City of Crookston Mayor Guy Martin read a prepared statement announcing his resignation on Monday night citing irreconcilable differences with the Crookston City Council. “I have a statement that I want to read before you begin with this council meeting,” said Martin. “I’d like to take a few minutes to clear up a few misconceptions on the proposed soybean crushing plant. I as well as all of you would like to see this thriving business come – a thriving business come to Crookston. I took my oath seriously representing Crookston constituents to the best of my ability. That’s why I need to look at every angle concerning this project which we haven’t. There are so many questions that are pivotal in the sustainability of this business. For many years I worked at WinField contracting soybean seed production for all of North Dakota, northwest Minnesota and the top tier of South Dakota and I see some of the farmers I had at WinField sitting in the audience here. We were headquartered out of Iowa. I still have contacts and friends in the industry down in Iowa. One example I received – this is an article just last week from the Iowa Soybean Association – the main topic was the uncertainty of the biodiesel industry due to federal policy changes. That statements were made not by someone we don’t know – they were made by the CEO of the National Biodiesel Board (Donnell Rehagen) and copies are available up here for anybody who wants to look at them. There have been rumblings that without a mayor on board with this project – that they would like me to step down. My vision for Crookston’s future success cannot be reconciled with the Council that’s seated now, therefore, I am resigning my position as mayor for the City of Crookston. I’d like to thank Clayton (Briggs – Councilman Ward 3), Angel (Weasner –Finance Director), Shannon (Stassen – City Administrator), Dale (Stainbrook – Councilman Ward 5) and Don (Cavalier – Councilman Ward 4). You guys have been wonderful to work with. I’d like to thank Pat (Kelly – Public Works Director) – I better go down the line. Pat Kelly, Scott Riopelle (Parks and Recreation Director), Tim Froeber (Fire Chief), Paul Biermaier (Police Chief), Greg Hefta (City Building Inspector) and Philip Barton (IT Director) – you guys have been wonderful to work with, but my time is up. I’ve had enough. Thank you.”
Martin notably excluded Council Members Jake Fee, Bobby Baird, Steve Erickson, and Tom Vedbraaten along with Crookston Housing and Economic Development Authority (CHEDA) Executive Director Craig Hoiseth. In his role, Hoiseth has been integral in establishing the relationship that led Epitome Energy to choose Crookston as the location for their Soybean Crushing Facility and Biodiesel Plant, while Vedbraaten, and Erickson both serve on the CHEDA Board of Commissioners which has supported each step of the project. Fee and Baird have also been among the more vocal supporters of Epitome Energy. Martin exited the chambers immediately following his statement patted Baird on the back and said, “Good Luck.”
iNewZ TV’s Neil Carlson got an interview with Martin after the meeting and the interview is below –
[yotuwp type=”videos” id=”dc0zFpTSWMg” ]
Councilmen Briggs, Baird, Fee, Erickson, and Vedbraaten declined to comment on the Mayor’s resignation after the meeting. Councilman and Vice-Mayor Stainbrook, who served as acting Mayor after Martin’s departure and will serve in that capacity until a new Mayor is chosen, stated at the conclusion of the Ways & Means Committee that he was shell-shocked by the Mayor’s resignation and thanked Martin for his service. He also thanked the farmer community who attended Monday night’s meetings. After the meeting, Stainbrook added, “It was kind of shock and awe. I didn’t expect that. I still feel that Guy was an excellent mayor. He was doing right for the city, taxpayers. I just hope as a council we can continue to do that.”
Following the resumption of the meeting, Brian LaPlante addressed the audience on Martin’s resignation during the Crookston Forum. “I have to say that is probably one of the most disappointing things I’ve ever heard in the history of the City of Crookston,” said LaPlante. “I’m going to present tonight information on the threat assessment that is located within a SWOT analysis on a business plan that should’ve been presented to a city – to any decisionmakers in this town. And it’s gotten to the point in this town, apparently, that if you have an open discussion of facts like reasonable people do and should be expected in a democracy in this nation that our forefathers founded. You can’t have a responsible discussion about pros and cons of a venture, and you’re going to sit there and pressure on people to say if you don’t agree with me you shouldn’t be mayor, you shouldn’t be this, you shouldn’t be that. I’m extraordinarily disappointed. If this is the tone and tenor where we’re going as a city going forward – hard-pressed to find folks, any business that is going to come to this town or anyone that’s going to want to be in these positions in the future. If people can’t come to the table with reasonable minds, reasonable differences and facts instead of putting pressure on people to say – if you don’t believe the way I believe, if you don’t see things the way I see, you shouldn’t be where you’re at. I’m going to present information tonight that is going to be hard-hitting because it shouldn’t be presented in a business plan. Threats are threats whether you like them or not but in a business plan you address them. And a smart business has answers or at least they have ideas about how to address threats. But if you’re going to say don’t tell me threats just opportunities, folks you’ve got a problem. And if a mayor has to step down because he’s pressured to say as mayor – I’ve got to support this concept. BS – and I’m disappointed in this town.”
After the meeting, Cavalier also shared his reaction to Martin’s resignation. “There has been rumors about him not being happy about some things that have been happening,” said Cavalier. “So, basically, I think he was kind of disturbed about some of the things that were being said around the city, not from specific people. But, I wasn’t surprised because he’s a very good guy, very honest and was trying to do a good job for the city. I’m really going to miss him. He’s a good person.”
Stassen’s reaction to the mayor stepping down. “Mayor Martin is a person of impeccable moral character,” said Stassen. “A gentleman. And always had the best interest of the city in mind and we’re going to miss him because he stood for all the right things.”
The City of Crookston was already dealing with one open seat on the Council after Cindy Gjerswold resigned from her Ward 6 seat in August and the mayor’s recognition creates another opening. The process to fill the position of mayor will be determined by the council, but first, a vacancy must be declared according to Stassen. “That will be up to the council,” said Stassen. “The charter simply states the council appoints for unexpired terms. So, we’ll have a discussion. The first thing we need to do, before anything else, is declare a vacancy. That would be something that would be included at our October 14 meeting. We’ll include that on the agenda – to declare a vacancy – at our October 14 meeting. And then we’ll move forward from there. I wouldn’t want to speak for the council on what they want to do after that.”
Stassen also said that under the charter Vice-Mayor Stainbrook will serve as acting mayor until the position is filled. “That’s what our charter allows for,” said Stassen. “Vice-Mayor Stainbrook has served in this capacity in the past and is very qualified and a tremendous servant to this community. I know he’ll do it as a professional and put Crookston first.”
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