Letters to the Editor: March 31, 2012

Gehrke Addresses Ethics Violation

Joyce Hall and Celeste Koeberl each wrote a letter to the editor last week because they desperately do not want me to be elected to the Hudson School Board. To support their agenda they dug up a 12-year old incident, which is very old news, and they are attempting to make it an issue in this election. When I agreed to run for the school board I expected that this might happen, and so it has. That's the world of malicious politics. But I felt so strongly about the direction the School Board was going that I was willing to put myself in a very public light knowing it may get nasty, and it has.

I have lived my entire life with honor and dignity, but 12 years ago I had to deal with someone who thought I did something wrong. A business-related complaint was filed with the State of Wisconsin, and I spent 2½ years trying to clear my name and prove the state’s interpretation of events was skewed. In the end my decision was to either spend tens of thousands of dollars taking Wisconsin to court or settle the case. My attorney advised me to settle because I could not beat the State of Wisconsin in a court of law. So under protest I signed their agreement and put it behind me.

Shortly after that I applied for and was accepted to serve on the Minnesota/Wisconsin Realtors’ Professional Standards Committee. This Committee's job is to hear ethics and arbitration complaints filed against Realtors. Approximately 100 Realtors are chosen to serve. The selection committee found nothing in my background that precluded me from serving on this prestigious committee. Each year I have to reapply and be reappointed. I have proudly served for 10 years and continue to do so. My selection to service on this panel should be enough to put a 12-year old occurrence to rest.

I believe in the goodness of people, and I am confident that voters will see this for what it is and will not allow smear politics to affect their vote. People who know me will understand this is an attempt to destroy my chances of being elected, and they will strongly support me. To people who don’t know me I am asking you to trust me with your vote. In return I will be privileged to be your conservative voice on the Hudson School Board.

    --Sandy Gehrke, Hudson School Board candidate

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