New Misadventures of the Ludington Municipal Marina

[XLFD]

Back in May of 2011, it was revealed in Marina and the Hendersons that the Ludington City Marina appeared to be an ethics-free zone, where Mayor Henderson appointed the marina manager and board who in turn appointed his three daughters to the easiest summertime job you could imagine.

 

It was noted that the marina also had a knack for hiring the offspring of other city officials, without even going through any pretense of granting equal-employment-opportunity to the rest of the community that was effectively shut out of these positions-- the marina never publicly advertised for open positions, deeming to fill them with public servant progeny or their best friends.

Being a public marina, these are serious shortcomings that have not been addressed since; if anything the Ludington city marina has only continued their mystery process of choosing employees without any public advertisement or with any established process beyond the process of nepotism.  You will note the latest seasonal hires from last year have high pedigree parents, such as the former mayor and the current assistant city manager.

But with the marina, anything goes.  They can have the State pay for expensive bathroom and fish cleaning facilities, and yet totally exempt the public from them even though that's against the contract.  They can run charter boats out of the public marina for thirty years even when the law allows them that privilege only if the City and State officially allow it.  Almost every contract for improvements between the state and city had a clause that stated that charter boats were not allowed without express permission from both units.

But these are old facts that haven't been publicly contested by any state or local source; here is the latest misadventure noted at that scofflaw location which happened last weekend on Sunday morning, when this year's Gus Macker Tournament was in play.  The wrong is not as monumental as unbridled nepotism, unequal hiring practices, contract-breaking between two public entities and the public itself, or the unfair competitive advantages a public marina has over the established private marinas. 

It is little more than some minor traffic infractions.  Yet, in a way, it illustrates why the marina's wanton law-breaking is so epidemic, and why it is bad for the community.  I was traveling in the marina area on the way to Stearn's Park, ready to pay my usual respects to Lingyan Zou, the unfortunate Chinese immigrant to Ludington who died at the city marina back in 2012 of a officially-suspected suicide, but was more likely an unfortunate accident on the dangerous transient docks of that marina, or perhaps even a murder.

I heard the familiar small motor sound of a four-wheeler chugging up behind me on William Street.  Turning, I saw it was a golf cart with three young ladies therein.  It didn't take long to ascertain they worked for the marina, especially since they would be going to check on garbage cans around the marina in the near future.  For the meantime, however, I saw they were on the sidewalk and snapped a photo of them shortly after they made the turn on Loomis Street.

This was definitely the marina's two-seated golf cart, but the young ladies were apparently slim enough to fit the three of them within, though they were very crowded.  Having went golfing with such a cart in the past, the golf course attendants will be quick to tell you that you can only fit two people on a golf cart with two seats.  The law is also very specific about how many people can ride on bicycles, motorcycles, and other vehicles, one person per seat. 

A new law took effect just this year that clarifies and specifies the conditions where a golf cart can be driven in a city with a population under 30,000 people.  Section 1 says that a city can allow golf carts the ability to travel in the city by resolution.  Ludington has not adopted any such resolution. 

Even with a resolution the operation of golf carts is regulated such that:  1) the driver is at least 16 years old and has a driver's license (sec. 5).  2)  the operator must signal properly, either with hand signals or electronically (sec. 6).  3)  drive to the far right of the lane when on a street (sec. 7).  4) a golf cart shall not be operated on a sidewalk or other pedestrian facility (sec. 11)

The operator was clearly running the cart on the pedestrian sidewalk in the public right of way on Loomis and William Streets-- they even displaced a couple of elderly pedestrians.  This man got off the walkway and allowed the cart to pass:

While the lady walking in front of him did not hear the motor-- so the ladies went on the grass to pass her.

They checked the trash levels in the middle of the transient docks, then moved on, I followed behind, and saw them go to the west side of the marina on Ferry Street, where they tended to the trash at the south terminus of that street.  As I approached discreetly, I saw them get off the sidewalk and head back north on Ferry Street.  I caught an image of them traveling on this street just before they once again turned onto the sidewalk of Loomis Street, to go back towards the marina entrance.  They were not keeping to the far right while on this street.

I have no idea whether the driver had a license or whether she was 16 years young, but she was definitely operating a golf cart in a city where golf cart operation has not been allowed.  Even with such a resolution's existence, the driver and two passengers in a dangerously overloaded vehicle violated the three other provisions of the law.  She drove on public sidewalks, she drove towards the center of a street, and she failed to signal her turns. 

I would add that her speed when going down the street was dangerous to her and her passengers, and could have easily led to the cart tipping on the turn.  These carts are meant for off-road travel and are ill-suited for quick turns, particularly when overloaded.

Unfortunately, it would probably take a serious accident like that to get any public reaction against such dangerous activity taking place at the city marina where one of the silver-spoon employees or our summertime guests get injured.  When anything else goes at the marina, things like this are just the inevitable result.

[Willy]

It really is a bad situation when the elite class hire their kids and friends for those marina jobs and never consider hiring the people or their children who pay for that marina to exist. The same old cronyism keeps rearing it's ugly head in Ludville with no apparent change in sight. Henderson and the other nose in the air cronies think they are privileged and they just don't give a damned about what they do or how greedy they have become.

[XLFD]

When you don't advertise for openings and fill them with related offspring and perhaps their friends you are not offering equal employment opportunity, but they don't seem to be losing sleep over it.  The city tonight will have a first reading of an ordinance to allow golf carts and ORVs to operate in the city with few limitations.  Undoubtedly, they want to legitimize their past unlawful activities by making them legit, yet what these young ladies did was not in keeping with that ordinance.   Will it pass and will it last?  And why hasn't there been any community involvement in the process?

[AQUAMAN]

When you see the same Henderson and Steckel names for instance on the roster of Municipal Marina employees for years and years, it's just not right. These "marina part-time" employees are supposed to be selected from a roster of new applicants every year. Past hiring suggested most were out of college for the summer and needed work and money for school. How old do you have to be to not get a chance at a job there? 25-35 year olds are not what I would call eligible college kids, unless of course they have the right last name. As for new ordinances, it was my understanding that it had to go thru some crony committee first, then have public comment, BEFORE it gets read and voted on! Keeping the voters and community out of city business decisions that affect all of us negatively is in keeping with recent traditions of being secretive, evasive, and simply unlawful as much as possible. I suppose it will take several deaths and serious accidents with heavy summer traffic for anyone to wake up to the obvious safety violations that will result in passage of such an ordinance. 

[XLFD]

From the first reading of the ordinances tonight, it looks that Councilor Rathsack might be a 'no' vote, because he has concerns which I don't think were totally addressed by other officials tonight.  I got the impression most thought it was a great idea, however.  I think it's a great idea in Eden Township, Epworth Heights, etc., but in Ludington, I think it's a big mistake which hasn't been thought through-- this is indicative of most recent ordinance proposals by this council.

Meanwhile, at the council I was cut off before I could get to the obviously unfair hiring practices at the city marina, which is shameful because this is a government agency which should be following equal employment opportunity practices.

[AQUAMAN]

Well, from what I've seen of the esteemed Councilor Rathsack so far, he's been snoring and napping during most or all of any issues since day one, and votes with the "sheep". He may be "present" instead of "here" on his role call, but he's "OUT TO LUNCH" when it comes to voting for first ward constituents. Any bets he caves, and hides behind more snoring? He certainly is no Dan Rathsack when it comes to caring about locals and Ludington imho. I say, go back to Midland, Dow Hdqts., and snore away your life there. 

[Jasper]

The "Equal Opportunity Act," is an excellent resource for unfair hiring practices.  These positions at the City Marina are funded by taxpayers, so in essence the Mayor hiring family and friends would be considered unfair business practices under the "Equal Opportunity Act."   

[Willy]

Most everything the ex mayor did and current council does would be considered "unfair" as far as I'm concerned.

[mad mike]

Well it appears the cronyism continues from the Ludington rulers, recently a position at the cemetery was bestowed upon Brandon Fisher which I believe is "Mama Ludingtons" (Jackie Steckel) nephew. Is there not a union for the city workers at DPW and UM, as it seems there would be proto call to follow such as posting the position for other union members to have the chance to fill the position when someone retires or quits. It should be interesting to see how fast he climbs through the ranks and receives a position authority.

[AQUAMAN]

When it comes to the leaders of Ludington these days, nepotism and cronyism goes hand in hand. Unfair hiring and firing practices are the norm, and are right in front of all the public to see and put up with. Seems to me a big stink could be made if the public makes written complaints to the proper Michigan Labor Dept. authorities. However, for over five years since the Torch was started, we have routinely witnessed this over and over, with State authorities simply ignoring what is definitely "unfair and unjust". Then there is also CA Wilson, an attorney that also has no ethics, and can always think up some legal excuse that will cover any dilemma on the trail of deceit and illegal acts. 

[XLFD]

Betcha know that Mekayla Steckel has been working down at the City Marina for awhile too, and that we still have a Henderson working there. 

Here's a good exercise, which I have been tempted to do for the years that I already have.  Order up last year's W-2's for the city and then connect the lineages. 

It's already been noted (repeatedly, at the marina) that the positions that come up for filling seem to be 'filled by the filial', and never publicly posted.  That's snubbing both the union and the general public.