By: Brian_Sanburn on 11/4/09
To have not even one out of five voters participate is incredibly sickening and disheartening.

By: Oliver on 11/4/09
Yup,guess who the first ones to complain will be? Shame on the eligible voters who were no-shows!

By: atlascollapsed on 11/4/09
Rather disheartening considering the financial situation the city is/ and will be in for some time. But, people get the govt they deserve when less than 20% show up. I wish the winners well.

By: owatonna_guy on 11/4/09
Everyone is sick of politics except the politicians, voters see all these politicians come and go, but nothing changes. I voted so I can bitch. The politicians, to include CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR forget who they work for. You guys work us, the people that voted you into your position based on what you promised during the campaign. I firmly believe that if a politician doesn't deliver what was promised during the campaign we the voting public should be able to sue them for false advertising and have them removed from office. It's a dirty dirty game, and you have to be a dirty person to play it.

By: VoiceOfReason on 11/4/09
Brian when are you running for school board as you seem to have all the answers on how to fix the system? With as much time as you spend complaining about others work you could just do it yourself.

By: ss_observing on 11/4/09
I have a question that I can't find the answer to - Why is it that you only get to vote for the candidates in your Ward and Precinct? ALL of the candidates ultimately have an impact on ALL eligible voters. Why are we not able to vote on all of the candidates? Just wondering and does anyone know that would share?

By: ND on 11/4/09
Only voting for your ward candidate provides better respresentation for a particular area. Also, if applied nationally the senators and house members of other states can have and effect us but it wouldn't make sense to vote for representatives for other states. Good question, this is my opinion on it.

By: charliebrown on 11/4/09
VoiceOfReason-Brian has other issues to worry about-he works out of town and his wife is battling cancer. It has been a tough road for him the past year. Be easy on him.

By: ss_observing on 11/4/09
ND - yes, that is what I was thinking, also, but was kind of more questioning the logic of it. Especially at the National level, how will we ever achieve a level of bipartisanship if EVERY elected official has their own "agenda"?

By: Thuljunior on 11/4/09
Owatonna_guy-
I disagree. You don't have to be a politician to win. But you do have to figure out how to get people to vote for you without doing the stuff politicians do.

By: NoteTaker on 11/4/09

VoiceOfReason, would you have voted for Mr. Sanburn had he run?

By: VoiceOfReason on 11/4/09
First off I want to state that cancer is a terrible disease and I pray that his wife makes a full recovery.

Now on to business...NoteTaker I would never in my right mind vote for an attention monger like Brian Sanburn. He has lost any credibility he had in my mind. Last week he all but hung himself stating his opinion on the message forum in response to the candidates form at the Owatonna Fire Hall. He chastised the candidates for not reading his 1000 page education study he and his cronies at COPE had presented the board, but later in his message posting he stated he had not even read the document himself. Who presents a study without reading it themselves and then expects the board to take it seriously?

I am sick and tired of people complaining about how others are doing their job…this is America, you can either run yourself, get one of your brainwashed COPE members to run or shut up and let them do their job. For the amount of time he spends on his responses I am sure he could find the time to serve on the board.

By: charliebrown on 11/4/09
VOR-tell us how do you really feel about Mr. Sanburn. My, my...my dear person you are a little opinionated yourself.

By: VoiceOfReason on 11/4/09
What are you his uncle Charlie? This is the first time I have ever come on here and said anything...I don't even live in the city anymore but I am sick tired of his antics, put up or shut up.

By: NoteTaker on 11/4/09

Whether or not I agree with Mr. Sanburn, I'll give him credit for sticking his neck out there AND signing his name to it, something that can't be said for quite a few others who aren't that brave (stupid?).

By: charliebrown on 11/4/09
If you do not live here, then how does what he does concern you?

By: NoteTaker on 11/4/09

By the way, if I recall correctly, Mr. Sanburn actually did run for a position on the School Board (must've been four/six/eight years ago?). I take from that that he was indeed willing to "put up or shut up," as you so eloquently stated...lol.

Further, I surmise by one of your other statements that complaining is allowed by only those who "either run" or...oops...wait...you mentioned no other option. Was that an oversight? Hmmmm....

So, VoiceOfReason, tell us: you've run for office yourself OR you've never complained about "how others are doing their job." Which is it?

(Yours is the "VoiceOfReason," eh?)

By: charliebrown on 11/4/09
VOR-I am not a relative, just a good friend.

By: NoteTaker on 11/4/09

Interestingly, I find that the more I consider VoiceOfReason's writings, the more absurdity I find, to wit: if running for office is, as s/he plainly says, the only remedy for any complaints one may have about the job their elected officials are doing, then the logical conclusion would be to run for every office about which one is complaining. Let's see now, that could potentially include, but not be limited to, the following: Owatonna School Board, City Council, Mayor; Steele County Board Member, Attorney, Auditor, District Court Judge (2), Sheriff, Treasurer, Surveyor; MN House Representative; MN State Senator; U.S. House Representative, U.S. Senator; U.S. Vice-President and U.S. President.

VoiceOfReason? Sureeeeeeeeeeeeee....

By: VoiceOfReason on 11/5/09
Why does it never cease to amaze me that whenever there is a story it is always NoteTaker and CharlieBrown who have to throw in their two cents and tell everyone they are an idiot if they do not take their side of the argument? You guys might think that Owatonna is the greatest thing in the world since sliced bread, but you are delusional if you actually believe that. Owatonna has fallen so far behind other cities in terms of schools, infrastructure, and the economy as it is clear the priorities of the community are out of whack.

Example...let's spend thousands of dollars to save a rundown dam that serves no purpose (I am sure you two were all over this one in support), what could we have better spent our money on??? I am dying to hear you defend saving the dam, this ought to be a riot!

Having graduated from OHS, I had a distinct advantage over other students in college because of the level of technology I was exposed to and the level of fine arts and athletics I was privileged to participate in. Having defeated operating levy/bond Owatonna is walking a tight line in providing the level of education that will keep our students ahead of the curve. I agree that opening a new high school in these tough economic times was not the right decision, but we need to funnel more $$$ to better attract qualified teachers, improve technology and ensure that activities are not cut in the schools.

And NoteTaker instead of running for office I decide to volunteer my time where I can actually make a difference in the community unlike yourself who decides to bitch and do nothing. I volunteer weekly at my local Salvation Army, Food Shelf, Soup Kitchen, and Habitat for Humanity Home and along with coaching kids year round outside of my 8-5 job.

By: charliebrown on 11/5/09
VOR-I do not comment on every topic, I try to be kind in any comments I make. I do not appreciate you or anybody else attacking a friend who is going thru difficult times, who donated lots of his time to COPE (even though you dislike that), and tries to dissiminate information in a kind way.

I never voiced an opinion regarding the dam. I was for saving the dam IF it did not cost taxpayers money. I was against destroying the dam IF it took taxpayers money. To me, there were more important things t worry about.

Now, get of your d___m high horse and quit lambasting somebody you do not know or know what he does outside of his 8-5 job.

If you want to make a difference in Owatonna, come back, buy a house and run for office, otherwise, it does not concern you, you don't live here, don't pay taxes here, and you do not vote here.

Thankyou-have a wonderful day---smile and says omething kind.

By: charliebrown on 11/5/09
PS-I never called you an idiot for what you believe. You are welcome to your opinion, please allow others to do the same without lambasting them

HAGD-smile, somebody loves you.

By: NoteTaker on 11/5/09

"If you (VoiceOfReason) want to make a difference in Owatonna, come back, buy a house and run for office, otherwise, it does not concern you, you don't live here, don't pay taxes here, and you do not vote here."

VoiceOfReason doesn't even reside within Owatonna?

By: dfairbanks on 11/8/09
To VoiceofReason,
First I would like to say, even though I did not win my ward, I thank all the people that did take the time to use the privilage to vote that I proudly defended for 2o years.
I take it from your comments that the only way to be reasonable is to agree with you.
I have a plaque on my wall that says "You and I may disagree, but I will defend with my life your right to be wrong".
I worked closely with Brian Sanburn on the COPE committee. Not one of us professed to have all the answers. Our goal was to provide you and others with the facts, which were all verified by the School District, and the state of Minnesota. As a committee, we also put together two different ideas to address the crowding issue that was being identified as the justification for the new schools. One of the ideas was for year round school. The packet, all 1000 pages, included not only postive, but negative perspectives and comments concerning year round school. No, we did not read every article, but we did provide every article that we could reasonably find to share with the school board.
Since the referendum nothing has been heard of by the school board about addressing alternatives to crowding issues that have been in the planning stages for the past several years.
Does that mean that the crowding is no longer an issue. I doubt that. Does that mean that the school board did not ever try to evaluate any of the packet we put together. I would have to say that would be the case.
I attended the forum for the school board candidates held by the Rotary Club. I asked the question about all year school. The new member said he did not think the hot summer was conducive to education. I find that interesting in that I would think that the cold winter would be less conducive. The HVAC system works year round, so possibly a mute point.
Mr. McCann on the other hand stated that he needed data before he could make a decision. Is 1000 pages not enough. I have an electronic version of most of this information if he is interested in another copy.
You critize Brian because he knows everything, so therefore he should run for office. He has. It seems that you have a fair share of the answers yourself. How many public offices have you run for.
I, like a large portion of this community, don't see much change happening in the next city council. When I walked around my ward the weekend before the election, everyone I talked to considered my opponent a "yes" man. But never the less he won, or perhaps I should say, I lost because I failed to communicate the message that we need accountability and lean processes to be more efficient. Only then will be have a better handle on the taxes and money we spend. The community will be better if everyone were less subjectively critical of others and more supportive of new ideas.
We have what we have. You can dwell on the problem, or you can work on the solution. It is far easier to condemn the other fella for his failures than it is to accept the responsibility that each one of us is equally responsible for making the changes necessary to bring this community back up to the standard that all of the life time occupants of this community have grown to expect.
Dale