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| Pastor's plan for "budget mess"; privatize-no double dipping-cut the fat | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Oct 27 2007, 06:43 PM (3,883 Views) | |
| Renee Chesney | Oct 30 2007, 11:24 AM Post #21 |
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Bill Joyner has quite the reputation and is a former elected official. Quite the difference between him and Jordyn. Two words as it pertains to Joyner - Plymouth Crier. He divided that city, left and came over here to do the same thing: PLYMOUTH -- This small city is a glowing gem in Metro Detroit -- quaint, family-friendly and well-groomed -- attracting thousands of Metro Detroiters each year to its festivals and downtown shops. It seems like the perfect place to raise a family. People who live here agree, except for a resident who's created a political fault line in the otherwise quiet town: Tom Prose. At age 45, Prose is considered a success by nearly any measurement. He is a medical doctor, newspaper owner, generous philanthropist and wealthy businessman who built his fortune capitalizing on the health-care market. He's a devoted churchgoer and his weekly newspaper column reads like a Chicken Soup for the Soul excerpt. Yet Prose is dividing his tight-knit community with a $100-million wrongful-arrest lawsuit against the Plymouth police and a paper that criticizes city workers harshly. He's involved at least a dozen other pending lawsuits and his newspaper offered $10,000 reward for evidence of wrongdoing in city government. This summer, Prose's unsuccessful bid for a city commission seat sparked a fierce primary battle. The uproar will likely continue as he runs as a write-in candidate in the general election. Supporters insist he's a freedom fighter, suing the city police to protect the rights of all residents and running for office to improve Plymouth. "Here's a man who's standing up for the people and giving back to the city," said Bill Joyner, editor of Prose's paper. "He's a philanthropist by the definition of his soul." But critics say he's a millionaire who throws around his money to get his way. "This man has more money than friends, more money than common sense," said Jonathon Grant, who runs a Plymouth Web site where citizens frequently attack Prose. "He's embarrassing our city." Clearly, as newspaper owner and critic of city government Prose is playing his most visible role ever in this community. "I guess I've become somewhat of a public figure," he said sheepishly after a Plymouth waitress recognized him. At 6 feet 5 inches tall, he commands a certain authority. And his gutsy, calculated style is turning heads. "He's someone with strong convictions," said Beth Stewart, director of the Plymouth Historical Museum who attends church with Prose. "You may or may not agree with him -- but no one would ever accuse him of being wishy-washy. If he really believes in something, he goes all the way -- whether people like it or not." That's an obvious statement to all who follow politics in tiny Plymouth and know Prose as the doctor who's suing the city for $100 million. The case stems from a feud between Prose and Edward Wendover, former publisher of the Community Crier newspaper. Wendover owns a downtown building next to Prose's office. The men first argued over an alley between the buildings, which Prose owns and where Wendover used to park trucks. They eventually got restraining orders against each other. Three times, the Plymouth Police Department arrested Prose for violating the protection order, swearing in public and stalking Wendover's wife by telephone. "It was completely humiliating," Prose said. He sues city for $100M Judges ruled all three charges were unfounded. But, Prose said, the arrest records prevented him from expanding his business into other states. Prose insists Wendover and the police schemed to violate his civil rights. They cost his company millions of dollars, he says. So he filed a $100-million lawsuit against them both. Twice, Prose said, he offered to settle the suit -- for $1 and an apology, then for $40,000 in legal fees. But city officials declined, Prose said. "The whole thing is a big mess," he said. "I don't think anyone is getting out of this without a little mud on them. Reasonable adults would never get into this. But I don't think I had a choice. You just don't let someone do that to you." But city attorney Gus Morris says Prose's lawsuit is unfounded, and Prose only offered to settle once -- for $10 million. "Any conspiracy is just a figment of his imagination," Morris said. Takes over newspaper After Prose sued, Wendover filed for bankruptcy. He owed $600,000 to printers and the Internal Revenue Service. In previous interviews, Wendover blamed the debt on the Prose suit. Wendover would not comment for this story. About a year later, Prose bought Wendover's newspaper at an auction for $180,000. Many in town say Prose used his wealth to spite Wendover and bash the city in print. The paper offered $10,000 for incriminating information about city officials. (Editor Bill Joyner wouldn't disclose if they gave out any rewards.) And this month, Prose featured his 11-year-old son's baseball team on the cover. "That's one of the perks of owning a paper," he said. Joyner admits the paper is critical of city government."We have a bias and an opinion," he said. "We've given a new definition to community journalism. We're giving the city back to the people." But at least one resident doesn't like the shotgun style of the paper, which is delivered to 15,000 homes -- including many subscribers who get it for free. "So many people in town are fed up with that paper because they claim to do wonderful things, but really they're just hurting our city," said store owner Sharon Pugh, whose husband was a city commissioner. "Everyone's afraid of (Prose), so no one will stand up to him." Places last in council race Prose sees his paper in a different light. "I saw a lot of possibilities in this newspaper, and I believe we help residents," he said. Prose insists he never influences the content beyond his weekly column, "Help Make it a Great Day in the Neighborhood." So when the Crier endorsed Prose in the commission race, the doctor insisted he didn't know about it. "It's a small town, who else were they going to endorse?" he said. (The paper endorsed eight of the 11 candidates in the primary.) The Crier also printed endorsements for Prose from two local officials -- former Congressman Carl Pursell and State Sen. Thaddeus McCotter. Both men then wrote the small paper to explain they had endorsed Prose eight years ago for council, but do not endorse him now. Despite the publicity, Prose placed last in the primary with 238 votes -- 456 behind the top vote-getter. He plans to run as a write-in candidate in November, but most residents say his chances are slim because of the lawsuit. "When you sue the city, you're suing your neighbors," said commission candidate David Murphy, who also lost in the primary. "If Prose loves the city as much as he says he does, he'll drop the lawsuit." Humble roots The controversy leaves many longtime residents asking: Who is this man? Prose grew up the son of a dime-store owner in Grand Rapids. At 10, he started cutting grass for spending money. That's when he decided to be a doctor, he says. At 17, Prose took a job bathing patients and cleaning up in a nursing home. He drove ambulances at night to pay for college. Eventually, he saved $40,000 for medical school at the University of Michigan. Nowadays, in his richly decorated office, Prose will pull out a faded snapshot of his first home -- a trailer in Belleville, where he lived with his wife, Maria, after medical school. She was a nurse and they met at the hospital. "We were so proud of that brown-and-white trailer because it had an expand-o-room that popped out of the side," he said, with a wide grin. A family practice did not appeal to Prose. In 1984, he and two partners opened urgent care clinics in Metro Detroit. The concept -- treatment around-the-clock for patients who wanted to avoid hospitals -- was radical at the time. Prose ran the business end, and found his niche. Today he holds master's degrees in business and public health. He became rich from a company called Hotel Doctor, which provided physicians to travelers to 113 Metro Detroit hotels. Forbes magazine featured the business in 1991. A year later, Prose sold Hotel Doctor to Marriott Corp. for several million dollars. It went bankrupt a few years later. Now Prose runs General Medicine of Plymouth, which places 60 doctors in nursing homes in three states. He's known to leave voice-mail messages for workers at 3 a.m. if an idea strikes him. It's no surprise his ventures succeed, employees say. "He thinks outside of the box," said Pat Gottschaok, director of clinical services at General Medicine. "He's a hard worker and he always plays to win. I like having him on my team." Giving and spending Most people who know Prose also call him a giving man. He's donated thousands of dollars to the Plymouth Historical Museum. And he sits on the boards of two charities -- the Cass Community Church in Detroit, which helps the homeless and mentally ill, and the Arbor Hospice in Northville, which helps the dying. "Dr. Prose is smart, sincere, and he bends over backwards to help people," said the Rev. Faith Fowler of the Cass Community Church. "He never needs to be in the spotlight, but for us he's a major contributor." The doctor also spends on big boy toys. He owns a motorcycle collection, gun collection, many art works and a couple of boats. He wants to expand his summer house in a neighborhood of lakeside cottages in Dexter Township, northwest of Ann Arbor, where he has owned a cottage (valued at $94,000) for years. He's fighting the township in court for approval to build the house larger than allowed by zoning laws. At least one resident resents his quest to expand: "He wants to create his own world and he doesn't match the flow out here," said Niki Leidner, 24, who grew up on the lake. "His dock sticks out the farthest and it has the nicest stuff on the end. It's like, get over it. Go back to the city." Still, Prose's latest purchase is still under construction: a full-size movie theater with ornate ceiling and red curtains. It's part of a castle-like estate Prose is building in Northville. The city values the property -- six acres with a half-constructed mansion -- at $8 million. And the price tag will rise when the mansion is built. "I don't really like movies too much, but it will be a great place for fund-raisers," he said. Truth be told, Prose could retire and spend his remaining days in luxury. But that won't happen any time soon, he says. "I want to be king," he joked in a whisper. "No, really, a large part of what motivates me today is making a difference. My God, we've made some key differences in this field (of geriatrics). What am I going to do, sit on a beach? I'd rather do something good with my life. "When I get in front of the Pearly Gates someday, I don't want them to say, You were blessed with a good education, and some talent, so what were you doing sitting on the beach?'" The buzz on Tom Prose "We're dealing with a force here in town that doesn't really truly care about the people in the community." Sharon Pugh Plymouth merchant *** "He's incredibly bright, with a wonderful, little boy smile. I see him as a very concerned citizen who wants to help and a very Christian man." Betty Strenick director of Arbor Hospice *** "Dr. Prose is seeing a conspiracy where one never existed. People from the city were not out to get him, but that's the way he wants to see it." Gus Morris attorney representing Plymouth *** "Do you realize what Tom Prose could have done for this town if they embraced him? Instead, the ruling minority didn't like the way he stood up to them, and the residents suffered." Bill Joyner Community Crier editor Dr. Tom Prose Age: 45 Background: Grew up in Grand Rapids. Has lived in Plymouth 17 years with his wife, Maria. They have two sons. Education: Medical degree from the University of Michigan master's degrees in business and public health from same campus. Profession: Owner of General Medicine P.C., which supplies doctors to nursing homes in three states. Caption: Dr. Thomas Prose is involved at least a dozen pending lawsuits. His newspaper offered $10,000 reward for evidence of wrongdoing in Plymouth city government. Prose Edition: One Dot Section: Metro Page: 01C Index Terms: MUNICIPAL; GOVERNMENT; LAWSUITS Dateline: PLYMOUTH |
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| JSalmon | Oct 30 2007, 11:30 AM Post #22 |
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Thanks Renee. Dan, thank you for removing it, I appreciate that. Xena, thank you also, I'm not sure if the last sentence was a stab at me or not....irregardless it made me laugh :-) |
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| f11 | Oct 30 2007, 11:40 AM Post #23 |
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...ok, so we go from harrasing J.Salmon to harrasing Bill Joyner, glad your picking up the ball and running with it.... |
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| yrraH NS | Oct 30 2007, 12:07 PM Post #24 |
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Is it me... or is the article Renee posted about Mr. Prose? Mr. Joyner is merely mentioned in the article. This article does nothing to prove your point that anyone "divided a city". |
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| Must Be Psychic | Oct 30 2007, 12:17 PM Post #25 |
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Actually, I don't see that article as being critical of Mr. Joyner at all. I like the quotes and, although I know nothing other than what is written there about this Mr. Prose, he sounds like an interesting and possibly brillant, though ecentric, guy. Perhaps he did some things that were a bit on the edge, but he may well have the right reasons at heart. You get the best outcomes grom a group of people with very diverse views who are able and willing to listen to each other, debate and consider the issues from every angle to come up with the best ideas and solutions to a problem. We need more of this in government and particularly in Livonia. This is what our founding fathers envisioned, but we are now far from that on many levels. In Livonia, what we seem to have now is a block of like-minded people that run most everything from behind the scenes, making deals with their friends and supporters, then showing up in public talking the same talk for the most part. They don't really listen to the public or public input, because they already have their minds made up ahead of time. We need creativity and energy and people that are willing to challenge the status quo. We need politicians that will be up front with people and that will embrace input from a variety of people and viewpoints. We need to challenge and change the status quo sometimes...it's the American way! |
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| Xena | Oct 30 2007, 12:24 PM Post #26 |
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Well its alright if Renee does it. Blue Skies simply posted a link to a youtube video and look, out comes Renee with guns a blazing. To close to the truth now isnt it? Jack Kirkseys own words used against him. By the way, last time I checked Bill Joyners name is not on the ballot for Mayor. Lets get back to discussing the title of this thread. |
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| f11 | Oct 30 2007, 12:24 PM Post #27 |
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...kinda like how no one was actually harrasing Jsalmon... ...give Renee credit, she is trying.... |
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| Renee Chesney | Oct 30 2007, 12:40 PM Post #28 |
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Sound bites. We would use some against Maureen, but she doesn't have any. |
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| yrraH NS | Oct 30 2007, 12:57 PM Post #29 |
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Soundbites.... :lol: You betcha - Sound Does Bite! Jack might want to get a restraining order to protect him from his OWN past history. :ph43r: |
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| BoaterDan | Oct 30 2007, 01:03 PM Post #30 |
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Are you talking about me? |
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| Renee Chesney | Oct 30 2007, 01:09 PM Post #31 |
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Jack's record is Jack's record and there are many people who will be happy to vote for him on November 6th. Will it be enough? That remains to be seen. Do what you got to do. |
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| yrraH NS | Oct 30 2007, 01:11 PM Post #32 |
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Not if they view the Enough is Enough video.
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| Deleted User | Oct 30 2007, 01:15 PM Post #33 |
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I am sure all the older folks who have been taken advantage of by Kirksey will. He is playing them in a shameless way, just as he did in the Recall and BOE election. Scaring older folks on a fixed income to believe any body that opposes his point of view is trying to raise their taxes. Only this time he has taken it to a new low of lows. |
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| Nikki | Oct 30 2007, 01:54 PM Post #34 |
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What goes around comes around. Hopefully, people will see through the deception and misinformation this time. |
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| JSalmon | Oct 30 2007, 01:59 PM Post #35 |
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Yes. Unless you didn't remove it. I guess Jimid probably has to do that. |
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| BoaterDan | Oct 30 2007, 02:13 PM Post #36 |
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Correct. I'm curious why you thought I had anything to do with it? (I didn't even know where it was showing up when you said that.) |
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| Spanky | Oct 30 2007, 02:17 PM Post #37 |
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Sorry for jumping in, but I think it was 'one-observer' that posted the original article that had some phone #'s on it. Then someone quoted it and it got repeated in another post. |
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| JSalmon | Oct 30 2007, 02:44 PM Post #38 |
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I'm so sorry, it was one observer, not you. I have no idea what I thought it was you. My apologies. |
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| JSalmon | Oct 30 2007, 02:46 PM Post #39 |
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Yes, my apologies. |
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| BoaterDan | Oct 30 2007, 02:49 PM Post #40 |
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Groovy.
No apology necessary, really. I was just really scratching my head wondering what I had done when I had no idea what you were talking about. |
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