Ludington City Council Meeting August 8, 2016: Splitting Heirs

[XLFD]

I have come to the conclusion that the Ludington City Council (like most legislative bodies) does its best when it does the least.  This would not be the case if they spent more time repealing outdated or needless laws, or even just amending laws that aren't working efficiently and with the people's interests in mind into ones that do.  This hasn't been happening in Ludington for some time, but at least the citizens had a general reprieve for this meeting.

The August 8, 2016 Council Packet tells us that the agenda was only covering some small fry items without much controversy.  Rote actions like approving the LHS Booster's charitable gaming license, and approving a floor mat cleaning contract actually competitively bid properly.  Two other items involved the division of the city lot where the fire station is scheduled to be built (with a mega food bank warehouse/distribution outlet next door) and a legal document's approval allowing the city to have permanent easement rights to 1420 South Madison (a lift station) and granting Occidental Chemical ownership of the lot. 

The latter was needed as part of the legalities of the sewer work to be performed over the next few years with Rural Development (RD) loans.  In order to get the funding, the City had to show ownership or easement rights for the length of the sewer system to be renovated.  The City admitted there was no clear ownership of the land that their lift station was on, so this was a compromise they worked out with Oxy.  The Ludington Torch is in the process of checking this assertion out, so do not be surprised if this topic comes up fresh again. 

This dearth of acts made the meeting last only about twenty minutes, and five of those were added only because of the comments made by Ludington Council Candidate Tom Rotta.  At first, he responded to the comments made at the end of the last meeting by two of the councilors, and how an August election should give them pause to think. 

Consider, the two candidates that survived the councilor-at-large primary were the ones that came out against the two city charter proposals that failed.  The two candidates that came out for those proposals went bye-bye.  One of those that lost used the final public comment to offer his signs, subtly modified, to Councilors Holman and Castonia on the cheap for their run for mayor.  This was just after Rotta's informal request to use the beach in September for a hot dog social around a fire, inviting the incumbent to join the fireside chat.  

Here's the meeting followed by a transcript of Rotta's public comments, separated by a Magic Eight Ball: 

August 8, 2016 Ludington City Council from Mason County District Library on Vimeo.

"At the end of last meeting, Councilor's Castonia and Winczewski attempted to make some points as to the charter amendments and the capacity of the two unelected officers sitting amongst you. 

Mr. Castonia expressed the opinion that voters should not support anybody who runs for office that worked against any or all of the three charter proposals that city officials worked so long and hard at crafting.  I fully and fervently supported "no" votes on each of these proposals, each of which lessened the accountability of our local government; our city council has only expressed their unqualified support of each over the last three years.  

Well, the people voted down two of those three proposals you proffered, advocated for, and worked so hard at.  What you got was the ability for the city manager to legally wait until the second meeting in November to present his budget.  If you have been paying attention, that was what he has done unlawfully anyway for half the time he has been here.  What city hall needs is increased accountability, not less, and I will proudly fight for it against those willing to stick their head in the sand and trust the untrustworthy.

Ms. Winczewski took a couple of minutes to defend the city attorney and manager, but given that time, she managed to say nothing of substance.  No reasons were given as to why we pay twenty-one times more than Scottville for just a retainer, $63,000 to $3000.  No reasons are given as to why a Ludington law firm would not be a better fit for Ludington than one megafirm from Grand Rapids.  To the contrary, she trumpets Mika Meyers expertise in the legal field, implying that our local lawyers can't handle legal stuff, except for that insignificant little city east of us, which they have served nobly for twenty years.

In Ludington, our lawyers have served 1/3 of that time, but they have been mired in unethical, unlawful, and illegal conduct during that period which makes other reprobates actually serve time.  Since 2012, I have come before you and have told you of these whether it be three years of overbilling, illegal funneling of public money, and a host of other unprofessional conduct where John Shay rides along with Richard Wilson.  I have presented a long list of documented grievances; the best defense the 2nd ward councilor can give for the city attorney is that he's prompt in supplying her answers to questions. 

Councilor Winczewski, if that's what you want, invest eight dollars to get one of those "Magic Eight Balls", don't waste $60,000 a year of public money on a dishonest and discredited attorney."

"This comment will serve as an informal request to the Ludington City Council to approve the use by the "Rotta for Third Ward Councilor Committee" of a small section of Stearn's Beach on the last Thursday of September. 

On September 29 my campaign committee is hoping to secure the approval of temporarily installing a fire ring or barrel located about 100 feet north of the breakwall and 100 ft east of the waters of Lake Michigan.  We will burn natural organic firewood supplied by my local business, we will not burn old pallets of indeterminate origin that may have chemicals and carcinogens in them. 

We also plan on serving free hot dogs, pop, bottled water, and chips to those that come and enjoy the fire and give the public the opportunity to have a fireside chat with me on issues that affect the city.  If approved, I extend an invitation to my opponent to attend, enjoy the amenities and debate the issues as generated by the people attending.

We will not need any help from the city in setting up, taking down, or cleaning up the area, we only seek the approval to use the park facilities for the purposes mentioned, which would require waiving beach rules as pertaining to fires and amplified sounds.  I will be presenting a more formal request between now and the next meeting.  

We also hope to secure the Rotary Park amphitheater in late October for a cider and donuts rally, in which we also invite the incumbent to attend and debate the issues. Thank you."

[jfc123]

We support you in your run for council, this city needs a man like you to bring true integrity back and work on issues that really matter to the LOCALS! I will share on our CLL page your opinions open for debate, looking forward to it, maybe city officials, not so much? Ludington is a better place due to your work! Keep it up!

[AQUAMAN]

thanks jfc!

[AQUAMAN]

And talk about a "circus"! What did candidate Wally do at the end? He pursued a non-sense bid for his failed political signs, to be bought, even though they are worthless, the same as him! I bid 10 cents each, if he agrees, to resign his appointed committee positions, and leaves back for Baltimore, Md., asap, lol. 

[Brad]

I truly encourage both Kaye and Gary to purchase those signs.  Please...

I expect them to have the same luck as Wally.

What a deal!

[XLFD]

I was able to secure one of Wally Cain's signs, as shown below.  He was very wise in choosing a sign where he could just cover up his name with "Kaye Holman" and "Gary Castonia" and still get a sensible sign:

[Brad]

It seems that the council tends to go with what Shay wants... So on that note....

[XLFD]

Your camera must have a special filter to get those likenesses.  Well done, Brad.

[AQUAMAN]

This mtg. firstly appeared a bit boring and insignificant, but after viewing a second time I have some dumb questions. 1) How does a city lift station for sewage/water have no city ownership per the assessor's office and legal title? It's owned by Dow/Oxychem? Been there since 1940's? Oxy now needs to create a grant for permanent easement? Imho, this seems like gross incompetence on the COL's part, because, imho, legally speaking, this an illegal encroachment on Oxy.. What is Oxy. going to get in return for this change? Or don't they ask for anything? The granting of this, of course is a new cost for such by Oxy. and the COL. It has to go thru the legal system and be sanctioned too, for legal ownership and title. 2) Lot split for 920 E. Tinkham Ave.? Isn't this the location of the ex-Lakeshore Lumber Co.? Where the COL now is purchasing property for the new Fire Dept.? What does the owner get in return, just more land, and of course more money to sell it into the future? That owner, to the best of my knowledge, is owned by a former City Council member named Brent. Is this split a conflict of interest based on his ownership, even now?  Did the COL make a firm price bid for the entire lot, and now, will only get 1/2 of their original size of the land? 3) How are you going to get attendance for a political debate at the Stearns Park beach in late Sept., when the winter "snow fences are already erected and blocking most of the beach"?  Do you think the COL will approve such, based on their already bias and obvious dislike of the candidate? I didn't see the other incumbent make any comment at all to attend a challenger's debate, and really, don't expect to, as he will probably ignore it, narcissist too.

[XLFD]

Fielding your questions/observations:

1)  I had similar concerns voiced by you, and have sent a FOIA request that hopefully will clear things up.  The official address of the lot doesn't have a listing in the city assessor site for anybody.

2)  The lot split was done at the Brent Scott lumberyard.  To my recollection this was just the formalization of the split that would happen if/when the fire station property on Loomis was okayed to be developed on by the Jacobson's.  The rest has already happened.

3)  People can still take the breakwall down to the festivity.  I will get this event advertised if it's okayed, and use the free food as an extra draw.  I have a few volunteers to help, so even if it doesn't draw a lot of interest, that only means more food and less work for them-- and a pleasant little autumn beach fire for my faithful minions and their own faithful minions. 

[AQUAMAN]

Brent Scott's father was a former Mayor and Councilor of Lud.. Seems like another hidden agenda of unusual  conflicts of interest to me anyhow, but maybe it's not? Well, why the change now at this late date? Why the sudden and unexplained change that the CC did not make public? To me anyhow, the list of unending questions about propriety and legal actions of this current city council remains very strange, and also questionable. If anyone can prove my uncertainties wrong, please post the answers so we all know, thanks.

[Brad]

Last I knew Ron Sanders was last owner of the lumberyard property. He was Brent'a business partner and thought he bought out Brent. ..From what I recall.
Either way, something is ...scr..scr..screwy.

[AQUAMAN]

Really Brad, thanks for this new info., and didn't he just RUN for Office?