Archer, Iowa — After this story was published KIWA received an email from Mari Radtke of the O’Brien County Bell-Times-Courier, providing further information about the October 14th Archer City Council meeting.
In regard to the contention that the councilperson Radtke had telephoned, and the Library Director didn’t realize the space was wanted for use as a “political event”, Radtke writes in her recent email, “I can’t say that I know why anyone thought it was a library activity. I was very clear with Bill (Councilman Bill Engeltjes) and with Sarah (Library Director) that I was sending wanting to hold a candidate forum.”
Radtke says she had asked the City of Archer to see the policies and procedures that the City was citing in denying the use of the library for the candidate forum. Councilman Richard Ludeke disputed that assertion, saying that Mayor Karen Storm had shown Radtke the book containing the policies and procedures.
In Radtke’s email, she writes, “I deny unequivocally that they talked about taxing concerns at the city council meeting. Mayor Karen Storm did all the talking on the city’s behalf. She went into ordinances. 2 were about a totally different topic. One was about the use of city owned property.” Radtke contends that Storm also stated the belief that the proposed forum was for Radtke’s benefit by selling newspapers.
In the email, Radtke again contends she asked for alternate locations in Archer, and was told by Mayor Karen Storm there were none where the forum could be held. Ludeke denies that assertion.
The forum was eventually held in the Archer Centennial Room. In her email, Radtke said that, since Ludeke knew in advance that the Centennial Room would be opened to use as a site for the forum, she was extremely disappointed by the City’s failure to notify her of their decision to make that room available prior to her arrival.
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Story posted 3:21pm, October 31, 2019
Archer, Iowa — A misunderstanding between some Archer city officials and an area newspaper about a location for a Candidate Forum caused quite a stir in the O’Brien County town.
The O’Brien County Bell-Times-Courier newspaper organized Candidate Forums in several of the towns in the southeastern part of the county, and in each instance the cities involved had approved the forums to be held in their individual public libraries.
While organizing a forum for Archer, Mari Radtke of the Bell-Times-Courier contacted an Archer City Council member by telephone, seeking permission to hold a forum in the Archer Public Library. The council member referred Radtke to the Library Director to reserve the library on the planned date of the forum. Both the City of Archer and Radtke agree that the Archer Library Director approved the use of the library for the upcoming forum. But that’s where the agreement ends.
For their part, Archer city officials say that both the councilman Radtke contacted, and the Library Director thought that Radtke was requesting use of the library for what they called a “Library Activity”, rather than a political forum.
According to emails obtained by KIWA, Radtke sent an email to each candidate inviting them to take part in the forum. That email explained that the forum would include any questions about “taxing concerns” that will be on the November ballot.
The emails reveal that Archer officials then invited Radtke to the October 14th meeting of the Archer City Council to present her request for use of the library, in person, and stated that it has “always been the policy of the Archer City Council to hear requests, concerns, etc directly in person.”
Radtke’s response to that email said she would do her best to attend that council meeting, and went on to say that, “Unless someone cancels my reservations at your library, however, the plans are in place and the invitations sent out.”
Archer City Councilman Richard Ludeke replied to Radtke’s email writing, “To be clear, since this is Archer, and Archer City council involved, as well as Archer Library, we have discussed the forum that you, a non- Archer resident are proposing/ planning. We asking you to attend the next Archer City Council meeting to present the idea of a forum to the City Council. At that time also we will look into the availability of the Archer Library, as the library is not open Monday evenings. We can work on arrangements at that time.” Radtke responded writing, “I made arrangements already to use the library. Why is this such a big deal for you?”
Ludeke’s email reply reads, “We are just following protocol. The Library Board will meet to recommend to the City Council concerning your request. I discuss with Council members and Mayor when these requests arise. We are not having a problem with this, but we are asking you to simply follow protocol and inviting you to attend the City council meeting to present your request to the council as a whole for a political forum. Please be invited to the city council meeting.”
In an email reply, Radtke questioned if every person or entity who wishes to use the library has to go through the city council. She also questioned why a sitting councilman would send her to the librarian, and why the librarian would schedule the event without following protocol. Radtke ended that email by writing, “I have made my arrangements as I was instructed by a sitting Archer council person.”
Both Radtke and Ludeke note that Radtke did attend the October 14th council meeting, at which time Ludeke says she was informed that she would not be able to use the library for the proposed forum. He says the reason given was that, since the forum would discuss “taxing concerns”, and since there is a library funding measure on the ballot, it would be illegal to hold the forum in the library. Ludeke says there were multiple other locations in Archer that were suggested to Radtke as a location to hold the event, but Radtke denies that. Finally, Radtke asked if the forum could be held in the Archer City Park. She was reportedly told there was no problem using that location.
The night of the scheduled forum, Radtke says she had set up some propane heaters at the park when Karen Engeltjes, whose husband is an Archer City Council Member, walked up to Radtke and informed her that the city’s Centennial Room was opened for her to use.
The forum was conducted in the Centennial room, though no Archer residents were in attendance. Councilman Ludeke tells KIWA that the City had received several comments from citizens prior to the forum, most of which asked why Archer would want a forum now when they’ve never held one before, and questioned, “who is this out-of-town person telling us what to do?”
Radtke tells KIWA that she has filed complaints with the State Ombudsmen’s Office over the City of Archer’s handling of the affair. Ludeke confirmed to KIWA that the Ombudsmen’ Office has been in contact with the City, but the final report from that agency hasn’t been received as of Thursday (October 31st).
