The May 13, 2025 meeting of the Mason County Board of Commissioners featured little reminder of the controversy that plagued theirlast regular meeting, where the new county administrator retained the old administrator for 10 hours each week and purloined two experienced clerks from the county clerk's office to help with administrative duties. Other than Gene Kyle's mention of it while trumpeting a call for transparency and integrity in the county's dedication towards senior citizens and County Administrator Kaitlyn Szczypka reporting at the end of the meeting that the new system was working well (despite the body language of County Clerk Cheryl Kelly while she relayed this).
At this meeting three issues took the forefront of commissioner consideration and only one was mentioned in the agenda packet. Several 2024 reports were received by the commission from the airport, Oakview MCF,WMSRDC, and even the health department. Alan Neuschwander was chosen as an alternate for the County ZBA, letters of interest solicitation were sought for the county's office building in Scottville (on Fifth and Main Streets), and several other sundry and ceremonial items of business as seen in the packet were passed without undue discussion.
Citizen Aldon Maleckas spoke out against state plans to use areas of Mason County for solar (and wind) development, Daniel Jensen gave a synopsis of the various water pollution issues in town and at the old fisheries building on South Jebavy. Yet, the issues that caught the commission's attention were as follows.
A Fair Compromise for Veterans?
The last action item on the agenda proved the most controversial, it was a request by the West Michigan Fair Association to serve alcohol in a secure area of the county fair on the day of the fair honoring veterans (August 5th). Because the county fair is a family-friendly event, the county has passed policy that prohibits selling alcohol at the fair, unless specifically waived by the county. The local Budweiser bottler would likely be the sponsor, though it was yet to be determined.
This policy had only been waived once before in 2023 when theBudweiser Clydesdales were in townto celebrate Ludington's sesquicentennial and were at the fairgrounds for an event that featured the product. Albeit this was in early June and not during the annual fair, so while most commissioners gave a nod to veterans (who were also celebrated at the 2023 event) the discussion went along the lines of setting a bad precedent and/or moving away from the county fair theme. In the final vote, only an apologetic Lew Squires would vote to approve the measure. So while veterans can get a very reduced entrance fee, free meals, and more, they won't get the opportunity to drink at the fairgrounds.
Hubbub at Hamlin Y?
Commissioner Jody Hartley, representing Hamlin Township, acknowledged a large presence of his constituents at the meeting, and they were mostly there and making noise about the noise that emanates from the Stix when they hold their concerts during the tourism season. Patiently, they sat unheard through the first comment period but three in a row from the neighborhood made appeals to the board while several others in the audience were supportive.
The appeals about the Stix weren't just about the noise, there were concerns with occupancy, with septic smells, with fences in the right-of-way, and their use of unpaid sheriff services during events. The commission, led by Hartley, would discuss some of these issues after the comment period, acknowledging that the status quo was not desirable. While nothing would be resolved about how the county might be able to do something for the aggrieved at this point, the commission would follow Hartley's initiative to try and get the judicial branch to better expedite an ongoing lawsuit stalled in circuit court, by sending the court a respectful letter encouraging them to speed the process up, and this better proved the point I had brought up during the initial comment.
Delay and Disorder in the Courthouse?
One would think that the recent clerk-administrator kerfuffle would be enough controversy to fill the courthouse for a bit, but a twenty-four month old case addressing Stix issues calledLandick v. Hamlin Twpshows that the Ludington Torch's issues with 51st Circuit Court Judge Susan Sniegowski is not an anomaly. Our readers will know that for 12 months we have had litigation concerning FOIA fees held up in that court, covering three different FOIA requests for bodycams that were seriously overpriced as regards legitimate fees.
Rather than disqualify herself because her husband is an employed officer of the defendant City of Ludington, not to mention a material witness in a criminal case fabricated against me by the City of Ludington, she has sat on this case for a year, a case where statute requires expedition above other cases. Had she recused herself properly, we would undoubtedly have seen this case resolved relatively fairly within three months by one of the other two judges at the courthouse. This case is currently in limbo; after a hearing in January when she decided she would then do an in camera review of the requested records in hopes to resolve the matter over 100 days have elapsed without any movement at all. I have asked for state-mandated expediency repeatedly in my complaint, motions, and at every court conference/hearing to no avail.
In the initial comment period, one might think that I would have aired my own exasperation with the county court and helped commissioners and Hamliners come to the conclusion that they were being delayed unnaturally like me. But I didn't mention that aspect, rather I focused on the fabricator of that criminal case I mentioned two paragraphs above:
XLFD: "At the last meeting, I appreciated Commissioner Hartley asking a simple yet poignant question, asking about why there was so much turnaround and retention issues in the county prosecutor's office over the last few years. It's a question that should trouble each commissioner, and I won't bother using hearsay in this public comment, other than to say that I have heard from multiple attorneys and other respectable citizens a common answer to Commissioner Hartley's question that will bolster my observation.
Just after the current prosecutor was effectively elected in the August 2024 primary election, she filed criminal charges against me. One charge was for driving with a suspended license, the other was for trespassing, both were based on March 2024 events. I have never driven with a suspended or revoked license, and I have never trespassed in a public city park, as alleged. I have written unfavorably about corruption at the City of Ludington and their police department at my websites for 17 years, and had written extensively and truthfully about the prosecutor's ethical lapses back at Oakland County and this one. These were the actual "crimes" I had committed, and the First Amendment of the Constitution protects me from government retribution for printing the truth.
Most people become prosecutors because they are passionate about fighting for justice and protecting the rights of victims. When these principled people work alongside our current prosecutor and see what her corrupted goals are, they leave. I hope that helps to answer your question, Commissioner Hartley." [END comment]
After the meeting, I wondered that if the commission was able to unanimously agree to urge Judge Sniegowski to act with expedition on the Hamlin issue (with Commissioner Nick Krieger abstaining due to his involvement with the case), then why couldn't they do the same thing with my FOIA fee case and perhaps do something similar with reining Prosecutor Beth Hand from acting outside of legal principles. Frankly, I'm sure I would meet the same fate as veterans looking to enjoy some beer at the county fair this summer and finding none due to the commission not wanting to set a bad precedent.
County Commission Meeting May 13, 2025: Fair Drinking, Stix Noise, and Derelict Courts
by XLFD
on Thursday
The May 13, 2025 meeting of the Mason County Board of Commissioners featured little reminder of the controversy that plagued their last regular meeting, where the new county administrator retained the old administrator for 10 hours each week and purloined two experienced clerks from the county clerk's office to help with administrative duties. Other than Gene Kyle's mention of it while trumpeting a call for transparency and integrity in the county's dedication towards senior citizens and County Administrator Kaitlyn Szczypka reporting at the end of the meeting that the new system was working well (despite the body language of County Clerk Cheryl Kelly while she relayed this).
At this meeting three issues took the forefront of commissioner consideration and only one was mentioned in the agenda packet. Several 2024 reports were received by the commission from the airport, Oakview MCF, WMSRDC, and even the health department. Alan Neuschwander was chosen as an alternate for the County ZBA, letters of interest solicitation were sought for the county's office building in Scottville (on Fifth and Main Streets), and several other sundry and ceremonial items of business as seen in the packet were passed without undue discussion.
Citizen Aldon Maleckas spoke out against state plans to use areas of Mason County for solar (and wind) development, Daniel Jensen gave a synopsis of the various water pollution issues in town and at the old fisheries building on South Jebavy. Yet, the issues that caught the commission's attention were as follows.
A Fair Compromise for Veterans?
The last action item on the agenda proved the most controversial, it was a request by the West Michigan Fair Association to serve alcohol in a secure area of the county fair on the day of the fair honoring veterans (August 5th). Because the county fair is a family-friendly event, the county has passed policy that prohibits selling alcohol at the fair, unless specifically waived by the county. The local Budweiser bottler would likely be the sponsor, though it was yet to be determined.
This policy had only been waived once before in 2023 when the Budweiser Clydesdales were in town to celebrate Ludington's sesquicentennial and were at the fairgrounds for an event that featured the product. Albeit this was in early June and not during the annual fair, so while most commissioners gave a nod to veterans (who were also celebrated at the 2023 event) the discussion went along the lines of setting a bad precedent and/or moving away from the county fair theme. In the final vote, only an apologetic Lew Squires would vote to approve the measure. So while veterans can get a very reduced entrance fee, free meals, and more, they won't get the opportunity to drink at the fairgrounds.
Hubbub at Hamlin Y?
Commissioner Jody Hartley, representing Hamlin Township, acknowledged a large presence of his constituents at the meeting, and they were mostly there and making noise about the noise that emanates from the Stix when they hold their concerts during the tourism season. Patiently, they sat unheard through the first comment period but three in a row from the neighborhood made appeals to the board while several others in the audience were supportive.
The appeals about the Stix weren't just about the noise, there were concerns with occupancy, with septic smells, with fences in the right-of-way, and their use of unpaid sheriff services during events. The commission, led by Hartley, would discuss some of these issues after the comment period, acknowledging that the status quo was not desirable. While nothing would be resolved about how the county might be able to do something for the aggrieved at this point, the commission would follow Hartley's initiative to try and get the judicial branch to better expedite an ongoing lawsuit stalled in circuit court, by sending the court a respectful letter encouraging them to speed the process up, and this better proved the point I had brought up during the initial comment.
Delay and Disorder in the Courthouse?
One would think that the recent clerk-administrator kerfuffle would be enough controversy to fill the courthouse for a bit, but a twenty-four month old case addressing Stix issues called Landick v. Hamlin Twp shows that the Ludington Torch's issues with 51st Circuit Court Judge Susan Sniegowski is not an anomaly. Our readers will know that for 12 months we have had litigation concerning FOIA fees held up in that court, covering three different FOIA requests for bodycams that were seriously overpriced as regards legitimate fees.
Rather than disqualify herself because her husband is an employed officer of the defendant City of Ludington, not to mention a material witness in a criminal case fabricated against me by the City of Ludington, she has sat on this case for a year, a case where statute requires expedition above other cases. Had she recused herself properly, we would undoubtedly have seen this case resolved relatively fairly within three months by one of the other two judges at the courthouse. This case is currently in limbo; after a hearing in January when she decided she would then do an in camera review of the requested records in hopes to resolve the matter over 100 days have elapsed without any movement at all. I have asked for state-mandated expediency repeatedly in my complaint, motions, and at every court conference/hearing to no avail.
In the initial comment period, one might think that I would have aired my own exasperation with the county court and helped commissioners and Hamliners come to the conclusion that they were being delayed unnaturally like me. But I didn't mention that aspect, rather I focused on the fabricator of that criminal case I mentioned two paragraphs above:
XLFD: "At the last meeting, I appreciated Commissioner Hartley asking a simple yet poignant question, asking about why there was so much turnaround and retention issues in the county prosecutor's office over the last few years. It's a question that should trouble each commissioner, and I won't bother using hearsay in this public comment, other than to say that I have heard from multiple attorneys and other respectable citizens a common answer to Commissioner Hartley's question that will bolster my observation.
Just after the current prosecutor was effectively elected in the August 2024 primary election, she filed criminal charges against me. One charge was for driving with a suspended license, the other was for trespassing, both were based on March 2024 events. I have never driven with a suspended or revoked license, and I have never trespassed in a public city park, as alleged. I have written unfavorably about corruption at the City of Ludington and their police department at my websites for 17 years, and had written extensively and truthfully about the prosecutor's ethical lapses back at Oakland County and this one. These were the actual "crimes" I had committed, and the First Amendment of the Constitution protects me from government retribution for printing the truth.
Most people become prosecutors because they are passionate about fighting for justice and protecting the rights of victims. When these principled people work alongside our current prosecutor and see what her corrupted goals are, they leave. I hope that helps to answer your question, Commissioner Hartley." [END comment]
After the meeting, I wondered that if the commission was able to unanimously agree to urge Judge Sniegowski to act with expedition on the Hamlin issue (with Commissioner Nick Krieger abstaining due to his involvement with the case), then why couldn't they do the same thing with my FOIA fee case and perhaps do something similar with reining Prosecutor Beth Hand from acting outside of legal principles. Frankly, I'm sure I would meet the same fate as veterans looking to enjoy some beer at the county fair this summer and finding none due to the commission not wanting to set a bad precedent.