HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015 12-29 Former Maplewood mayor charged with theft after budget booklet goes missing PIONEER PRESS iz-�m�s F��.eMUre.�e a,�..,,..,..,n.n,nrnMS�w.du.,m� �sioaaFa�,H�,�
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MAPLLN'OOD,Minn.j—A former mayor o(Muplewood has bee�ci[ed �"��' ��
with LheR after she allegedly took a public cupc of the city's 300-plus
page budget booklet from Maplewood Ciry Hall.
I
Diana Longrie was cited last week with one coimt of misdemeanor theft for her I
ac[ions,which also allegedly included removing a public copy of a city council
mee[ing agenda packet,according to Maplewood Police Chief Paul Schnell.
Bo[h items were encased in three-ring binders labefed"public copy,please do not
remove:'
While much o(the information contained in the binders is available(ree via the city's
websile,hard copies of the material wst residents abou[$100,Schnell said.
Longrie,a la�wer,said that she did not steal either icem from MaplewooA City Hall
and[hat she�cas unaware she had been cited.
"I just gut back in town....I haven't seen anythinp,."Longrie said PAonday evening,
adding'9 didn't take anychin�."
Longrie served a con[entious term as mnyor of�laplewood from 2005 to 2009[ha[
was dottecl a�ith la�rsuits and the terminations of several citv staff members.She ran
for the post again in 2013 but was defeated by incumbent mayor Nora Slawik.
Police say Longrie took[he materials on Dec.14,aker a Maplewood City Council
meeting.Karen Haag,director o(ci[izen scrviCCS(or hlaofewonA.�aiA rhe ci�dc
budget book was missing after it was published Iast year as well.
'9 was watchink to make sure it didn[happen again;'Haa�said."But at the end of the
mecting,it was gonc," �
Af[er asking a few residents in a[tendance if they'd faken i[,Haag said she men[ioned
[he missing bookle[to Schnell.He suggesteA[ha[she re��iew security[apc foo[ave of
the meeting[o dctermine what happened.
Whcn shc did,Haag said,the culprit�vas"obvious."
`I'he sccurity cemera clenr]y shows(Diann Longrie)comc in[o the mee[ing wi[h what
appears[o be a single or rico sheets of puper....When she goes ou[,iPs very obvious
that she has not only 2he packet book,which 1 think was about(200)pages or
sometMng like thnt,but also lhe budget book es well°Naag said.
Af[er reviewing Che footage,Schnell contacted Longrie and asked tha[she return the
materials.When she declined and said"she didn't know what(he)was talking about,"
Longrie was cited with thefL Schnell said.He added that the citation e�as delivered by
U.S.m2il as well as elecVOnically on Dec?3.
"I(anybodywcre to come in and ask for haM wpies of those items...i[would cost
w�ell over$100...so they do have real value,"Schnell said."This stuff belongs ro the
public and it was produced in a(ormat thal has real value,and as such(the citation)is
appropria[a"
The Ic[ter Schnel]sent to l.ongrie informing hcr of the cita[ion suegests she could
have avoideJ charKes.
"As I mentiuned[o}'o�on[he phone Inst w�eek,enforcemen[action is Ihe op[ion of
las[resort.Your desire[o select criminal action is con(using but cer[ainly�rithin your
rights;'the letter said.
I.ongrie,who aeknowledged visi[ing Maplewood City Hnll on Dec 14 for city mee[ings,
said she didn't know why she was being accused of a crime she didn't commit.
"I have no idea.Maybe iPs political re[aliation,for all I know;'Longrie said"1 have
been a vocal advocate talking about what we can Ao better for the city and at city hall;
sometimes people don't like that"
She added[ha[she's been particulady vocal about the city's recent decision[o pull
ou[of thc Ramscy-Washingon Suburban Cablc Commission,a move she said would
limi[Maplewood's access to publiraccess channels and pro�-amming,including her
locally produced show,"Off the Record News."
"1 have been very vocal about that,and perhaps they are�nhappy with it"Longrie
said.
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