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March 29, 2024

Heltsley concerned about finances – attends one meeting in two years –

By Kirk Allen & John Kraft

On October 30, 2014

Edgar Co. (ECWd) –

There is never any shortage of material to write about when people like Mike Helstley are in office.

Today was yet another prime opportunity to right the record so that the public knows the truth, not the fabrications created by Mr. Helstley, which this time is in his effort to get Jeff Wood elected.

The Prairie Press had a full page add ran by “Friends of Jeff Wood” and “Jeff Wood for Sheriff” in which numerous people provided their endorsements.  Of particular interest in that add were the comments by Wood’s friend Mr. Helstley.

In his encouragement for people to vote for Wood, Helstley claims: “The Financial future of Edgar County Depends on it”

What is so laughable with that claim is the fact Mr. Helstley has attended only ONE finance committee meeting since his term in office.  If he was so concerned about the financial condition of the county maybe he should attend the meetings relating to the finances.  Or better yet, take a look at the history of the financials and grasp the fact that some of the same people plastering their name on the campaign add are the same people that ran this county into the financial mess in the first place.

For example, Rebecca Kramer ran two sets of books in direct violation of the law and this fact was confirmed years ago by both Mark Isaf and Augie Griffin.

Kevin Trogden was responsible for thousands of dollars of loss to the county for years as a county board member by his illegal handshake farm ground deals that earned a whopping $50 an acre to the county.

Or Troy Eads, current Chairman of the 911 board, who just can’t seem to understand we don’t need a $60K plus employee to handle the 911 system.

Mike your association tells me everything I need to know! 

The other sad part about this is the fact Mr. Helstley is the very person who refused to support the “set-off” stipulation on the corrupt deputies which was supported by Supreme Court case law.  Had that been able to move forward the county could have saved even more.  Helstley didn’t want that to happen because he supports Burgin, the civil rights violator, and Hopper, the law breaker .

The other half truth is Helstley once again trying to impress people with his resume.  “Former State Investigator and Edgar County Deputy Sheriff”

Mike Helstley was not a “state” investigator.  He was an investigator for the Department of Corrections and was FIRED from that job.  For what ever reason he just can’t refrain from elevating his resume to represent something it’s not.

He was a former deputy in this county however his own deposition in the Steidl and Whitlock cases reflects he too was a civil rights violator, but of course he wont tell that part of his past.  He bragged about pulling people over just because they had an out of state license plate.  That, Mr. Helstley, is a violation of people’s rights, yet it’s no surprise you don’t understand that considering the company you keep.

Most in this county agree that Mr. Helstley is one of those locals that just doesn’t get it and never will.  Sadly, Jeff Wood felt his endorsement would help, when in reality I think it very may well have the opposite effect.

Is the crossing of party lines a case of hoping his son can get a job with the county, which Helstley had tried to arrange, or is their any truth that Helstley is pushing to be hired as Chief Deputy if Wood gets elected?  Only time will tell.

Helstley should resign from public office and bring the embarrassment to this county and his family to an end. 

Mike Heltsley

Mike Heltsley

 

 

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2 Comments
  • Sick of it all....
    Posted at 08:34h, 07 November

    After reading this, I guess my question would be why the rest of the board leaves him on the Finance Committee? He needs to be removed if he’s too busy to attend more than one meeting. If he’s discussing the finances outside their meetings, then he’s in violation of the Open Meetings Act, correct? So basically, the only thing he knows about the finances of the county is what he hears at County Board meetings. That’s not what he signed up for. He should resign from that Committee and let someone else take his place that has the time to attend the meetings and maybe actually figure out where the finances of Edgar county stand. I’m finding it hard to believe anything that he says regarding the state of Edgar County’s finances since he doesn’t bother to attend the meetings. Wake up County Board!! You need to revamp the committee members!! Put someone on the committee that will actually do the job they’ve been elected to do!

    • jmkraft
      Posted at 10:20h, 07 November

      I don’t think he is on the committee, but if he were that “concerned” he would attend the meetings. The OMA does not prohibit talking about business outside of meetings as long as there is not a majority of a quorum present.

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