City of Scottville Is Having Issues

[Jasper]

Wow....A couple of City Commissioner's want to revamp or eliminate the City's Police Department.  Wow...the Mason County Press was going to go after a City Commissioner for violations of the "Open Meetings Act?  Seems strange an "online newspaper" venue's owner commented he was going after a City Commissioner for violation.

Another strange item for said owner of the "Mason County Press" was his post on assistance on how to recall a City Commissioner, with very detailed instructions.

So much for fair, balanced, and unbiased news reporting.  

http://www.masoncountypress.com/2015/07/15/scottville-public-safety...

[XLFD]

Jasper, I included a clipping from the Facebook post where Mr. Alway was describing how to recall a commissioner and his interpretations of the OMA, as well as a link to the article where he announces the committee meeting was called off to supplement your article for clarification.

To Rob's credit he doesn't include editorializing in the main body of his story, but reserves it for his comments to that story-- so I wouldn't fault him for that if it was clearly an intentional act by Commissioner Hahn to attend the meeting and make a quorum exist.  But I believe his interpretation of statute may be off-- conditionally, Hahn could have attended the meeting without violating the OMA-- but it would be a gray area of law.

In AGO 6636 , Attorney General Frank Kelley opined:  "It is my opinion, in answer to your second question, that a meeting of a county planning commission, upon which two members of the county board of commissioners serve, need not be noticed and open to the public as required by the Open Meetings Act if other members of the county board attend that meeting as observers."  This was used in case law by 2000's Ryant v. Cleveland Twp. decision and used the same year conversely in Nicholas v. Meridian Twp.

The OMA also gives everyone the right to attend public meetings in MCL 15.263(6), so cancelling the committee meeting in my belief was unnecessary unless Hahn was insistent on not being an observer:  "A person shall not be excluded from a meeting otherwise open to the public except for a breach of the peace actually committed at the meeting".

Committee meetings with non-quorum groups, in my opinion, are BS anyway.  I would rather have the whole city council ruminate over topics rather than letting 3 of 7 having the power to control an area of public policy. 

[Jasper]

"If he were to have attended today’s meeting, Hahn could have faced a fine of up to $1,000 or imprisonment of up to one year. He could have faced addition fines of up to $500 in damages to the group or persons bringing action against him (MCP would have filed a suit)."

This is what I am talking about...Quote from MCP.....(MCP would have filed a suit). 

IMHO MCP has a personal vendetta against Commissioner Hahn.  MCP is not reporting objectively as Mr. Alway has demonstrated in the past!    

[XLFD]

I didn't notice that earlier, thanks for pointing that out, Jasper.  IMHO, the MCP wouldn't have had much to stand on in their lawsuit if Hahn was just an attendee and not an actual participant.  I also believe his dislike of Hahn is based on the fact that he's going after one of Rob's sacred cows, the police.  I'm starting to get interested in Scottville politics.

[woodsman]

Interested in Scottville politics?  Please join us its a uphill battle.

[XLFD]

I'm interested, and I'm keeping an eye on it since it's my hometown.  But without devoting a lot more time and resources to it, neither of which I can easily afford, I can't totally gauge much of the situations.  I would love to have a Scottville resident (at ground zero) with a similar viewpoint to my own get involved and help me understand who's side of the battle I should be rooting for. 

[XLFD]

The City of Ludington Daily News (COLDNews) came out with a better article on the controversy yesterday.

They correctly explain that there was a potential OMA violation if Commissioner Hahn attended, according to City Manager Amy Williams.  I'm somewhat surprised that she had the authority to cancel a city commission committee meeting.

Deciding on something as important as that should not be done in an advisory committee anyhow.  Either revisit it at future commission board meetings or hold a special meeting with all commissioners present. 

[Willy]

It seems to me that as long as Hahn attended the meeting as a private, concerned citizen and did not participate there would be no OMA violation. Denying him his right to attend a meeting in the capacity of a private citizen would have been a more egregious offense. if there did exist a violation he would not be the cause it would be the City via the committee meeting. I didn't get the idea that Alway was acting in a bias manner because he was only handing out information not a personal opinion.

[Jasper]

Last evening's the Scottville City Council Meeting was indeed very interesting.  Sheriff Cole provided an interesting account of the MCSO Budget. Cole stated the MCSO Department has a $1.65 million dollar budget of which Cole stated $1.4 million is for thirteen(13) road patrol deputies, three(3) detectives), and One (1) Sergeant. This $1.4 million also includes, salaries, benefits, gas, equipment for cars, uniforms..etc... He also stated, "to see that those guys are taken care of." Cole then made the statement he is left with $30,000.00.  He did not explain what that is for. 

What is interesting is Cole's comments regarding how the MCSO has stepped in with major issues, such as the recent Admiral Robbery(as no Scottville Police were available), a homicide, and Cole also informing the Commissioner's and the Scottville citizen's that his force would respond to 911 calls, major crime calls, and marine calls at the PM River.

How many State Trooper's are on duty at any time within Mason County?  Anybody know?  

It is difficult to understand the huge discrepancy in the salaries of the five(5) officer's employed by the City of Scottville in relationship to the seventeen(17) MCSO deputies.  

Also wanted to add the following...The Chief of Police(Riley) IMHO delivered his speech(tirade) in a very, very angry manner to the Commission, and to the Citizen's.  It was downright an attack toward's a certain Commission Member.  His tone of voice, his attitude, his threats, were not conducive to how a Police Officer should conduct himself.  If he is that pissed what does he do out in the Field??

Also wanted to add the following.....The Mayor Scottville via his body and verbal language needs to be curbed in just a bit!  He is the Mayor, and his mannerisms during the last two Meetings need to be reined in! Completely and totally unprofessional, and very child like!  Mr. Mayor you represent Scottville...so stop with your childish behavior!  Thank-you!

 

[Jasper]

What I find hilariously funny Chief Riley announcing during his tirade is the Scottville Police Department won't issue traffic tickets.  Just gives warnings?  Really?  So, after this being announced via the Commission Meeting why would anyone believe they could not speed in the City of Scottville?  That is so damn funny!!   Oh, but the MCSO will enforce the law!  This announcement by Chief Riley is unbelievable!   

[Jasper]

So help me out here!  Scottville has a five(man) police force that apparently does not enforce the law as far as traffic citations.  The very elderly man(citizen) voiced his concerns at the last two City Council Meeting's regarding people driving beyond the posted speed limit on Beryl Street, and the Chief of Police of the City of Scottville tells everyone last evening at the Commission Meeting he gives out warnings?

I would like to know how this occurs???  Does radar on these police vehicles not record the speed of the alleged offender?  So, how on the earth does an officer bypass these recordings of speeding?  Something is just not adding up?

And, now on the MCP Press FB page a family member who lost her(their) mother within the last 6 months is being targeted by Rob Alway(under his name) and not the MCP that he runs!  Beyond comprehension! Rob needs to shut the hell up!   Everybody knows Rob Alway owns  "Mason County Press"!!  

[woodsman]

Scottville has Riley part time chief paper work no patrols , 2 full time officers Williams , the City managers husband, and a full time woman officer, 5 part time officers. So I guess 8 officers not writing tickets. Butch the elderly gentleman has been to many meeting asking for help with speeding on his street same insults from chief. I guess the city manager has something to protect with her husbands wages on the line. The mayor was toned down some when the meeting started being recorded earlier this year. Thought the new signs where nice new touch so everyone knew who Hahn was no sign for city manager.

[XLFD]

The Mason County Depressed and Rob Alway has a different take on that tirade today (Scottville police chief fires back at critical commissioner), but I have to agree with you that what Chef Riley did was as surreal if not more than when Chief Barnett of Ludington heaped shame on me, and even more entertaining.  He switched from being passive-aggressive to being active-aggressive throughout his comments, while being just a couple of yards from the objects of his aggression. 

Remember if you want to speed through Scottville, it's okay if you have your child in the backseat.  The SPD won't issue you tickets so that the next generation won't grow up hating cops.  The MSP and the MCSO have no such reservations, however.  I remember something similar in the Caine Mutiny, minus the strawberries and the metal bearings.