Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1936-08-06
A VOICE FROM THE COUNTY
BOARD
Editor Askov American:

A. E. Gustafson. county superin-
tendent of schools, in an attempt to
discredit the county board and gain
for himself an increase in salary. has
by circulars and other means been
spreading through the county lot OF
propaganda, much of which Is mis-
leading and some of which is abso-
lutely false. There are two sides to
every story and l am taking this
means of giving the county boards
side, so the taxpayers may know the
facts.
At a meeting of the county board
held on January 3, 1888, delegation
of taxpayers representative of the en-
tire county, appeared before the coun-
ty board and demanded that the sala-
ries of all county officers and en-
ployes be reduced. This was done and
along with the others the superin-
tendent of schools was reduced to
$1,000 per annum. J. P. Miller was
then superintendent of schools and he
worked for this salary until A. E.
Gustafson took office in January, 1885.
Mr.. Gustafson appeared before the
board at about the first meeting after
he took office and demanded an in
crease in his salary. He stated to
the board that he got larger salary
as superintendent of the Willow River
school than the Pine county superin-
tendent of schools received. When
asked by the county board why he
spent considerable money for an cleo
ton campaign to get elected to all
office that paid less money than he
was receiving, he became huffy and
hitting the table with his fist, stated.
that if he did rot get an increase in
pay he would put the county board
ION the spot" MIR. GustafsOn did con-
siderable electioneering against men,
bers of the county board previous to
the primary election. 1t is very evil
dent that Mr.. Gustafson and his
henchmen are making desperate
effort to bulldoze the county board
into granting him further increase
in Salary. He has been very bitter
in his denunciation of the county
board. In reply to requests of his
creditors for the payment of his bills
he has sent long winded explanation,
on a legal sized sheet, mimeOgraphed
in single space, stating that he was
unable to pay because the county
board would not give him sufficient
money to meet the budget that he
made out for his personal affairs.
This means of forcing the county
board to grant him an increase in
salary, amounts to nothing less than
racket and if he or anyone else
ever gets away with it the taxpayers
might just as well quit.
In one of the letters that Mr.. Gus
tafson sent out referring to the county
board, he states: "They have threat
ened me, dared me, challenged me,
defied me etc. if did not keep still
about this" This statement is abso-
lutely untrue. The county board did
try to give him a little good advice,
but he would not, or could not take it..
In the year 1885, he claims to have
saved the county about $500. The
fact of the matter is that, using his
own figures, he has not saved the
county anything but has cost the
county an excess of $50 for postage
alone. He claims to have saved $341.-
"a on his salary account. He arrives
at this by taking Miller's salary for
the past 16 years and striking an
average. He then compares the av-
erage of war time salaries with his
salary for the year 1895 and calls it
a saving, which is not a fact, as his
salary for the year 1895 was $500, the
same as Miller received in 1888 and
1884. He also received 1 per cent Of
school district. He never mentions
this item when complaining of his
salary. He claims saving in mile
age of $221.60. Here he is attempting
to pull the WOOL over the eyes Of
the taxpayers, inasmuch as he has
struck an average of the 16 years of
Miller's time and compared that with
his mileage for the year 1885. Four
teen years Of Miller's time the mile
age ran from 10 to IA cents mile
and in 1888 the legislature reduced
the mileage to five cents a mile. The
only fair comparison of the mileage
account would be to use the years
} 1894 and 1885 when the rates were the
same. Mr.. GustafsOn should have
shown an increase in his mileage, as,
using his own figures, his mileage was
higher for the year 1895 than Mr..
Miller's was for 1884.
For the salary of the assistant SUI
perintendent he shows a saving of
$83.54. He should have given the
county board credit for this as the
assistant superintendent salary was
fixed by the county board. He shows
an increase in the postage account of
$50 but gives no explanation.
One of the big items of expense in
} his office is books and stationery. He
} has made no mention of this matter.
In this connection l quote the follow
ing from the public examiners report:
Numerous claims have been allowed