This letter is in response to a recent article titled “Criter ‘disappointed’ by recall efforts.”
In the article, Jerry Criter quoted extensively from a letter he received from the District Attorney Ken Kratz.
What he didn’t quote was the final paragraph of that letter from the district attorney to Jerry Criter, which is:
“I would caution that any future official action taken in which you have a financial interest may lead to a sanction under 19.59, or criminal prosecution under the misconduct in public office statutes.”
The facts are:
A. Jerry Criter plans to install a number of wind turbines on his property.
B. Jerry Criter will receive financial gain from those wind turbines.
C. Jerry Criter continues to vote on wind turbine issues.
Jerry Criter has stated that the corporation counsel and the district attorney have given him permission to vote on the wind turbine ordinance. And yet, the last paragraph quoted above specifically prohibits him from voting on issues in which he will benefit financially, including wind turbines.
It is hard to misinterpret the last paragraph of the district attorney’s letter to Jerry Criter.
If the citizens of Calumet County can’t trust him to act according to the clear mandate in that last paragraph, how can Jerry Criter be trusted to make other decisions that protect and benefit Calumet County as a whole, rather than promote his personal financial gain?
Erv Selk
Chilton
13 December 2007
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/12/14/further-votes-problem-for-supervisor/