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Candidate alleges council member pressured businesses to remove campaign signs; councilors dispute characterization
Summary
During public comment, candidate Chris John alleged Council Member Vince Workman pressured local businesses to refuse or remove his campaign signs; some council members and residents said sign loss is common, while others called the pattern suspicious. No formal action was taken at the meeting.
During the public-comment period at the Burnsville City Council meeting, candidate and resident Chris John accused Council Member Vince Workman of exerting election-related pressure on local businesses to remove or refuse to host his campaign signs.
"I've seen the same troubling practices of Council Member Workman in this election cycle...exerting election related pressure on Burnsville businesses of whom he...have regulatory power over," John said, describing an incident at Red Lion Liquors where the owner told John that he reversed a decision to host John's sign after contact from Workman.
John said photographs and video exist from prior incidents and described the pattern as an abuse of power that gives incumbents an unfair advantage.
Council Member Kara Schultz responded in part by describing how signs are commonly lost, stolen or damaged during campaigns. "It's regular that we all lose signs. It's regular that people run them over. They steal them. They rip them up. The wind blows them," Schultz said, advising that candidates "knock your doors and move on." Resident Grazini said the Red Lion incident and videos support a pattern and urged legal review.
There was no formal investigation or council action on John’s allegations during the meeting. The mayor said citizen comments are not a forum for debate at that point in the agenda and moved the meeting on to other items.
