Golden Valley Clerk's Two Jobs Were Violation of City Policy

A Golden Valley official says Courtney A. Olson's supervisor approved her request to work at a car dealership, even though the action was a violation of city policy.

City Manager Tom Burt told the Star Tribune that Golden Valley has a clear policy that employees' supervisors must agree to all requests for outside employment. Those jobs, however, cannot be conflicts of interest. 

"Burt said he did not learn until the investigation began that Olson's supervisor, Steve Dahlberg, had approved Olson's work at Quality Auto even though it violated city policy," wrote Star Tribune reporter Tasnim Shamma. "He said he could not publicly discuss what happened to Dahlberg, but he said that employment violations can result in a range of discipline, including termination."

Olson, 35, of Maple Grove, is accused of skimming vehicle fees and taking money from a car dealer to falsify title and registration documents.

She faces three felony charges—theft by swindle, theft of public funds and failure to pay over state funds—along with two gross misdemeanor counts of misconduct of a public officer or employee.

Golden Valley Police arrested Olson on March 28, and the city terminated her employment three days later. Golden Valley’s Motor Vehicle Licensing Department suddenly and mysteriously closed on April 1 to allow investigators and an independent auditor to dig into the allegations. 

Golden Valley Police first learned of Olson when a co-worker contacted them with suspicions related to registrations and financial transactions Olson handled. Prosecutors believe a car dealer in Spring Lake Park paid Olson $200 a week to fraudulently stamp state title applications and registrations so the dealer could obtain loans. In the criminal complaint, prosecutors list 18 vehicles in which they believe Olson stamped the applications as “paid” but didn’t record them in the department’s computer system. The incidents date to last October, though most occurred in February 2011.

Olson, who was hired in 2008, was one of six clerks in the Golden Valley Motor Vehicle Licensing Department. This was one of 175 offices throughout the state working on contract with the Minnesota Department of Motor Vehicles.