Comment

Comment by XLFD on July 2, 2016 at 10:37am

To be fair, let's consider that Mayor Cox may have been brought into line through other means not involving complicity with the corruption of Shay, Wilson or the Tykoskis. 

1)  Cox had no strong values of his own that he put forth, he was more of a follower than a leader, a team player if you will.  Rocking the boat with these fellows, even to do the right thing, would be out of character due to his loyalty to his fellow officials.

2)  Cox's life outside of mayoral duties was rife with scandal, of which he chose to keep mostly secret.  This leaves him open to blackmail by the corrupted fellows already mentioned, if not others. 

Until other information comes out to dispute it, my theory is that he had a falling out with the other 'corrupti' or just had had enough of the bulls$%t, and had to leave so that he would not have to deal with the guilt of keeping that secret when it eventually hits the fan.  Good people cannot stand with such corrupted characters forever, without getting its taint.  The absence of Shay and other top officials at Cox's last meeting help's bolster that theory.

Comment by AQUAMAN on July 1, 2016 at 11:43pm

I don't think a strong man of ethics and character HAS to fail with Shay and Wilson. Both are appointed stooges that need replacement, firing, but their narcissist ways seem to agree with the council and Mayor's misplaced agendas, lead by Shay no less. It's NOT TOO BAD, imho, it's the way Cox apparently saw as reality, and any Mayor of any worth, has to be a LEADER! Not another Bufoon that copies the past, just to not rock some boats. I think he portrays what most politicians are in reality, liars, cheats, and perhaps even thieves, when it comes to the public treasury and deeds. 

Comment by stump on July 1, 2016 at 3:07pm

On the voting issue, I think that we all vote for someone who we think will continue a job well done or vote for change. In mayor Cox , it was a vote to vote out the old same O same O cronies , A time for change for the betterment of the city, a leader who had vision and balls, but to our dismay nothing changed. He became one of them very quickly, just another puppet in the Shay and Wilson's little organization . It's to bad he failed at everything in the city government and his personal life this passed year.

Comment by AQUAMAN on July 1, 2016 at 1:55pm

Yup, well said X. There are many homes in downtown Lud. for sale, as well as apartments. Name 5 betterments Cox made to the community the last 1-1/2 years. 1) Totally failed infrastructure continued to be ignored, 2) City Attorneys continued to overbill the city for services, mostly FOIA related, 3) City Charter was modified too many times and not for the good, 4) retained the services of a lax and negligent City Mgr., 5) modified the public comment period to deny Freedom of Speech to anyone not talking about their fixed agendas. 

Comment by XLFD on July 1, 2016 at 12:24pm

The above superimposed words was advice that Mayor Cox gave to those who may consider running for the job he just vacated ostensibly because he cannot find a house big enough for his newly found family in Ludington-- despite all those stately homes with "for sale" signs in their yard I see out on the avenues.

Reviewing the words, it makes one wonder who would run for mayor out of spite?  And if you truly want to make the community and city a better place, wouldn't you have one or more issues that you feel need to be remedied?  Mayor Cox is one of those folks who can be given a list of new, undebated reasons at almost every meeting of how the city can be improved and how its problems have solutions that do not impede the rights and/or pocketbooks of the citizens, but he has a Pollyanna complex.  You can't love Ludington, according to him, except by accepting the corruption that is in place, by loving the cronyism, nepotism, and charter-busting that have defined Ludington politics over the last decade.  He is wrong; we need men or women of vision who demand honest and open government for the people's sake, not because it inconveniences his fellow officers.

Comment by shinblind on July 1, 2016 at 11:37am

It does look like she is practicing  pounding Cox's gavel with her unseen hand.

Comment by Willy on July 1, 2016 at 9:55am

Comment by Willy on June 29, 2016 at 7:22am

Unfortunately there was nothing redeeming about his term in office. He was the epitome of the go along to get along politician. To bad for the citizens of Ludington but they're the ones who elected him. Again, it is my opinion that very few people will give up their personal time for the small stipend they receive for serving on the Council or as Mayor. Until the pay is increased to a fair amount there is very little incentive for people to dip their toes into the political arena. Ego stroking, influence and under the table dealing appear to be the only compensation that counts to current Ludington legislatures.

Comment by XLFD on June 29, 2016 at 6:54am

I wouldn't classify him in the crook category, he was more of a crook enabler.  A very ineffective mayor/reserve police officer who thumbed his nose at the city charter and state Constitution all too often just to fit in with the ingrained corruption. 

We'll get someone worse if only the usual stooges run for mayor and if nobody with real vision steps up to the plate, somebody who cares about the whole community, acts as a wise steward of your tax dollars, and acts like a public servant, not a master.  And one of these days we may just learn the real reason he resigned, rather than be left with the usual false storyline.

Comment by AQUAMAN on June 29, 2016 at 2:21am

Her HUGE SASQUATCH arm is as BIG as his HEAD! Look, pictures don't lie!