A Battle Creek City Commissioner who obliquely criticized fellow city officials on Facebook was called into a special meeting on violating a recently passed city ethics code.  In the Notice of a Special Hearing handed to him in an envelope marked "Confidential" after another meeting it labelled the violations:

Commissioner Domenico has been further perceived to be critical of the Battle Creek Police Department (BCPD) for not being fully supportive of the BCPD in a couple of incidents where there appears to be ample evidence that they acted out of line, and notably violated the civil rights of Battle Creek residents. 

Domenico appeared at the meeting, himself proclaiming further impropriety of his fellow councilors by the ordinance not allowing him any legal counsel at the meeting, and implying that the meeting was in violation of the Open Meetings Act, walking out after being overruled, while many of his ardent followers applauded. 

The meeting continued finding him guilty of the violations of the ethics ordinance he voted against earlier this year, speciously charging him with publicly humiliating, intimidating or otherwise abusing Battle Creek Police Chief Jim Blocker and Police Inspector Brad Wise in a Facebook post, and that he was not supporting a positive workplace environment.  He will be served with a verbal reprimand in a private setting.

"I'm not going to take part in an illegal meeting," Domenico told the Battle Creek Enquirer after walking out.

He said the hearing was a "circus act" and that he planned to contact an attorney.

"This hearing is about silencing public debate of serious issues within our police department and city government," he said. "This is about shutting down the conversation."  On his Facebook post last night today he was able to address the issue with a little levity.

This news, taking place in Battle Creek, holds much for us in Ludington to learn from.  We have witnessed our own city council and mayor saying our Ludington Police Department is the greatest thing, while at the same meetings, voting to settle for large amounts with our citizens who have admittedly suffered police brutality and significant civil rights violations. 

They have went so far as to petition the US Congress to repeal 50 year old civil rights legislation, using the Travis Malone lawsuit with the city as a reason for it.  Travis Malone, was a boy out after curfew suspected of underage drinking.  Instead of dealing with protocols such as offering Malone a breath test, articulating reasonable suspicion, and getting any consent for searches, the two Ludington cops (that have been featured in several other federal police brutality lawsuits) went right to work on Malone, using excessive force and illegally searching his belongings, as admitted in their police reports.  The city council roundly hailed the LPD in their conduct and publicly lambasted Malone, who actually went on a crime spree shortly after the ordeal he was put through.

I cannot recall a time when any city councilor in Ludington has spoken out about the bad conduct of their fellow city officials, in fact, they always seem to sing their praises when misconduct has been alleged and even after that misconduct has been verified.  This is most assuredly a sign of deep-rooted corruption of which we can see the clear evidence thereof in Battle Creek by the "Ethics" Code they passed to deal with their own maverick commissioner.  The code is meant to quell any internal criticisms of the City of Battle Creek by its own, to threaten any whistleblowing and to force out the good men and women who want to serve with integrity.  As Theodore Roosevelt put it on a national scale:

Long-term members of the Ludington Torch will also note the similarities between the 'Code of Ethics' for Battle Creek and the 'Workplace Safety Policy' here in Ludington.  Both are concerned with maintaining a workplace that is clear of individually perceived threats, intimidation, and controversy, but their wording and applications signify that they are all about two other goals.  Making whistleblowing even less safe, and suppressing the free speech that our representatives and public have a right, and sometimes a duty, to offer. 

The Battle Creek City Commission has drawn battle lines, but they have chosen the wrong side of the wrong battle. 

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Battle Creek should be thankful they have at least one representative that cares about how their City is being run. I wonder why the Mexican flag is displayed  behind him in that photo? Shouldn't the stars and stripes be backing him up?

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