East Bay Giveaway Goes Away?

True,

Attorney General Says, “Not So Fast” to East Bay Give Away!

The word out of St. Paul at the end of last week was that the office of the attorney general has decided that the giveaway of city property that was Mark Sandbo’s Christmas gift to the Gunflint Gals, is now a deal undone. Presented with a clearly illegal giveaway of Grand Marais’ sidewalk, the attorney general reports an opinion of not so fast. It appears that Sandbo, in his lust for one last dance with the gals, did indeed run roughshod over the laws he had pledged to uphold.

You will recall that the East Bay Condominiums and Suites in Grand Marais became, just before the end of the term of Mayor Sandbo, an egregious example of the special deals and favoritism that were a hallmark of his time in office. Ever sweet on the Gals, against the express opinion of the City Attorney Don Davison, and in the face of advice to the contrary from the City Manager, Mike Roth, Sandbo, complaining about “nit picking” legalisms, forced through a giveaway of city property to those bellicose belles who own East Bay. He could not move fast enough to consummate their passion for city pavement. Anything for the Gals and for the business he had once managed.

The Gals had been called to task immediately when Davison and Roth realized that they had built on city property. Cease and desist meant nothing to them since they were in tight with the mayor. Instead of listening to reason and complying with the law, the Gals saddled up Swanson Law Firm lawyer Dehlia Seim and galloped into city hall to plead that their breathless desire for special treatment far outweighed any need to comply with city regulations and that it was a virtual outrage to deny them city property when they were oh, so tight with Mayor Mark. Our mayor, ever true to character in his slavish loyalty to his old employer, was eager to trod on the city’s own regulations and castigated one and all who questioned the giveaway to his Gals.

Citizens protested, officials protested, the city attorney pointed out the clear requirements of the law and all were told, in effect, to sit down and shut up. The attorney general was contacted by at least one citizen and by the city attorney for an opinion from a higher authority. Instead of doing the prudent thing and waiting to hear from the attorney general, Sandbo, now with the support of the entire council, decide to give a last goodbye kiss to the Gals.

Well, as we all know, it ain’t over ‘til it’s over; and in this case it’s back to the dance at city hall because the attorney general, according to the reports from the capitol, says it was all illegal. Davison and Roth have evidently been fully vindicated and this is once again going to be another case of Sandbo screwing up. This time, however, it might get very expensive for the city. But, with a new mayor and recast council, we can hope that the city attorney will be listened to and that we will soon hear jack hammers at work tearing out the illegal ramp. Some legal nits, it turns out, just need to be picked.

A True Friend