UPDATE: The complaints against Kalenberg and Stromberg were dismissed Friday afternoon, October 25. The full story will be published in Dispatch next week..

BRAINERD — An administrative law judge has yet to rule on the case

Fair Campaign Practices complaints

Campaigns are underway against three candidates running for the Brainerd School Board, and concerns over campaign literature are far from over in Brainerd; It goes as far as calling for the resignation of a board member.

The most recent issue available is a mailing to residents from the organization Restore Our Schools. He urges voters to “say no” to “liberal” School Board members Kevin Boyles, Michelle Brekken and John Ward, who are currently on the board and running for re-election. “More than 500 families have left the district due to unsafe learning environments and lack of transparency,” the post continues, accusing the three board members of ignoring parents’ concerns, allowing pornographic content in school libraries and focusing on pushing political agendas rather than improving academic performance.

Financial reports filed with the Minnesota Campaign Finance Board show $12,000 in contributions to Restore Our Schools; half of that contribution came from board member DJ Dondelinger through his company, Dondelinger Automotive. The other $6,000 goes to Guest Inc. It came from Glen Cook via.

Theresa Bourke / Brainerd Submission

District resident and former Brainerd teacher Sally Boos spoke about the mailman and Dondelinger’s contributions to Renew Our Schools during the Monday, Oct. 21 School Board meeting’s public forum. He called the statements in the mail “disgraceful, disgusting lies and distortions.” ” Regarding Postman’s claim that board members rejected parents’ objections to inappropriate books in libraries, Boos noted that it was not the parents who spoke about the books at board meetings and formally objected to them.

While he said Dondelinger’s contribution to the group was completely legal, he questioned whether it was ethical. Although Mailman did not defend any candidate, Boos implied that other candidates in the race had made statements about “school choice” and the use of tax revenues to support private schools. One such statement can be found in a comment from candidate Stephanie Etterman on her campaign Facebook page; It says tax payments should follow children to the school they choose, whether public or private. No other School Board candidates’ public comments on school choice could be found.

“Why would a board member of ISD 181 support these candidates?” Boos asked. “If you want to do this, Mr. Dondelinger, I suggest you resign because you have not shown that you support ISD 181.”

Later in the meeting, during the time allotted for comments from board members, Dondelinger said he apologized for how crazy the election had become. In terms of financially supporting Restore Our Schools, Dondelinger said he did not actually endorse any mailings.

“I’m also giving $10,000 a year because we’re going to get into hockey, and I’m giving the money to Ducks Unlimited. “But I don’t get to choose who’s on the hockey team,” he said. “I had no idea what they were going to do. I just knew which side I was on.”

He added that those who put money into the collection plate at church probably did not know exactly what that money would be used for.

“So I don’t know what I did, but I agree with you, it looks tacky,” Dondelinger said. “We can do better.”

Two other speakers at Monday’s public forum also touched on the campaign issue. Doreen Eiseland talked about the danger of disinformation, knowingly spreading false information, and how difficult it is for young people to develop critical thinking skills without accurate information. He said the spread of disinformation is a slap in the face to the integrity of the election process and that he has been an election judge for nearly 40 years.

Brainerd educator Amy Aho then addressed the negative campaign tactics she said students have noticed.

“People should be empowered to share their thoughts about candidates in a positive and productive way, without innuendo, negativity, disinformation, and confidential sources (both information and financial support),” Aho said. “Please let us be role models during this election season. “Our students are watching,” he said.

School Board candidates Jody Kalenberg and Mike Stromberg appeared before Administrative Law Judge Ann O’Reilly by phone on Tuesday, Oct. 22, along with Steve Elg and Cheryl Fields, who filed a complaint against Kalenberg and Stromberg for allegedly violating the state’s campaign laws. Stephanie Etterman and complainant Deborah Halsted are scheduled for a hearing on Friday morning, October 25.

The complaints stem from a flyer distributed in Brainerd urging voters to elect Kalenberg, Stromberg and Etterman over the three incumbents running for the School Board. The brochure did not include the required disclaimer stating who paid for and produced it, which is the basis for complaints against candidates. The complaints also alleged violations of state law due to misinformation in campaign material, but the Minnesota Office of Administrative Hearings did not hear cases based on violations following a 2014 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit.

Brainerd attorney Ed Shaw, who represented the complainants, said that although there was no disclaimer in the brochure, the general assumption was that they created the brochure. The candidates stated that they had no knowledge of the brochures and had no role in their financing, creation or distribution.

During Kalenberg and Stromberg’s probable cause hearing, Shaw asked both if they had made any effort to find out who had prepared the materials, and both said they had not. At the end of the hearing, Stromberg asked whether the hearing was set to find probable cause that the candidates were responsible for the pamphlet, or whether the task was to find out who created the pamphlet. O’Reilly said they had no legal responsibility to find the source of the leaflet.

After hearing from candidates and complainants, O’Reilly said he would take the matter to advice and return with a decision within a few days. O’Reilly said if he finds probable cause for a violation of the law, the matter will proceed to an evidentiary hearing. If probable cause is not found, complaints will be rejected.

No decision had been made by the Dispatch’s print deadline Friday morning.

THERESA BOURKE can be reached at:

[email protected]

or 218-855-5860. Follow him on Twitter:

www.twitter.com/DispatchTheresa

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