Term limits and city manager elections.

[jfc123]

This is an interesting find: http://www.thehamiltonian.net/2010/04/term-limits-and-electing-city...

In my opinion anyone that is a decision maker for any city/township should be elected by the people they represent. Any appointment is unconstitutional since we have a system in place to elect the people we choose to represent us...its the American way, right?

Anyone who does not support the will of the citizens they represent should have the opportunity to be removed by them! Why is this not the case here in Ludington? Seems that the money people there are trying to sweep under the rug laws we have secured with our constitution?

I cant not believe that so few can suppress so many? It is time to rise up and peacefully protest what the city is doing that you do not like. Rise above, vote, sign or create petitions, complain to the state! This is YOUR city, YOU own it, not these people that have seats that they they have sat in so long their ass is bigger than it! Take control of your city and make your voice heard!

As a whole your voices are so much louder than their money/rhetoric!

[XLFD]

Five years ago I wrote this essay:  Of Democracy and City managers over the course of a late night where I bemoan the undemocratic concept of the city manager.  Unlike some of my older work, it has aged well.  It's definitely an uphill battle when the local politicos and media has been geared up to protect the existing city manager system.

The only votes city managers have to worry about is those of a handful of city councilors.  Conversely, a handful of city councilors can not only get rid of a worthless city manager, but take steps to change the system back to where an elected official, the mayor, has the executive power of a city.  We have a handful of council seats coming up for election this fall.  Get a nominating petition for your ward, or for the at-large seat if you're in the 2nd or 6th Ward, and don't be afraid to be critical of the current situation.

[shinblind]

Not only is this city council incompetent but with the upcoming ballot  proposals they show how derelict in performing their duty they have become by wanting to  removing choice from the voter and assigning it the city manager.

This power grab by Shay shows he has no respect for the council, nor the City of Ludington, or its voters but instead is only concerned with increasing his own power and lining his own pockets.

Like just about everything the council approves they have it backward. The city manager should be elected position not an anointed position. and the  city manager's power should be held in check by the council.

To paraphrase a quote from "Animal House"," Fat, lazy and stupid is no way for the council to go through life."

[XLFD]

A meaningful extension of your thoughts would be to eliminate the city manager position, and give a city's executive powers to the elected city executive, the mayor.  And whereas some may fret that many people who achieve the mayor's spot from a popular vote may not have the knowledge to run a city (probably the same folks who want city clerks and treasurers appointed), the best remedy is to have qualified department heads.  If the city is large or complex enough, the hiring of extra executive assistants may be in order to look over operational aspects of the city-- but always under the direction of the mayor so that any problems created will have a proper and accountable parent in the mayor, or if it's not an executive branch issue, the city council. 

A cooperative city manager and city council, like Ludington currently has, can dodge accountability for their excesses a lot easier.  They know this, most of the public doesn't.

[AQUAMAN]

Why does a small town like Ludington need a City Mgr. to begin with? I think it's come about due to the Mayor just being a lazy figurehead in the chain of command. Why does a small town like Ludington need to pay an outsider to do this job, and pay him over $100,000 per year? Again, it's not warranted imho. The elected City Clerk and Treasurer, both competent individuals, swore an oath of duty, provide all the accounting and fiscal responsibilities for the city anyhow. So why this extra cost and nail in the keg? Along with all this, consider the fact that the city is audited every year by outside CPA's, trained and licensed professionals that account for any discrepancies to the council and State of Michigan. Again, I don't believe we need Shyster Shay III, he's just an appointed dreg on this society, not worthy of local praise nor keeping on the payroll. Hell, this man is just a conduit for unethical and illegal activities, mostly his dreamed up ideas, that only drags down the good name and future of our small town. He isn't liked by the general public, nor many of his own coworkers, whom just put up with his crap to get along and keep their job.

[XLFD]

A city of 8000 with the resources of Ludington can get by fine without a city manager and definitely without an assistant city manager.  Most of our problems arise from the actions these officials take to make themselves seem less expendable, as you have noted with Teflon John Shay.

[jfc123]

A city of 8000 can not afford to hold this much city government. City manager at a premium 6 figure and assistant just below 100k? Where is this money coming from? If you look here it is really surprising to see out of the top 30, only 9 were council-mayor! These are all BIG cities that can afford to spend this cash on all this extra "fluff", Ludington is not.

http://www.nlc.org/build-skills-and-networks/resources/cities-101/c...

Well unless they steal from the poor who were dumped on in 2008 by a bad storm and dumped waste in the pu bayou and never removed it! Then again in 2013 with another break, not one concern for clean up but dredged the city marina, painted a water tower, and upgrades to a city park called a marina that the residents can not use? Quoting my favorite Sunday football commentator, "common man?"

1st best thing about the internet is the "search engine", second best is that there are so many "search engines" on the internet. You want an answer it is out there, keep looking it will eventually lead to the internet that they don't want you to find! There is so much out there, just need to look.

Ludington needs a change and unless the citizens stand up then nothing will happen. Petitions, protest, demand for change, they don't own you and the feeling in the USA is it is "TIME FOR A CHANGE!"

I will not stop until the PU BAYOU is cleaned up! We around it do not need any "skin in the game" as Shay say has said in news articles I can publish if need be! We did not make this mess the WWTP that ran UNLAWFULLY for 5 years w/o a permit, that failed during a storm, and all of the discharge upstream and subsequent sewage breakages following did! We should not be forced to clean YOUR mess! Btw the SOM agrees! Where is their insurance and why were we not helped?

We do not have much more to lose that the WWTP, COL, Mason County and SOM have not already took from us due to their lack of effort in cleaning up THIER mess! If you really want to talk of karma, this is destroying what was a big reason that helped build this city, fishing and ALL of the visionaries around the bayou that built this city. I better not her there is no money with all of the projects you planned! Like the city lawyer said that is pure BS, "we worked under an implied permit". NO YOU DOD NOT, LIAR! If a permit I, or another citizen has expires from the SOM it is expired, you are not better than, or above any citizen! Do you understand the rights our constitution gives us or any laws that have been in place since? We would get ticketed and fined, if you did not then fraud has occurred!

Do I hear footprints on the ground............

Oh and to the dipshit that spoke against someone living in an apartment as an attack?  If you feel that way why are you not outspoken of the apartment development that may be coming soon? Or are you not really who you say you are and just some silly troll?

[Willy]

The reason for Ludington's City Manager - Council type of Government is because the elected offices of the Councilors and Mayor are of a "part time" nature and most towns require a full time position such as a Manager to "manage" the city's day to day operations. This can be a reasonable form of Government if the Council were more actively involved with over seeing the Manager's performance in carrying out the duties required. The problem lies in a lack of oversight by Councilors and just plain laziness in carrying out the duties required of the Council. Unfortunately Ludington's Council continues to pass the "responsibility buck" to the Manager and of course Shay is only to eager to oblige them by taking that buck and doing whatever he wants. He then convinces the foolish minded Councilors that what he is doing is proper and acceptable. I'm almost sure most if not all of the Councilors do not even revue or question what Shay is doing because they, unfortunately, accept his word that everything is on the up and up. They eagerly relinquish their power and responsibility to a hired hand so they can sit back on their lazy duffs. Either the Councilors are accomplices  in what Shay is doing or they are the dumbest rocks in the pile and are being led around by the nose. Either way, the form of Government being practiced in Ludington continues to be a failure for it's citizens. 

[jfc123]

The decision maker should be elected, never appointed! How can you have a voice?

[jfc123]

Another thing, all the "shit" that is in the PU Bayou everyone talks about it needs to go to landfill, wonder why? Because that is where all of the sludge goes to from the WWTP and is trucked there at great expense. Why have we not been compensated if they wont remove it? Do they not insure themselves or are our small pockets not a threat?

Come by this summer you can watch it fester in there!

I will supply the nose clips!

[jfc123]

I have looked and do not see a Muskegon torch/blog, Traverse City torch/blog, etc. Wonder why we need this and they do not? Maybe because there is none in Detroit also, politicians work for residents Kwamee taught them  what a city manager was good for....Christine Beatty, smh! It is time to reclaim YOUR city government and make them work for you now!

[AQUAMAN]

ONLY forceful litigation will make them look at you a second time, and even then, it won't be for long. Even when they lose, they claim victory. They have many City Attorneys on retainer, just waiting eagerly to waste more taxpayer monies, at the behest of Shyster Shay III. He, almost alone, pulls the pocketbook strings of city government. An appointed Doush, that leads and crucifies the locals' for his pleasure, and big paycheck, and with the permission of the city council. What a sickening situation to be in, all because of lazy local council people are unopposed at the voting booth. We have NOBODY to blame but Ludingtonians that are apathetic to their local dilemma. SAD!!!!!

[XLFD]

Aquaman, I think you meant the word "Douche" pronounced "Doo- Shay" in this instance, not to say that Shay is doo, but it definitely isn't an oxymoron.  Former Mayor Henderson is more akin to being an "Oxy-moron".

Starting and continuing an endeavor like the Ludington Torch isn't easy, it involves a lot of time, effort, and will.  Likewise, few city governments are so contrary to their citizen's interests like Ludington's is, providing too much content to keep up with at times, so most citizen-journalism efforts get their initial problems resolved or get frustrated in their efforts; both effects tend to make them disappear or grow irrelevant. 

A 'local' effort worth noting is Wayland Town Broadcast, with a tagline of "the way community journalism ought to be".  They offer coverage of sports and local news of the Wayland area and provide some meaningful editorials and features, achieved through the tireless efforts of their editor David Young and a limited staff.