Councilor Scott Helps Make Stricter Laws, Raises Taxes, Then Leaves Area

[XLFD]

Congratulations go out to Ludington City Councilor Brent Scott, who served on the City Council for twelve years and just closed on a new house on Friday.  His service to the community involved an almost exclusive record of voting with the majority in the CC that raised local taxes and fees and also backing laws and policies that strengthened the power of City Hall, while restricting the rights of the citizens.  He will now have to live as a private citizen with the laws and policies he created, the taxes and fees he's raised, in his new house-- in Grand Rapids.

Yes, he has set the table for this area, lived around here 41 years, and has decided that beautiful Ludington is not the place where he wants to live out his life.  Now his seat, which was up for grabs this year, will have a hand-picked successor decided on by the Mayor and voted on by the CC.  No one from Mr. Scott's 3rd Ward will have any say in who replaces him. 

We could leave the seat vacant for a few months with the at-large CC serving his ward, or hold a special election, but then we would also have to vote for the City Treasurer position as well, another elected-position appointee we currently have.  Appointments, however, are so much more easier than elections.  Here's the local E-edition of the LDN story:

Scott’s last week in Ludington
Kevin Braciszeski - Daily News Staff Writer

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Brent Scott has served in local government for many years and will end that service during the next week and soon move back to Grand Rapids.
Scott moved to Mason County from Grand Rapids in 1970 and served as a trustee and then as supervisor for Pere Marquette Township before moving to Ludington in 1995 and becoming a city councilor in 1999. He kept that seat on the council for 12 years, following the period when his father, Jack Scott, was Ludington’s mayor from 1990 to 1997.

Scott resigned from the city council Monday and his resignation takes effect April 1. He also closed on the sale of his house Friday and was preparing to move.

“We’ve been here 41 years or so and it’s been a great experience,” Scott said about Mason County. “We still have a lot of family in Grand Rapids and we’ll still have one of our daughters (Amy Pider) living here in Ludington.”

[Guidothesemipsuedocaptitalistpig]

Well?? You don't really expect him to stay retired now in Ludington do you?? The taxes are too high to promote the style of life he is accustomed too. And fuel is getting to high to drive back and forth to G.R. you know? :)

[Angela]

what is the 3rd ward area?

 

[Edie Lindsey]

The North border is Haight St., the East border is (mostly) Rowe St., and the west and south borders are the waterfronts of Lake Michigan and PM Lake.

[AQUAMAN]

Drop of the Hat notice, and quite shocking actually. I know Brent's employment interests closed of recent, sorry about that too. Now, the Big Shoe dropped in moving permanently, and quicky like, hmmm, pretty interesting indeed. I guess a special election should really be held for that 3rd Ward position, as that would "put a person into the seat by voters", not a council member. But, my guess is that another "interim appointee will get the nod", you know, someone "hand picked based on a yes persona", at least until November. I do hope someone, maybe someone here, or other in this ward, of competence and allegiance to Ludington's future, of the people, and for the people, makes a serious stride toward filling that vacancy. Old saying but true to this day: "if not now, when?, if not you, than who?" Seize the moment, and campaign on a new horizon of fairness, transparency, reduced taxes and fees, Ludingtons taxpayers first, tourists second, for our Future. Any thoughts here Wanda? Since you are now part and participant in the Council these days? Thanks.

[Edie Lindsey]

I had a thread I was going to put up on this, but yours got to the points I had and some others, X.  And Guido and Aquaman punctuated it.

Except... what's next?  Is term-limited newspaperman, Post Script Peterson going to retire early as well so we can get rid of more democracy in this town. 

As for Mr. Scott, he beamed out of here before he's sold his house on Lewis Street.  Anyone heard of commuting for a few months and staying a resident until he's replaced this fall?  What a weasel; clearing out of here like he is.  You broke it, you pay for it, my daddy always said.

[XLFD]

We'll definitely know something is amiss if CC Engblade, also term-limited, does this too at a later date.  Could there be someone residing  in the third ward (that is not banned from being on City Hall property until further notice) that could meet Aquaman's standards?  We'll see.

[Robin Soff]

Who won the Councilor-at-Large seat?

[XLFD]

Two term incumbent Kaye Holman defeated newbie challenger Tom Rotta in this contest.  It is rumored that the defeated candidate posts here at times under some assumed identity.

[Robin Soff]

Sounds like Ms Holman has the double speak down, telling constituents what they would expect to hear. Did you catch the 60 minutes segment about it being legal for congress to increase their net worth with insider trading?

[XLFD]

Thanks for the heads up, Robin, I looked this up on the web and agree that it is something that should have a thread of its own.  Congressmen are generally exempt from insider trading laws, but they can get such sensitive information from Fed and business leaders that they can invest more wisely than everyone else.

[AQUAMAN]

Insider trading is a big taboo in trading stocks. As we just found out recently in the Martha Stewart story, and many other unknown names. Wouldn't that just figure, two sets of laws/rules, one for congress, and the other for the rest of us. I'm surprised catcalls aren't coming from the entire country, esp. Wall St. over this one.

[Robin Soff]

My apologies for messing up the thread, It's been a long time since I was on a forum (like that's even an excuse). I'll pay better attention in the future.