Norgaard levels accusations against Rib Lake village officials

Four years have passed since circuit court judge Kevin Klein ordered an injunction against Ken and Renee Norgaard prohibiting them from harassing village employees and board members. That injunction expired on February 27 and had threatened the Norgaards with “immediate arrest” and fines restricting their ability to attend meetings, village hall or contacting village officials without first going through the village’s attorney.

At the March 13 village board meeting, both Renee and Ken Norgaard were on the agenda at their request with the stated purpose of addressing the public comment period at village meetings.

The Rib Lake board removed the public comment period from its meeting agendas after a large group of citizens attended a special board meeting held in December. Board members have since discussed adopting guidelines for those wishing to address the board with the intention of encouraging civility at meetings. For now, people wishing to address the board may request having a board member place them on the agenda to talk.

At last week’s meeting Renee Norgaard read from a statement raising questions and concerns about the proposed guidelines, noting there is a difference between citizen comment and agenda items.

She questioned the qualifications of the local resident who wrote the proposed guidelines. “If citizen comment is on the agenda, the citizen has the right, not the privilege to speak,” Renee Norgaard said, noting the board doesn’t have any right to stop a member of the public from making their comments. She noted that while the board can regulate the time and manner of speaking they cannot regulate the content.

She placed the burden of improving civility at board meetings with the board stating they must improve the integrity and civility of the board members.

Rather than reading from a prepared statement, Ken Norgaard used his time before the board to criticize the presentation given by Rib Lake District Administrator Travis Grubbs about the upcoming school referendum vote in school district.

“It is a very interesting presentation, and I think you came 20 years too late,” Ken Norgaard said referring to his presentation as being flawed. He said Grubbs should have made his presentation before a panel of business people for them to critique it before presenting it in public. He also asked if Grubbs had a business degree and said he should have one to run the district.

From there, Ken Norgaard launched into the meat of his concerns specifically delivering a copy of a notarized affidavit addressing issues involved with Judge Klein issuing the restraining order against the Norgaards.

In the affidavit, Ken Norgaard accuses current and past village officials of committing acts of perjury.

The affidavit states: “The following local government officials defamed my personal and longtime business reputation with their unfair, discriminatory, vicious acts of perjury.” And goes on to list the officials and his accusations about them.

It goes on to state: “I solemnly swear and attest that all statements in this affidavit are true, factual and supported by hard, fact evidence. Ironically, the basis of my complaint resulting in loss of four years’ worth of hardearned, precious and patriotically proud first amendment freedoms, came from a rush to judgment sentencing after the named local government officials had no hard fact evidence of their own.”

Ken Norgaard said he spent the past four years “banned from this hall.”

Village president Bill Schreiner noted that Norgaard was straying from the agenda topic.

Norgaard disagreed saying the public comment is a derivative of the first amendment and accused Schreiner of wanting to “sweep it all under the rug.”

“This is the kind of stuff that lives in this community,” Ken Norgaard said, making reference to his allegations.

Ken Norgaard said he would be delivering the affidavit and an additional 21 video slides to Judge Klein to address what he said was an improper decision on the judge’s part four years ago.

Ken Norgaard also noted that during the period from 2004 through 2014 when his tree transplanting business was active, they paid in “over a million” dollars in local taxes. Ken Norgaard also brought up the overpayment he made in his personal property taxes for several years and which he has repeatedly over the years fought to be reimbursed for in full rather than to the limit the board approved.

“Nobody likes outsiders who have opinions,” Ken Norgaard said going into a litany of complaints saying he was defamed, smeared and physically attacked.

Village president Schreiner cut him off saying he was out of order and then moved the meeting to the next agenda item.