260.995, a complaint shall be filed by an elector under this section no later than 90 days following the election at which a violation of an election law or rule is alleged to have occurred, or 90 days following the date the violation of an election law or rule is alleged to have occurred, whichever is later.

(8) A filing officer having reason to believe that a violation of an election law or rule has occurred shall proceed promptly as though the officer had received a complaint. Except as provided in ORS 260.234, a filing officer shall proceed under this subsection no later than two years following the election at which a violation of an election law or rule is alleged to have occurred, or two years following the date the violation of an election law or rule is alleged to have occurred, whichever is later. If a filing officer has not proceeded within two years because of fraud, deceit, misleading representation or the filing officer could not have reasonably discovered the alleged violation, the filing officer shall proceed no later than five years following the election at which a violation of an election law or rule is alleged to have occurred, or five years following the date the violation of an election law or rule is alleged to have occurred, whichever is later. [Formerly 260.105; 1973 c.744 §24; 1979 c.190 §365; 1987 c.718 §2; 1987 c.727 §9; 1989 c.171 §35; 1989 c.301 §1; 1989 c.571 §2; 1991 c.719 §32; 1993 c.493 §81; 2009 c.818 §23]

                I hereby ask that the recall of City Councilor, Kevin Benson, filed July 19, 2011, by Arni Kononen, be pulled from the ballot, the votes not counted, the results not be certified if allowed as well as penalties allowed by the controlling agencies enforced.

I hereby ask that the recall of City Councilor, Don Haight, filed July 18, 2011, by “Five Alarm Recall” political committee member, Shawna Hasel, be pulled from the ballot, the votes not counted, the results not be certified if allowed as well as penalties allowed by the controlling agencies enforced.

            I hereby ask that the recall of City Councilor, Tiffany Pruit, filed July 19, 2011, by Ralph Hesgard, be pulled from the ballot, the votes not counted, the results not be certified if allowed as well as penalties allowed by the controlling agencies enforced. 

I hereby ask that the recall of Mayor, George Fischer, filed July 18, 2011,  by “Five Alarm Recall” political committee member Shawna Hasel, be pulled from the ballot, the votes not counted, the results not be certified if allowed as well as penalties allowed by the controlling agencies enforced.

I hereby ask that the initiative recall petition of City Councilor, Lance Masters, filed by the Committee to recall Lance Masters, ID number 15159, with the only stated officer being, Michael Earl Blakeley, be allowed to go before the voters, have the votes counted and the votes be certified and unless a lawful complaint is filed and it is determined to be valid, that this initiative recall petition shall not be delayed in any way.

_________________________________________

               Michael “Cody” Steelman 

            Dated this _______, day of September, 2011