Mayor Rolls Out the Welcome Wagon

[XLFD]

Those who have followed the local blog scene in the West Michigan Lakeshore Area with the now-defunct Ludington Talks and Lakeshore Soup (along with a certain watchblog that serves as the regions current voice of the people) are familiar with a photo expose' I have did twice each of the last two years which exposes the City of Ludington's inability to clip a few branches around regulatory signs.  Vegetation Control for Safety, the USDOT's publication for showing a protocol for keeping our roadways safe by controlling the trees, bushes, and other plants that are found along our streets, explains why such actions are necessary.  Both for safety and for liability. 

I finished my first review this year, and found about 40 'Stop' and 'Yield' signs being obscured by vegetation to a degree that made them unsafe by the USDOT's guidelines.  To do this, I have to ride my bicycle to intersections, and usually do a figure eight to see whether the signs are obscured unless they are obviously not.  It will often get me strange looks when I do this, snap pictures, and write down the intersection in my notebook.

This year, I also decided to do another theme, on people parking their cars across the sidewalk.  I have noticed that even though Ludington does not follow its own laws on sidewalk construction-- leading to many properties without sidewalks-- the sidewalks that exist are quite often blocked by cars/boats/RVs.  One may think this would be a great money-making opportunity for the local gendarmes, but I have yet heard of anyone getting the $30 ticket for this offense.  And yet that practice is running rampant, very often creating safety problems and deterring sidewalk use by pedestrians and young bicyclists.

 

Anyhow, earlier today at about 1 PM, I was in the poor (ethically) section of town, up in the area bounded by Sherman to the east, Monona to the west, Tinkham to the south, and Bryant to the north.  While cruising down Seminole Street on my bicycle, to get to the Kenowa intersection, Mayor Henderson was out in front of his house; a point I noted with my peripheral vision as I rode past.  I had also noticed a car across the street from him was parked on the sidewalk, and that his neighbor at 912 Seminole (a Mr. John Shay) had the sidewalk partially blocked by a car, even though he had an otherwise clear driveway.

I rode ahead to the intersection, checked that one and the ones further down Kenowa for vegetation blockage, and then came back to the intersection to make notes and take a picture of the sidewalk blockages    Seminole Sidewalk Block    Shay's Sleigh Blocks the Way  I had noticed.  When I headed south on Kenowa, a car drove up the street and Mayor Henderson (with his wife) shouted out to me "Tom, what's the matter-- you lost?"  He seemed upset. 

We were both rolling slowly opposite ways, and I said "No" matter-of-factly.  He then made some statement I did not catch all of, but I believe he gruffly berated me for riding by his house.  We both continued our ways, but it was kind of intimidating to me. 

Now, I had only rode by his house once, and I was on the street minding my own business the whole time I was in that area.  I never even was on anyone's sidewalk or any other right-of-way, nor was I even campaigning.  Yet he had either went around the whole block in his car, or had hopped in his car to follow me and wound up coming opposite from me after a short time to harass me with his question and statement. 

Mayor, I wish you could please start ignoring me riding my bicycle lawfully on the street, just like you continue to ignore all the safety issues concerning lifeguards, road signs, sidewalks, et. al., ethical issues concerning the employment of your daughters by the City, your rate of pay being 16 times what its legally should be, your close friend Nick Tykoski getting that sweet sign contract from his fiance at the DDA, et. al.  Or just have your neighbor send me another Letter of Trespass, and advertise that fact in our City Hall-allied newspaper, LOL.

[Eye On Ludington]

Nice of you to point out Shay's personal address.  Did you call the police and report the parking infractions?

[XLFD]

Actually, I made a mistake, John Shay lives at 910 Seminole, and the Mayor lives at 912.  The person I saw out of the corner of my eye may have been a different John.  In which case, the car that partially blocks the sidewalk is either the mayor's or one of his visitor's.

As city residency is contingent with the Mayor and City Manager of Ludington, it is a matter of public record what their addresses are, as will mine be if I get into the office of City Counselor.  Just one of the perils of notoriety.

LOL about notifying the LPD about the parking infractions.  They know the law, and they ought to know it is being ignored all over town for many years.

[Eye On Ludington]

XLFD

 

Would I be correct that you did not report the parking infractions to the proper law enforcement authorities?  Why then did you feel the need to report the parking infractions here?  Does this suggest that your actions are primarily politically motivated?  Based upon this experience, is it reasonable for a citizen to be concerned that should you ever become a City Counselor you might also fail to report certain law infractions to the proper authorities and would merely use such infractions to your own political advantage?

Since city residency is a requirement of City Counselor, would it be reasonable to expect that anybody running for office of City Counselor should also be a city resident?  Would you agree?  Would you be offended if I asked what address you live at?

[XLFD]

Being that this type of illegal parking happens in many areas over the city, my reporting directly to the LPD would get no response.  Pictures from all over the city will be displayed on this watchblog to hopefully get enough solid citizens disgusted enough to request some action. 

For the record, I have reported moving infractions to the LPD committed by their own officers, in which a LPD Tahoe in non-emergency mode passed me in a school zone, which was also a no-passing-zone, at 15 mph over the limit very unsafely as there was cars parked on both sides of the street.  I have also reported to them a company's vehicle that was parked on the side of the street almost side-swiping me as it entered the street while I was riding lawfully on the street on my bicycle.  Both of the responses I received were unacceptable and amounted to 'no action'. 

Just so you know,I am not a politician at heart or by trade, so political motivations are new to me.  Citizens can choose to decide whether my actions regarding this are such, or look back at the last few years where I have campaigned vigorously and apolitically for pedestrian, motorcycle, and bicycle safety in our area, including this very problem back at Lakeshore Soup.  The local politicos have turned their collective backs on such campaigns.

Eye, if you're interested in where I live, you can either send an FOIA request to the City Hall and see my nominating petition and all the other errata I filed to run for this seat.  They will be glad to give it to you, I'm sure.  If you want to find that info quickly online, just go to any of the people search engines and find it.  If you get two Ludington results, narrow it down by choosing the address that is in the Third Ward. 

If you don't have a ward map, and are still confused, I live within three blocks of City Hall, my house number is a prime , and my street's name rhymes with Cowgland.  Ssssh, keep it a secret.  LOL.  

[Christopher R. Keough]

Come on everyone. Life is to short. We here on the torch are not ignorant people. Let us come and find reasons to love our town. Anyone can find something wrong with anything. Only decent men and women find positive influences to launch their hopes and dreams of. Well, Are we all to complain about everything, or find good. positive reasoning to live our goals to.

[Haiku Confucius]

Loving your city

Does not mean you can't find fault

With those who run it.

 

[Eye On Ludington]

XLFD

 

I am not sure but you sound very evasive when questions are asked of you.  Can the citizens expect the same evasiveness if you are on the City Counsel? 

 

If it really is a serious concern of yours that illegal parking on sidewalks is occuring all over the city then why did you specifically single out Shay and Henderson?  Were you honestly minding your own business in their neighborhood or were you in their neighborhood for political reasons?  What about these parking violations in your own neighborhood?  Will you post pictures of your own citizen's cars illegally parked?  How many citizens do you expect will need either a verbal warning from law enforcement or even an actual citation before they all learn to obey the rules?

 

The people search engine White Pages lists you as living on Pine Street.

 

 

[XLFD]

Zabasearch is a free search engine that works a whole lot better, you can find what you seek there.

Calling me evasive and not providing evidence of same (other than me not posting my address directly online-- do you want my SSN next? LOL) is rather disingenuous on your part.  But I like a little vinegar on my sub, so keep posting!

For the record, I went out this Friday as well as Saturday, and took thirteen pictures of vehicles blocking the sidewalk mostly in my neck of the woods, south of Ludington Avenue (as well as about 15 stop/yield signs blocked by foliage).  For most of that I was accompanied by another.  Here's a couple of those pictures taken a day before: 

I have no problem showing any failure to follow the law here on the Torch, particularly if it runs counter to the public safety, and if whoever owns the vehicle doesn't want to vote for me because of it, so be it. 

Don't park across the sidewalk and force pedestrians and young bicyclists into the road, and you won't see your vehicle here.  If City Hall ascribes to the Complete Streets philosophy, they should now be enforcing this.  And I would hope the parking enforcement officers would leave written warnings on cars at first and advertise their intentions to start enforcing these provisions if they ever choose to do so.

[Eye On Ludington]

Like a true politician you evaded most of my questions.  In that regard, how are you any different from those whom you accuse.

 

I do not see names or addresses for these like you did Shay and Henderson.

[XLFD]

Eye, you are funny.  You accuse of me of being a true politician (which I take as a big insult) and evasive, and then accuse me of being rude for commenting elsewhere on this thread to a statement you threw out.  All are fairly unsubstantiated claims as the record here shows, in my opinion.  Other readers are free to make up their own mind.

The Mayor's and CM's addresses and the accompanying pic are germaine to this post, these latest pics are not.  I think we may be getting close to having too much vinegar on this toasted troll sandwich.

[Eye On Ludington]

Christopher R. Keough

 

I am very positive. Do you think it is wrong to ask questions of someone who desires a position over other people. 

 

What hopes and dreams do you think we should we live by?

[XLFD]

Eye on Ludington said "Do you think it is wrong to ask questions of someone who desires a position over other people."

 

The position of City Councilor should be rightly regarded as serving the people.  I would go into that office believing that I am a public servant, not a master.  All too often, our career politicians and hand-picked politicians (the President's czars, and many appointed officials) fail to make that distinction.

As it were, I have asked myriads of questions to Ludington city councilors, and have been routinely ignored since 2008.  I don't think that's wrong, but I have two Letter's of Trespass for my curiosity.