One Man's Dream, One City Council's Nightmare

[XLFD]

Before I even knew conclusively that the City Councilors would vote to accept the Stipulated Judgment, I had a speech to say during their meeting that steered clear of that subject, but addressed the man whom I have grown to respect over the last few years, Martin Luther King, whose day it was according to my calendar.  I have put up threads about Mr. King during this time (2010) (2011) (2012), because I believe his travails back then, being oppressed by racism in society, mirror a lot of our travails now, but the main oppressors are the unrestrained tyrants using their government power to strip all people of their rights.

It is not only my struggle with what I have concluded is a corrupted city government, and a county government which isn't any better, just bigger, but also the struggle of many oppressed by all levels of government officials and overreaching policies.  Dr. King has a lot to teach Tea Partiers, Libertarians, Conservatives, and all others who listen to the wise revolutionaries who set our government up, because we can't really understand the thoughts of our forefathers except through some of their written words which still exist concerning life 250 years ago when conditions were much different.  But we can look at and channel the thoughts and ideas of Martin Luther King a lot better.  I tried my best at Monday's Ludington City Council to do so, starting my five minutes at about the 2:00 mark.

Tom Rotta, 137 E Dowland.

Today is Martin Luther King Day; he is best known for his role in seeking fairness and justice using nonviolent methods.  I look to Dr. King as a role model, much as he looked to Mahatma Gandhi as such, and I dedicate today's public comment to his memory.

Dr. King said that "He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it."  There have been evils committed by those in these halls, some I have commented on, some I have not, but as Dr. King said:  "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

And I will not remain silent about the things that matter to me.  Mayor Henderson issued a direct challenge to me at the last meeting to try to make this town a better place.  Mayor Henderson in his role as Mayor appoints and oversees the Marina Board, which hires about a dozen workers each summer.  In the spring of 2011, there were no postings for these jobs in local schools, on the city web sites, anywhere I looked, in early May I even sent two people to the marina to ask for jobs, of which there weren't any available.

This troubled me because payroll records showed that two daughters of the mayor worked there the previous summer, the assistant City Manager's daughter was working there, and several other kids who were the sons and daughters of city officials/employees worked there.  Is this just and fair to the sons and daughters of our unconnected Ludington citizens who are trying to find jobs like these?  The Marina's hiring practices remain a secret, as they have no such records detailing the same available through FOIA.

So-- is keeping an unlevel playing field making Ludington a better place?  I surely don't think so, but I do not have the viewpoint of being in a position of power and prestige.  As Dr. King said:  "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."  I know in my own mind that I stand in the right place, how about you, Mr. Mayor?   Dr. King said that "Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'" I challenge you to work for the people.

Today, the City Council will go forth for the second time in 25 months in changing its FOIA policy once again so that it will be harder and more costly to get the public records that belong to us, the people.  I recently asked for records showing any extra hours or overtime incurred by the City for responding to my less than once a week FOIA requests, and no such record existed, meaning that when they get up on their soapbox and say that tens of thousands of dollars of expense has been incurred due to my requests, they are deceiving you once again. 

I will end my tribute today by being creatively maladjusted, like Dr. King, and adapt his most famous speech so as to apply to modern day Ludington:

I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this city will rise up and live out the true meaning of its charter's preamble: "We, the people of the City of Ludington, grateful to God for the blessings of freedom, peace, and justice, in order to secure the benefits of efficient self-government and to promote our common welfare, do ordain and establish this Charter."

I have a dream that one day on the sandy shores of Ludington the sons of citizens and the sons of city officials will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood, and have equal opportunity for City jobs.

I have a dream that one day even the County of Mason, a County sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that the children of Ludington will one day live in a city where they will not be judged by their lack of government connections but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day, here in Ludington, with its unaccountable officials, with its City Manager having his lips dripping with the words of non-transparency and perjury; one day right there in Mason County, citizens of all types will be able to ask questions and critique their leadership without getting personally attacked and sanctioned by their government.

I have a dream today. (At this point, the Mayor's stopwatch went off, and he told me my time was up.  I knew with the topics concerned it was pointless to ask for more time, as I had a couple more lines, but I finished with:)

"I Have a dream that one day I'll be able to speak for more than five minutes."

After having channelled Dr. Martin Luther King as I tweaked his speech, the City Council for the rest of the meeting channelled the Birmingham Police Department in responding to the pressing issues of the City using high-pressure water jets and police dogs against those who would use FOIA or whistleblow the City's illegal acts.

[AQUAMAN]

So very true Hulk, and btw, WHEN was the LAST TIME You talked to CM Shay about any COL business dealings of late? It's kinda hard to approach and talk reasonable with any man that has nothing but revenge, contempt, arrogance and anger issues in his heart and soul for anyone not giving him a pat on the back and/or public praise. Don't believe it? Go ASK YOURSELF THEN! I did several times in years past. This CM can go off like a stick of dynamite if you're not praising him, with absolutely no shame.

[AQUAMAN]

Thanks EyE, you sound less strained today than usual, good for you. Btw Hulk, and anyone else thinking the taxpayers are being bilked by petty cash FOIA's and lawsuits, anybody ever look into the COL Finances? I mean the part where in their trial balance, the section for savings accounts, cash on hand, money market instruments, has anyone beside me and X seen what this poor COL has in there? Well, you'd be quite surprised and shocked if you heard it was well into the Millions of $$$, wouldn't you? Last copy requested to the Treasurer I found over $7Million, that was about 3 years ago, by now that should be over $9Million. Doesn't sound like a poor cash cow to me! And where did this cash cow come from? Yes, it's the COL taxpayers! The ones being told by city officials that they need MORE MONEY for taxes, fees, water rates, employee raises, FOIA answers, and so forth. Maybe X still has a screen shot I sent him some time ago. Still feel sorry for poor ole Ludville?

[Guidothesemipsuedocaptitalistpig]

The press and the public commentary (open discussion pages) called 30 seconds for the local paper tend to keep the local population informed and the local government under a microscope. I am sure every town has its issues but in some the media perform the job they were intended to do. Question, investigate, inform, and not act as media cheer leaders for the government to hide behind. Thus I can spend my days trying to earn enough money to finally retire in the manner I wish to.

There are actually quite a few jobs here and none of those minimum wage as they have to compete for workers. I am convinced the only unemployed here are either mentally ill . Drug addicted or just were not brought up to desire to make more than the government gives the previously listed categories.

[Hulk]

Alright, I understand what you are saying and i'm not totally disagreeing with how Shay's attitude is and the all mighty mayor, sarcasm, but I just do not understand the point of filling the lawsuit.  Yes, what Shay did is against the policy, but like I have stated before, how did that decision to solve a problem quickly hurt us as a community.  If your answer is, because if it wasn't brought to their attention now, then who knows how many more times they would continue to do meetings via email then I can buy that I guess.

[XLFD]

You're pretty much getting the picture, Hulk.  The local news is ripe with stories of people in the positions of trust, violating that trust and making out with tons of money sometimes over long periods of time.  The Northwestern bank lady who racked up close to a million over a six year period, the MCE administrator who allegedly made off with around $100,000 over an even longer period, the various treasurers/administrators of townships and cities that have done the same throughout west Michigan over the last year, are cogent examples.

A scheme like this, doing these no-bid contracts in secret without a proper engineering study done, may have been okayed and did with the best of intentions by the parties, but it appears improper and is done out of the public EyE, and against the established protocols required by law; where the only reference to them really is through doing a targeted FOIA request.  If such routine is allowed to occur, the likelihood increases for misuse of the taxpayer's money. 

Speaking of which, a bit of the costs could have been removed from the settled money for attorney fees, if in the three closed sessions the LCC had with their attorneys to discuss this, they weren't so hung up on the language being used, and the concerns of what would happen if the City violated OMA in a similar manner again.  As you can tell from the meeting's video, they were fine with piling on top of the plaintiff, but not fine with saying "this was wrong, we won't let it happen again".

[XLFD]

What have you done with the real EyeOnLudington, LOL?  Thanks for the positive affirmation.

[XLFD]

It's difficult to measure sincerity from a post, but if you do drop by, break bread at that local eatery, and don't stiff me with the bill, it will go a long way.  Try to drop me a line if you do though, because I do get around the town.  I'm sure we will have a bit to talk about. 

[Marty Redman]

It comes down to this.  What would you rather have.  Some busy body like XLFD getting in there grill and bringing up these things and the COL responding to them honestly, and if not, have him go to court to prove there lying and sneaking around ethics and laws, at a small cost.  Or learn that Shay and a few others have bilked the taxpayers out of millions of dollars in contracting scheems and bogus bookeeping before skipping town or getting caught.  The less safeguards you got, and a skeptical public is one helluva safeguard, the less chance you got for catching them quick before they skip town. 

X has done you guys a great service, but there is a lot he has put on here over the years that are even more valid than this claim, esp. the letter of trespass fiasco. 

[XLFD]

I'm not a busybody, Mrs. Gladys Kravitz was a busybody; next thing you'll be saying is that John Shay works for an advertising firm and Kaye Holman practices witchcraft and a bunch of highjinx goes on in their Halls. 

[Guidothesemipsuedocaptitalistpig]

emmm how about over charging the tax payer. Its sometimes called mismanagement? You who live in Ludington pay that guy a lot of money to do a job. He seems to be better at bravado than the actual job.

[XLFD]

The City Council and Friends remind me more and more each meeting of a Student Council composed of jocks and preppies, and I feel more and more like the President of the Chess Club.  I guess I should be happy they didn't call me "geek" or "nerd" at the last meeting, even though they came close.

[AQUAMAN]

You know, the COL can say that they want to keep a "rainy day fund" in these Millions of $$$ they keep on the books of Edward Jones and NWBank, or they could just admit they are hoarding those Millions of $$$ because they overtaxed, overfee'd, over-indulged, and over-ordinanced, the populace of Ludington's citizenry for many years. If they are caught in the act of improprieties in courts and still admit no guilt, when do you think they might admit to over-taxing to substantiate that cash cow fund? My wild guess is NEVER! What's yours? Oh yeah, almost forgot, quit spying on Samantha & Darin Gladys, it might get you "Bewitched".....lol.