To the editor:

Nepotism. In these times, not here—and especially not now.

Minnetrista citizens are being asked to vote for the son of George Zananko, retiring City Council member, in the upcoming City Council election. Justin Zenanko recently relocated his home address to his father's to qualify for the election and hopefully inherit the council seat vacated by his father.

Please don't get me wrong, these are good upstanding people. I applaud the boy's ambition and thank Mr. Zenanko for his past service. As a fiscal conservative, I have a significant policy difference with the Zenankos and must remind voters of the father's “field of dreams” effort to build a white elephant in the middle of a soy bean field!

An action that secured Minnetrista one of the highest municipal tax burdens in the state.

Saddled with a financial mess, we are now are being asked to double down and elect a young inexperienced candidate taking advice from his father who constructed the financial mess. Our reality is that scare resources from an overtaxed electorate are now being cannibalized from roads, water, sewer and fire services to pay for a horribly expensive bad idea.

One man, stood up and fought the mob!

Mark Vanderlinde.

Quiet, composed and smart, he fought as hard as he could but was steamrolled by the current mayor and Mr. Zenanko.

Please return this fiscal conservative to office, he deserves our support. In addition, Bob Christians a seasoned, fiscally conservative, tough as nails business man who has actually had to make a payroll and say no to bad decisions, is also running. Clever management will help us dig out of this financial mess, and I'm convinced Mark Vanerlinde and Bob Christians are the right candidates to get the job done.

Kory Banning

Minnetrista