A spat with a Talk Radio host a week ago by City Councilwoman Marti Rutherford snowballed into an investigation into her residency that is imperiling her longheld seat on the council.
WGOW's Robert T. Nash said Councilwoman Rutherford was one of those interviewed on the afternoon "Live and Local" program about a controversy over a boys home at the Brainerd/East Ridge line.
Mr. Nash said he told Ms. Rutherford he believed she "had bigger concerns in Brainerd" than the group home that is just across the line.
He said Ms. Rutherford "said something to the effect that 'when you have problem children, there is no way you are going to straighten them out.'
"I told her, 'Marti, I don't believe you just said that.'"
Mr. Nash said she responded she was "just trying to look out for the needs of the people in my district."
He said he replied, "Well, you can make a good start by moving into your district."
Mr. Nash said, "Then she hung up on me."
The fiery host said he was then motivated "to begin doing the research on the residency question. I live in Brainerd and I drive by Alta Vista all the time. I have never seen her there.
"I get my car worked on at Bobby Parker's gas station, and I see Ms. Rutherford driving off from there toward Hemphill."
He said, "In the end, it was a pretty easy case that she lives outside the district she was elected to represent. I had suspected that it was a sham arrangement from jump."
Mr. Nash was one of 17 District 6 residents filing a complaint against Ms. Rutherford that is being considered by the City Council.
Councilwoman Marti Rutherford with attorney John Anderson