The Outlaws of Newaygo County Government

[XLFD]

Commissioner Steven Johnson:  Too Crazy from District Two

Just before he was sworn into his new Newaygo county commissioner seat in January of this year, Steven Arnold Johnson (pictured left) was arrested for the malicious destruction of personal property for an incident that happened in March 2014.  According to police records, he vandalized eleven cars at Freedom Chevrolet, a Fremont car dealership on March 3rd.  Johnson once owned this dealership, and it still remains a mystery as to why he did what he is alleged to have done.   

Newaygo County Administrator Tobi Lake, just before the arraignment of Johnson, noted that being charged with a crime doesn’t change anything, even though if he was convicted the governor could remove Johnson from office.

On August 7, Johnson pleaded down to a misdemeanor count of malicious destruction of property less than $200, and still proudly serves on the Newaygo Board of Commissioners.

Commissioner Christian Ortwein:  District Six with a Six-Shooter

Newaygo County Commissioner Christian Ortwein, 58, was arraigned Thursday, Aug. 13, on the felony charge of obstructing a court officer in the performance of his duties which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison. State police in a statement said he allegedly obstructed a court officer on June 18.

While the Michigan State Police haven’t released details, a source told a local TV station that Ortwein pulled a gun on the officer as he was trying to serve legal documents.

Ortwein, who could face up to five years in prison if convicted, may have his case heard later this month.

County Administrator Tobi Lake:  Superior Drinking Skills

It was not until August 24 when it was learned that the top man of Newaygo County had two incidents involving heavy drinking and violating the laws.  Earlier in August, it was learned that Lake was caught allegedly driving super-drunk with a .20 BAC sometime in July.  But on August 24, he was arraigned on a June 12 charge for acting drunk and disorderly in the Newaygo Brewing Co.

Most details are conveniently unavailable for both incidents as of this writing, however, it is known that on July 14, Lake was pulled over near the intersection of M-37 and Quarterline Road after a Newaygo City police officer spotted him just before dark weaving in a traffic lane and making a turn without a signal.  He is said to have had blackout periods after the incident.

The court cases are being handled by Muskegon County Prosecutor D.J. Hilson because of the potential conflict of interest with Newaygo County prosecutors.  As a result of the two incidences, Tobi Lake resigned his position as County Administrator on Monday.

The Worst Crime by the Newaygo County Government Gang

Malicious destruction of property, obstructing a court officer, drunk and disorderly conduct, drunk driving only pale in comparison to the biggest crime committed two days after Tobi Lake resigned, when at the county commissioner meeting the grand theft of $59,000 was committed from the taxpayers of Newaygo County. 

Steven Johnson the Destroyer and Christian Ortwein the Obstructor voted for their fellow scofflaw, Tobi "Too big" Lake to receive a $59,000 severance package.  The decision to offer the pay - about seven months of Lake's salary - was not without controversy. Commissioners voted 4-3 to approve, meaning that if Johnson or Ortwein voted otherwise, Newaygo County would have more money to apply towards their $1.1 million deficit, as noted here in the comments by the reporter.  The contract between the administrator and the county does not reportedly guarantee any severance in such situations. 

[Willy]

That is an amazing story. Partners in crime 4 of them be, and through the haze the voters must see, to cleanse the Government of at least three.

[db cooper]

This has bothered me long enough. Newaygo County is corrupt as can be!

I just read in the Times-Vindicator that the Commissioners voted 4/3 to give the administrator $59k in severance pay! Outrageous. I upgraded and maintained the NC campus network an installed dozens of new computers in 1999, and witnessed so much BS and corruption that I was glad to leave the bean counters from Fremont that I worked for (40 hours pay for 60+hours work) and go back to fixing people's computer problems solo.

H&S Companies are corrupt themselves, and conspired to steal thousands of dollars in taxes from the State of Michigan from an installation of a Server and 14 workstations that I built, configured, and installed at The White Agency in Fremont.
Hendon & Slate worked out the bill(s) so that charges would be non-taxable (as services) and sold the computers and networking equipment at cost.
They paid me $17.50 an hour and charged $75.00 to the clients.

Crooks. Plain and simple.

The county officials meet the same critique, as the Drain Commissioner Cindy Sullivan, conspired to force the Chain of Lakes to hook up to a faulty sewer system that dumped sewage into the Penoyer Creek, which runs into the Muskegon River at Newaygo. It was unnecessary, as most of the homes had safe, working septic systems. Just another money grab.

[XLFD]

You have some nerve to cast stones after hijacking that plane back in 1971, db cooper.  Welcometo the Ludington Torch.

It's not hard to believe such corruption is running rampant in a county where the top leaders are behaving so badly.  I don't know whether it's the case, but it looks as if the police agencies in Newaygo County are doing their jobs, so you may want to contact the county sheriff when you see some problems come up.  Better yet, in the server installation scenario contact the state agency that was involved, and if they seem indifferent, broadcast the facts and the apathy in detail here and/or elsewhere. 

The sewer system conspiracy you mention is enticing, but it's just a skeleton of a story that needs to be developed.  If you or anybody else in the know and with some documentation wants to put some dots on paper, assign numbers to each one, and draw the lines for our readership, you're more than welcome to do that here.

[XLFD]

Despite further revelations about Tobi Lake's behavior on June 12, where he acted drunk and disorderly including: urinating in public, sexually harassing a waitress, and trying to start fights.  This and after a successful prosecution for his super-drunk driving arrest, made the Lake County Commission decide that he was the right man for leading Lake County.

According to the article:  "Lake County has not had a county administrator for more than a dozen years. The clerk-register had been operating as the county's chief financial officer.

But commissioners expressed some dissatisfaction with the setup over the last year and, in January, started a search for a new county administrator.

A total of 21 candidates, not including Lake at the time, was whittled down to four finalists. Lake was not a candidate at the time.

A recommendation was made to hire one of the finalists, but commissioners came to a 3-3 tie in a vote.

In recent days, a commissioner brought up Lake's name and he became a candidate.

He was interviewed by commissioners Tuesday, Sept. 29 and, during the discussion, talked about the criminal charges, according to the commissioner."

Those other 21 candidates must have been something else.

[Willy]

Why oh why didn't Shay apply for that job. But then again he might have and Lake County decided that on the lessor of 2 evils.

[XLFD]

Newaygo Officials strikes again.  The 76 year old County Surveyor, Norman "Dumb-as-an-" Ochs, taking a break from surveying land and planting stakes in the ground, decides to do the same with some hired female help.  Newaygo Co. surveyor, 76, accused of hiring prostitute:

"Norman Leo Ochs, 76, was formally charged Monday on three counts of engaging the services of prostitutes and one count of soliciting an act of prostitution. MSP said the alleged incidents happened in White Cloud over a period of two years.

The White Cloud resident is an elected official in Newaygo County. County Prosecutor Robert Springstead told 24 Hour News 8 his office will prosecute the case because it does not have a personal relationship with Ochs and does not feel there is a conflict of interest."