Amundsen Closing Argument August 20 2019

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August 19, 2019 The Honorable Chief Judge John H. Guthmann Ramsey County District Court Administration 15 West Kellogg Boulevard Room 170 St. Paul, MN 55102 Court File Number 62-CV 19-4965 Re: In the Matter of the Petition to Remove Brian Amundsen Dear Honorable Chief Judge John H Guthmann: Your Honor, Request of the Court This letter is the closing argument, which you requested in the Matter of the Petition to remove me from the Mounds View Charter Commission. I again state that I have done nothing that could be considered grounds that warrant my removal from the Commission and respectfully ask Your Honor to: • deny the request for my removal from the Commission; • affirm that the Commission has full statutory authority to conduct all Commission business, including amendment proposals, when meeting with a quorum, as is established in statutes and Commission Bylaws. Introduction I humbly ask that you deny the City's request and allow me to continue serving the citizens of Mounds View as a Charter Commission member. As I shared at the hearing, I am a long time 40 year resident of the city, and place a high value on giving back to society by being of service to others. My service is not for my own accolades, but to improve the lives of others, care for citizen's rights, and use the God given gifts with which I have been blessed. My faith instructs me that my charisms are gifts to be shared, and not stored up for my own benefit, and so this has been my life's focus. As such, I have served the community in many capacities, as stated at the hearing. I tend to have a highly analytical approach when looking at issues. I place a high value on good open and honest communication and dialogue, respect for all, and valuing differing opinions. My numerous encounters with other groups, detailed in letters submitted to the Court, corroborate just that. I do not seek to be the leader, but when asked or when no others step forward, I am willing to take on that role. Frankly Your Honor, I find the situation in which I find myself quite disturbing. I find the Plaintiff's complaint highly slanderous. I again contend that I have done nothing and said nothing that warrants the action they call upon you to render. Neither testimony nor documents submitted to the Court, support the case they are attempting to make. Much of the "evidence" is opinion, suggestions, hearsay, or is simply not supported in real facts. In addition, key facts have been conveniently omitted, which would have made more clear the situation that lead up to the some -what contentious meeting of May 21 st. I would suggest, therefore, that Your Honor's stipulation at the outset of the hearing, that "grounds" should be found, has simply not been presented in this case. Case File: 62-CV 19-4965 Page 1 of 11