County Prosecutor Spaniola Begs for Judge Sniegowski's Old City Job

[XLFD]

On Monday, December 15, 2014, the Ludington City Council will undoubtedly forgive the current City Attorney (civil), Richard Wilson and his associated attorneys from mega-law firm from Grand Rapids, Mika, Meyers, Beckett & Jones, and their three year overbilling the taxpayers with willing accomplice City Manager John Shay, by retaining their services for another year at their same rate ($52,000 retainer and $205/hour for special projects). 

Four meetings where this public extortion was alleged by the people, proved by the records, and finally admitted to by Wilson (with Shay exercising his fifth amendment rights to remain silent by doing so), has been accompanied by the city council's indifference-- other than their unanimous endorsement at the last meeting of Shay's inability to do any of his jobs correctly and incorruptly by granting him another year and a significant 1.5% raise. 

But then the council will tackle their next job on the agenda, by appointing a new city attorney to handle criminal matters, which happened to be the old job of Susan Sniegowski.  Sniegowski beat out three other contenders to win the job of 51st Circuit Court judge, the last person she vanquished being current Mason County Prosecutor Paul Spaniola in the November election. 

The vacancy created by Sniegowski's absence with the city in her position as FOIA Coordinator was filled at the last meeting by Carlos Alvarado, an attorney that recently moved into Ludington who has areas of specialization that you wouldn't expect as a FOIA Coordinator-- probably because Ludington is the only government entity known that pays a non-public attorney as a FOIA Coordinator at attorney rates.

But still there was another service she provided; she was the city's 'criminal' attorney.  This doesn't mean she was criminal, but instead that she would serve as the city attorney that prosecuted non-civil violations of the city charter, such as violations of the Michigan vehicle code and crimes against people and property that are caught by city police officers. 

Now for some unknown reason, they didn't tap Attorney Alvarado or any of the fifty plus Mika Meyers attorneys to do this part of the job.  Most cities of the size of Ludington generally have one city attorney that perform both civil and criminal tasks of the office.  That's what Ludington had until they went up to Manistee County and hired Attorney Wilson and his law firm in 2008. 

Now, the City Manager of Ludington could have done things by the book and advertised for the position and have a selection committee select the most qualified candidate who would accept the city's proffered remuneration, but that's not his managing style.  Instead, he decided to anoint the inexperienced Alvarado to do half of Sniegowski's duties and apparently has told a fellow official serving the county that he has an opening.   

                                          Prosecutor Spaniola going over his many qualifications for the criminal city attorney position

And that leads us to this letter from the desk of the prosecutor sent out on this last Thursday, December 11, and quickly received by the city so as to be put in the councilor packet sent out the next day.  This is significant, since in all of my dealings with Prosecutor Spaniola for FOIA requests and other prosecutorial services I've asked for (and have been disappointed with), he has always sent me mailed letters that typically arrive two days after his dated letter. 

So if he sent the letter on Thursday and the City miraculously got the mail in Friday morning's mail, some brain trust in the city hall made the choice to put it on the agenda and scan the letter in the councilor's packet in probably about an hour's time. 

I don't see that scenario happening; it is more likely that Shay and Spaniola, who have had a high degree of collusion in a couple of other incidents (my voter disenfranchisement in 2011 and 2012, the sale of 408 East Danaher, others), that the two men settled on this prior to the letter. 

But here is a warning to everyone when this alliance is accepted by the city council on Monday.  With the county prosecutor becoming effectively a city officer (since he would now have city-conferred powers), do you feel safe with any sort of misdeed performed by city officials being properly prosecuted by the county prosecutor's office?   For example, if John Shay was ever tried for some of his law violations, do you think that Spaniola and his assistants would try to adequately prosecute the offense given the new relationship?

And doesn't such a set-up diminish his ability to conduct his duties to the county for which he is paid around $105,000 each year?  He must have gotten some sort of assurance by County Administrator Knizacky to do this, prior to him sending a carbon copy of this letter. 

[Willy]

You have very good point about Spaniola becoming the City attorney and any conflict of interest that might occur in prosecuting a City official. The City is going to go broke paying all of these attorney fees.

[wildfire]

Well Mr. Spaniola is just as crooky as the next 2 are it sounds like, and WHY has someone NOT caught paul at any of this dirty work, we will say, why is he still aloud do to and get away with his crap to? I guess that explains why so many "GOOD LAWYERS " from out of town are scared "OFF" , Because the good ones do not like pauls ways and actions, and to stay a "GOOD LAWYER " they get out of town, and tell their one the are working for "THATS GOING TO BE A TUFF SMALL TOWN TO BEAT" and its all because of the "LIES  that LUDINGTON has been getting away with , with the  COPS, ATTORNEYS, JUDGES" Because everybody talks about how CORRUPT IT IS, get Mr. Spaniola out of their and he can't do any more favorism for the wrong people, and get someone in their that knows BETTER, and even yet get some of these cases the Mr. Spaniola has already done in 2013, 2014  and let the NEW JUDGE n  NEW PROSECUTORS re do all the cases paul did and see where all his fawls are I bet most  of the cases would WIN and  be set FREE from all the LIES, and not going thur the cases throughly  and NOT seeing thur all the red tape, Sorry but paul has been in the business to long if you ask me, and its time for a FRESH new look to ludington instead of the same old face, He's not a good criminal prosecutor any more  , He lies, cheats, and goes out of his way to get what he wants and doesn't care who or how he hurts any one , I'am sorry but he did wrong and I know it and i'am sure a lot of the rest of you do, maybe some of you care for him but that's fine with you, not me....

[krazzz]

Not that it's a big deal but I am an acquaintance of Carlos and he has lived in Ludington at least 25 years and possibly a lot longer. 

[XLFD]

Here's a biography put out in the Mason County Press which tells a lot more about Carlos than his own website does.  To be precise, if we accept the article as factual, Carlos moved here in 1991, founded his law firm in 2008, became an American citizen in 2009. 

I was primarily referencing his legal presence in the area, but thank you very much krazzz for allowing the clarification of the vague terminology I used.