Upcoming Ludington Elections

[Eve Alone]

From yesterday's Ludington Daily News:

 

Ludington elections

Three city council seats contested

LDN Staff -

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Ludington voters will decide in November who will represent Ludington’s 3rd Ward and 5th Ward on the city council and decide who will be the city’s at-large councilor.

Voters will also choose the next 1st Ward councilor and city treasurer in November, but there is only one candidate for each position following Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline for candidates to file.

Current Treasurer Linda Rogers is the only candidate for her job and Richard Rathsack is the only person in line for the 1st Ward councilor seat.

Les Johnson — who the council appointed to the 3rd Ward seat in April to replace Brent Scott, who resigned and moved to the Grand Rapids area — will face John Curtis on the ballot for that seat in the November election.

SueAnn Schnitker and Nick Tykoski are candidates in the 5th Ward race, and incumbent Councilor-at-large Kaye Holman will compete against Tom Rotta for that seat.

 

Go John, SueAnn, and Tom!

[Wanda Marrison]

I did not know a "letter" was being issued until I read it on this forum.

I  saw the policy for the first time on 2-26-2011,

voted to approve the Workplace Safty Policy on 2-28-2011.

I was surprised that it was not already in place for City Hall, as this is a workplace for many.

A Workplace Saftey Policys is common in workplaces.

If this policy prompted the action, then yes I was involved because I voted for the policy.

Yes I did asked and I was verbally told what prompted it after I knew of the letter.

I am not a lawyer, I cannot comment on the denied due process.

As for giving information about this sitituation, my personal converations are private. 

I'm surprised you asked such a question. I would never asked about your personal conversations.

Being a city councilor does not give people the right to be involved in my personal coversations.

I can only hope that you will understand my feelings on this matter, and not construe it as me hiding something.

Respectfully,

Wanda  

[Willy]

Wanda

I appreciate that you responded, however, you answered the questions like a true politician. You skirted around the issue and in essence said it's none of my business because you think conversations you have had with other officials about the precedent setting banning of a citizen, without due process, is a private matter. You do realize that the banning was reported in the newspaper so it would hardly be considered private. Honestly, in my opinion, that is what is wrong with the current thinking in City Hall. This is not a private matter and converstation between City officials about the situation are not private. This affects every citizen in Ludington and you folks on the Council need to realize that. This is not about a "Workplace safety Policy" but the abuse of that  policy to silence criticism regarding dealings at City Hall which are brought to light by concerned citizens.

[XLFD]

Wanda,

Which other area has a Workplace Safety Policy that even looks like the one you voted for?  Show me, please.   For anyone, the City Manager can issue a letter like this and keep it around indefinitely to shut out a citizen's ability to utilize public buildings that his taxes/fees are helping run. 

When my friend asked through an FOIA to see the WSP and public records that led to the 'Letter' being issued to Tom Rotta, the City Manager withheld this information, wanting to charge her nearly $40 (including unlawfully charging her for labor, even when the City's FOIA policy does not allow it-- please read the section on allowable fees in that policy, Wanda).

When I did get a copy from an unknown ally, I found out that there was nothing in this WSP that protected the civil rights of the person who gets such a 'Letter'.  My only appeal hope is to be judged by the City Attorney, the non-resident who wrote this policy negatively affecting Ludington residents, who illegally poses as a City Official while being paid as an independent contractor. 

Today, I wished to chaperone my second grader on Community Day for her school, but poor Daddy was not allowed to go into the Police Station or City Hall without having to check in with the City Manager, and for some reason, having a police escort.  In the past, I have never behaved badly at City Hall or sent any threatening letters or phone calls to anyone in City Hall.  Is it too difficult to tell the accused what he is accused of-- in today's America?

Yet, nearly three months after my banishment, I am still in the dark as to why the City has taken away my rights, and many others are too.  Keep your secrets, Wanda-- you have shown where your loyalties lie, and it isn't to your fellow citizens.

[Sweater Cows!]

Complaining about your kids begging for the new iphone would be a private conversation. Chatting about how your husband forgot to get you a anniversary present would be a private conversation. But not talking about the things that affect the citizens of the town you represent.

 

Seems more like you *are* hiding something. And that something appears to be FEAR. Do you really want to be one of those 'followers'? Is that what you joined the council for(to be a crony with your fellow councilors?) Didn't you join to be a representative of the citizens of your town and do the right thing by the citizens?

 

Don't you have the backbone to step up and do the right thing and tell the real truth about the attitudes of your fellow councilors? Seems that would be the way to get the respect of the citizens and to be re-elected. Can the fellow councilors really do you in so bad that you want to be one of there group for fear of reprisals? Those councilors don't vote for you, the townspeople do, You need to decide what side you are on, becasue you won't ever stand out as a real representative of *your* people by following the herd. And that herd of fellow councilors aren't enough to keep you on that council.

Or  is there a vote you need from someone on the council that you must 'keep the peace'?

Or are you as a freshman councilor afraid to rock the boat and be 'outed' from the "cool kids" afraid to be ostracized from the group?

 

You can be a leader and show yourself as someone with the confidence and self-esteem to act on behalf of your voters, or you can be a follower of those very few who don't even vote for you.

 

Most people are afraid of conflict and avoid it, and by doing so you won't be the standout in the crowd by any means, but you might get to be the bridesmaid for life.

 

It's like High School, Which crowd are you a part of ???????????????

The 'mean girls' (aka Plastics) or the real kids who follow their heart and end up more successful than all those followers.

 

Please go rent the movie "Mean Girls", maybe then you will have an easier time deciding which sort you are.

[Sweater Cows!]

Actually Wanda, let me just ask a question.

 

Did you join the council to be a leader or follower? Please choose only one word ___leader or ___follower. Now please answer why in essay format. thanks

 

[Sweater Cows!]

Bratz is another good movie that would illustrate my point, perhaps better than Mean girls. Or to go truely old school Heathers, but i don't remember what exactly that was about, but it has some of that 'cliquey' stuff I think, it was on the tv the other day.

[Lisa O'Brien]

Wanda,

My concern with this issue is there does not seem to be any recourse for the accused, shouldn't there have been at least a mediation between the person who felt their safety was at risk and the person accused of being the aggressor? The way it stands X is just automatically presumed guilty. The fact that Chief Shay published it in the newspaper makes it worse.

[Sweater Cows!]

Does anyone actually know what the 'accused' was supposed to have done aside from put in FOIA requests? AND shouldn't that be a matter of public record?

[XLFD]

Through adopting the Workplace Safety Policy, the City Council signed away any oversight it had on such shenanigans (Shay-nanigans!?, LOL) and lost more of its accountability to the public who vote for them.   No elected official has any fingerprint in these matters, even though the action that is done may be very politically motivated. 

Shay is charging nearly $40 to allow anyone to look at the public records leading up to this.  This is wrong, and falls under the category of public extortion.  Wanda illustrates that there is likely plenty of unwritten material (conversations) about it as well.   

[Willy]

I see on the LDN web page a photo showing Shay answering questions from kids at Chity Hall. I wonder if they realize they would be banned if they ask to many questions or the wrong questions. It's amazing how this person who is hired to run the City because the Mayors to lazy [I know it's not his job description] can control Ludington's citizens without answering to them. The people of Ludington have a real mess on their hands. They elect representatives who turn the job of running the City over to a "hired gun" who answers to noone but Councilors. I think it's time the people of Ludington take back their City by eliminating Shay's job and have the Mayor do some work and actually be in charge of running the City like most normal municipalities. How were the citizens of Ludington duped into giving up their control over who runs Ludington.

[XLFD]

I plan on establishing an initiatory petition committee at some point after this upcoming election to put the abolition of the City Manager position up for a public vote, I welcome your participation, Willie.  Other communities have done so, and have had positive results.  Corruption can happen with both a City Manager or in a 'strong mayor' form of local government, but at least the latter does have some accountability. 

And there's not so many layers to unpeel.  Here's a post I had on the subject last year, which is even more to the point this year: Of Democracy and City Managers

[Willy]

I completely missed that topic. Thanks for the link. If you think about it the Council and Mayor can blame Shay if things go wrong and take no responsibity for any shenanigans. I take back my previous statement that the City Councilors should receive a larger salary because when it comes to responsibility they simply pass the buck.