Some Questions for Les from a Third Warder

[XLFD]

Les Johnson, candidate for the Third Ward, is scheduled for an interview at WMOM tomorrow at 9:00 AM by Mike Tanis.  He will likely find himself uncontested in his debate due to a scheduling conflict he had at his scheduled debate; sort of like the interview he had in front of the personnel committee in April, when he was handed the Third Ward Councilor seat with no votes from anyone in the Third Ward. 

 

I don't have anything personally against Les Johnson, but he does seem to be a scofflaw when it comes to the laws of our City and our State.  Here's some cases in point.

 

1)  He fell into the Public Safety Committee with CC Peterson and Chairman Castonia.  In a three month process involving a lot of tinkering with semantics and syntax, they developed the "Cat Feeding Ordinance", a totally unnecessary law that 'criminalized' the provision of food or water to cats except within ones own domicile.  This law went into effect at the beginning of October, and was made to address the plague of cats in the downtown area reported anecdotally by a couple of citizens.

 

In downtown-delinquents-that-cater-to-cats we noted that Mr. Johnson's business AJ's Party Port, has had a dog bowl posted outside his business since last year.  Since that ordinance went into effect one month ago, he has maintained that "dog" bowl filled with water and cigarette butts outside the business.  The fact that he is providing water to stray cats by doing so may be questioned, but if someone noticed a cat taking a sip from that "dog" bowl, he would technically be afoul of the law he created.

 

As I see the intent of that law, the Public Safety Committee wanted to prevent the provision of food and water to stray/feral cats.  But one of the law's crafters, continues to proudly do so in defiance of it.  Why does he do so?

 

2)  Les' civic involvement should be commended since he currently serves on the City Council, the Downtown Ludington Board (DDA), and the Board of Review, but after that commendation it should be scrutinized.  The conflicts with law and "of interest" was discussed in detail in more-hats-for-les.  It would be nice to hear him defend the appointment's legitimacy and his ability to serve in each of those three public organizations, against the local ordinances saying otherwise.

 

3)  I would like to hear how he proposes to create, fund, and build support for the walkway he has mentioned from the waterfront through to the Fourth Ward along PM Lake.  This has been a dead issue since about 2001, and it seems even less wise to do so now.  It might make him some allies in the Third Ward who would benefit from the walkway (like him), but there is also opposition to such a costly development without any pressing need to do so.

[Angela Brimmer]

I guess i don't understand how leaving a water bowl outside a business for customers dogs that are left outside can be viewed as "providing water to stray cats". Obviously the intent of the bowl is to let dogs have water in our hot summer heat as they and their owner walk through our beautiful town. You could say a business owner or resident is providing for stary cats if their pavement has a crack in it and collects rain water allowing cats to drink out of that. Should everyone that has some type of "instrument" that has the ability to collect water be in violation of the "stray cat" ordinance or guilty of providing to stray animals? This ordinance was obvioulsy put in place so people wouldn't or couldn't dump bags of cat food on the sidewalk to feed the stray cats. To pick at a downtown business owner/ city council member who was on a committee that presented the new "stray cat" ordinance and put out a "dog bowl" outside their business i think is a stretch and pathetic. Get a life or even better, get some sense (common may be too much to ask for so just a little sense would be a start).

[XLFD]

This is one reason why we should have the candidate answer questions about this ordinance.  The Ordinance states: 

"Feeding of Cats. No person shall intentionally feed, make available nor assist another person to make available food or water for any cat (whether domesticated or wild) on public property or private premises other than the residence of that person." 

Every night these bowls are left out overnight with water in it, downtown businesspeople are making available water to stray/feral cats at places other than the residence of those people.  In the very place where the stray/feral cat problem was noted.  I find it hypocritical for the generator of this law to continue doing this.  That's the point, and thanks for the concerns, Angela Brimmer.   My view is that there is no need for the ordinance amendment in any form. 

[Angela Brimmer]

Then you must not have been aware of the pounds of cat food put out on James St across from Chef Johns to feed stray cats. Speaking to the MCAC they agreed this can be a health hazard making the ordinance a good idea. So if i have an empty flower pot on my porch that is collecting water will you suggest i am breaking the ordinance and ticket me if you are elected? The intentions of those water bowls are to give water to dogs. Have you ever seen a cat drink out of those water dishes? I'm assuming if stray cats were sworming around those bowls on a regular basis, such was the case of feeding the cats on James St then those bowls would be removed. I have spoken to numerous people who live here and vacation here he appreciate those water bowls downtown for their dogs. Those bowls are not intended to feed/ water stray cats- end of story. It comes down to intentions. People were dumping bags of cat food downtown with the intentions of feeding the stray/ wild cats. Downtown business owners are intending on giving a thirsty dog a drink. I would say this is pretty nit-pickey

[Sohn Jhay]

XLFD

If elected, will you work to repeal the cat ordinance? 

If you say Yes you will work to repeal it, then the next question would ask why would you waste valuable time at taxpayer expence over it if it is such a meaningless ordinance as you claim? 

Just asking!

[XLFD]

If I would have been elected, I would have worked at my $50/year rate to try to repeal this and other nuisance ordinances.  I have never said it was a 'meaningless ordinance', its meaning is clear to me: a select group of power-hungry councilors can dictate how much compassion you can show to a living creature.  But its also a poorly written law that criminalizes a lot more stuff than it should for the objectives it purports to be attaining. 

[Willy]

Angela

If the Council is going to pass a picky ordinance that all Ludingtons citizens are subject to then isn't it only common decency to follow the same ordinance. Read the ordinance carefully. "Make available" means just that. I certainly don't see what is so obvious about the ordinance as you have claimed. Who pours bags of cat food on the sidewalk?  Is that why they passed it, because someone was dumping bags of cat food?

[AQUAMAN]

Angela, just as a newbie, you may want to investigate an earlier thread we also had on this subject matter, just fyi. Even City Councilor Wanda Marrison agreed that this "dog bowl" idea was fouled up for our furry friends. The cat ordinance is also totally silly, ask around and see what your friends and neighbors around town think. Be enlightened a little before you go off on people please. It will help your credibility. Thanks.

[Angela Brimmer]

Aquaman, i have "ask around" and my friends from the 3rd ward were glad this ordinance passed. I could care less about my credibility on this website. My name is Angela Brimmer and have nothing to hide. "Aquaman" it seems as if you do, which is why you are afraid to use your real name. I find it gutless to not use your real name, FYI, and lends you to having 0 credibility. Thanks.

[Marty Redman]

Angela,

Your page says you come from Ludington but I've just ran a thorough people search on a couple of people search engines and come up with no one by that name in Mason County.  If you have nothing to hide, tell us why this is the case.  Otherwise you have very little credibility.  Thanks.

[Angela Brimmer]

Marty, first of all get a life, you have too much time on your hands with all your "search engines" and research. Second of all I have always went by Angela Brimmer with Angela being my middle name though. T Angela Brimmer, never liked my first name so i don't use it. Thanks Redneck... I mean Redman.

[Marty Redman]

Does the T stand for Troll?  Sorry Miss T. Angela Brimmer, my people search engines still turn up a blank.  The two "T Brimmers" in that area do not have Angela as a middle name.  Your name is false, your demeanor is rude, and your words are pure baseless propaganda for your mama or papa who serves in the City of Ludington.    

[Sohn Jhay]

Marty Redman

Your attitude against Angela are one reason why I would not want to see Rotta as a councilor.  One can only wonder how bad the backlash would be against Angela if she disagreed publicly with councilor Rotta?  At least Angela claims to be a Ludington resident and is only speaking up for her own viewpoints about Ludington's leaders should be.  You are here claiming to be from Chicago IL.  Why would anyone from Chicago IL be so obsessed with what one single Ludington resident says about her own town?