Forest Lake-area social media users were abuzz over the weekend after a school bond proponent made a controversial Facebook post regarding anti-bond lawn signs in the city.
The initial post was made by a local photographer, but the Forest Lake Times is not releasing her name at this time because she has not spoken with the Times and has not been charged with any crime. On Oct. 30, a screenshot of her post was published on the Facebook page of the Washington County Watchdog, a group that frequently shares information, story links and opinions pertaining to government accountability. In the screenshot, the woman says in part that she started her day out right when the person in front of her at a coffee shop paid for her coffee.
“I kept it going by paying for the guy behind me, and then was able to steal a couple vote no signs from around Forest Lake,” the post adds. “(Name redacted) and I may go to jail today but at least we have coffee!”
Along with a post of multiple screenshots, the Watchdog noted with disapproval that multiple commenters under the post react with approval or amusement and alleged that the person who made the post is part of the Building the Future Together committee, which is the official “vote yes” group for the bond questions. At the time the screenshot was taken, the woman’s profile picture was a pro-bond graphic published by Building the Future Together.
After the Watchdog posted the screenshot, the woman commented to say that she was joking and had not stolen any sign, accusing the Watchdog of harassment and willfully misinterpreting her remarks. As of press time, the Times had not been able to reach the woman.
The Forest Lake Police Department reported on Nov. 1 that it was aware of the Facebook post but had not received any reports from anyone who had a sign stolen.
Local resident Eric Langness is one of the moderators of the Watchdog and said he has heard from multiple local business owners who have had signs stolen this year, particularly on and around Oct. 30. Stolen signs are not unusual in election season, he said, but he added that it was odd and disappointing to see a post condoning behavior from an adult bond supporter.
“One would hope that it would be high school kids being immature,” he said. He added that whether the post was a joke or not – and he doesn’t believe it was a joke – the post is still in bad taste, and he was offended by the positive responses on the post.
The same day that the Watchdog posted the screenshot, Building the Future Together posted a Facebook update stating that it was aware of the post and did not condone it in any way.
“Building The Future Together does not condone this or any other negative or illegal activity against the opposition in any way, shape or form – jokingly or otherwise,” the post read in part. “We live in a country that allows for differing opinions. We’ve run a positive campaign, and we will continue to do so. This attitude/behavior is not representative of BTFT, our philosophy or strategy.”
When contacted by The Times, Building the Future Together co-chair Kathy Bystrom said that the woman is not part of the group’s leadership. At a recent event, Bystrom explained, the woman volunteered to take photos, and her offer was accepted, but she is not part of the group’s strategic team and that was the limit of the woman’s official involvement with the group.
Local businessman John Freed is one of the leaders of Taxpayers for Accountability, the group opposing the bond and the distributors of the signs. He said the majority of the lawn signs were placed and distributed on Oct. 29, and some of them were missing shortly after they were placed, including a sign by Cub Foods. Some appear to have been returned now, he added.
Freed remarked that he was not sure if all of the signs placed around town have been placed with the permission of the local property owners, but he said all signs placed at businesses or homes are done with permission.
Though Freed has seen the original Facebook post, he said he and other members of Taxpayers for Accountability have not reported the signs stolen because they haven’t actually seen anyone physically stealing them. He added that Taxpayers for Accountability are less concerned about catching someone taking the signs and would just like the signs returned, as they have been used to protest multiple spending projects and could be used again.
“We’re interested in getting the signs back,” he said. “We reuse the stakes for every election.”