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Twp. Violated OMA While Giving REIS Consent Agreement
Topic Started: May 28 2011, 12:06 AM (1,010 Views)
steve emsley
Member
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My, My, My...

Been a while neighbors...

Reason to be optimistic that this site COULD still be saved: http://cpard.org/?p=232

Anyone seen Vanna White?

Steve
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Vanna White
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steve emsley
May 28 2011, 12:06 AM
My, My, My...

Been a while neighbors...

Reason to be optimistic that this site COULD still be saved: http://cpard.org/?p=232

Anyone seen Vanna White?

Steve
I still check in here....just don't post as often.
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Vanna White
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Just read the decision. Congrats.

Looks like perhaps we need to push our legislators to add something to the OMA making it clear that a public notice must be accessible to the public. Duh!
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Mrs.M
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"posted in a dark, deserted building corridor." does not constitute giving 18 hour public notice.

That's like one of my kids telling me, they're going to bungee jump (at the same time I'm using the shop vac with circular saw in background ), ...."but, I told you"

gosh still unbelievable to the tactics used -
moving trailers onto the property under the guise of 'security personnel',
registering those, residing in trailers, to vote
and then attempting to annex.

And to hear, "How it got on the ballot is not the issue"

Never again!

How underhanded, evil, and deceitful.
I'd agree with you, but then we'd both be WRONG.
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LPS Reformer
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The schools exist to educate, not employ.
Well, they are after "friends of Jack". ;)
“Child Abuse” means different things to different people....
----Randy Liepa 8/9/12
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Purple Haze
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Mrs.M
May 28 2011, 10:06 AM
Never again!

How underhanded, evil, and deceitful.
unfortunately, if Mr. Kirksey's opponent doesn't get some recognition (never heard of this individual before), it will be more of the same 'ol, same 'ol
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George
Advanced Member
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Purple Haze
May 28 2011, 04:06 PM
Mrs.M
May 28 2011, 10:06 AM
Never again!

How underhanded, evil, and deceitful.
unfortunately, if Mr. Kirksey's opponent doesn't get some recognition (never heard of this individual before), it will be more of the same 'ol, same 'ol
Jack will probably be re elected, however, we can at least make a point now can't we. Besides, it's long time before November, you never what could possibly happen between now and then. :)
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steve emsley
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So there was a board meeting tonight. I told the board the buildings were a public nuisance and they need to secure them... then I told the trustees they had been found in violation of the OMA (in the past trustees have claimed they don't get information form the lawyers. For example, when their lawyers went after my employers email system... they claimed the had no clue so I let them know they were guilty...

After I spoke supervisor Abbo said he would like to correct me and that Appeals court did NOT find them to have violated. Here is a copy of the mail I sent out to the trustees and my distribution list after the meeting. Thanks for reading. :)


"Tonight, in Open Session, with media present and multiple recorders running, Mark Abbo told you that the appellate court did NOT RULE that you, the board, violated the open meetings act. I would like to let you decide if Mark lied or not for yourselves... from the ruling (you are the Defendant):

We agree with plaintiffs’ argument that defendant violated § 9(1), MCL 15.269(1), of the OMA because the minutes of the July 24, 2008, meeting do not accurately reflect the decision made at that meeting.

Also:

Accordingly, we conclude that defendant violated § 9(1), MCL 15.269(1), because the minutes do not reflect the actual decision taken at the July 24 meeting, i.e., to settle the pending REIS litigation. Therefore, the trial court erred by finding that defendant was in compliance with § 9(1), MCL 15.269(1), of the OMA.

Also:

Because the trial court did not find that § 9(1), MCL 15.269(1), was violated, it did not reach the question of the appropriate remedy.

Also:

Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded for further proceedings not inconsistent with this opinion.

Look, I am no lawyer but it is CLEAR FACT THAT with the exception of Mindy Herrman:

The Michigan Court of Appeals has unanimously ruled that the Sitting Township Board violated the Open Meetings Act in the matter of the REIS consent agreement.

Mark's on record response tonight is a serious matter and emblematic of his character.

The rulings are here... I CHALLENGE you to READ them and UNDERSTAND them, I think you will find th second on quite interesting also:

http://coa.courts.mi.gov/documents/opinions/final/coa/20110526_c292311_55_292311.opn.pdf

http://coa.courts.mi.gov/documents/opinions/final/coa/20110526_c292311_56_292311p.opn.pdf

Secondly, the buildings on the land we now own are a public nuisance and a danger to anyone that enters them.

This overpriced purchase was slid through in an election with nothing else on the ballot. You have all been warned of the dangers and even EXTOLLED them when it was REIS' issue yet you still pushed to purchase this liability with Mark in small community meetings saying they would be secure and promising us police resources would cost no extra. I watched most of you "party" at Deadwood when you "won" this decision. You CELEBRATED this.

Statistics tell us that with the rate of decay, looting and trespassing on the land it is WHEN not IF someone will be hurt or killed on Twp. land and all on the sitting board will share responsibility when that happens. It is on your hands to secure the buildings and failure to act on your part will amount to nothing less than gross negligence.

Finally, I can only imagine the concern you feel for the day when REIS levels their land and the citizens discover what they did NOT buy and what you GAVE REIS.

Regards,
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LPS Reformer
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The schools exist to educate, not employ.
Is Abbo related to Liepa? ;)
“Child Abuse” means different things to different people....
----Randy Liepa 8/9/12
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steve emsley
Member
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HI LIVONIA NEIGHBORS! Hey look!!! A state rep actually wrote legislation trying to get traction in rewriting this old, outdated law... Sure does have some familiar wording. :)

OPSOMMER INTRODUCES HB 5459 TO PROVIDE GREATER TRANSPARENCY

March 9, 2012

State Rep. Paul Opsommer on Thursday introduced legislation that promotes greater government transparency and strengthens the state's Open Meetings Act.

According to the Open Meetings Act, government bodies must publicly display announcements of meetings at least 18 hours prior to the meeting start time. Opsommer found that some meetings are posted on office doors in locked buildings just prior to the end of the work day on Friday, unnecessarily limiting the amount of public exposure to the notice.

“People need to know when their government leaders are meeting,” said Opsommer, R-DeWitt. “Meeting announcements can’t be posted inside a building over the weekend where no one can see it. There are better ways to make sure people know what their government is up to.”

Opsommer was told by multiple residents that a more efficient way to announce public meetings would be to post them online as well. He agrees and will add the language to the legislation which has been referred to the Committee on Oversight, Reforms and Ethics.

"Even if a notice is on an outside door at 4:59 on a Friday evening for a Monday meeting at 9 a.m., is that reasonable in the age of technology we live in?" Opsommer said. "Hard-working taxpayers deserve better, and we need to make sure they're protected and given a fair chance to participate in our democracy."

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Vanna White
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steve emsley
Apr 3 2012, 12:36 PM
HI LIVONIA NEIGHBORS! Hey look!!! A state rep actually wrote legislation trying to get traction in rewriting this old, outdated law... Sure does have some familiar wording. :)

OPSOMMER INTRODUCES HB 5459 TO PROVIDE GREATER TRANSPARENCY

March 9, 2012

State Rep. Paul Opsommer on Thursday introduced legislation that promotes greater government transparency and strengthens the state's Open Meetings Act.

According to the Open Meetings Act, government bodies must publicly display announcements of meetings at least 18 hours prior to the meeting start time. Opsommer found that some meetings are posted on office doors in locked buildings just prior to the end of the work day on Friday, unnecessarily limiting the amount of public exposure to the notice.

“People need to know when their government leaders are meeting,” said Opsommer, R-DeWitt. “Meeting announcements can’t be posted inside a building over the weekend where no one can see it. There are better ways to make sure people know what their government is up to.”

Opsommer was told by multiple residents that a more efficient way to announce public meetings would be to post them online as well. He agrees and will add the language to the legislation which has been referred to the Committee on Oversight, Reforms and Ethics.

"Even if a notice is on an outside door at 4:59 on a Friday evening for a Monday meeting at 9 a.m., is that reasonable in the age of technology we live in?" Opsommer said. "Hard-working taxpayers deserve better, and we need to make sure they're protected and given a fair chance to participate in our democracy."

We should all contact our legislators and ask them to support this.
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DADDYOH10
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Immaterial. Republicans will "ram" through on illegal ground to get what they want and reasonableness has gone to the wind. Why do you think the dems have had to sue over the "takes immediate effect" votes that have been going on in our State Government?

Democracy is being railroaded and our freedoms (ie. OMA) highjacked. It is not jut BOE, or REIS, but look around ...you can't get info that counts EASILY. This problem permeates every level and area of the people who are supposed to "serve" the public. Look at the Airport Authority, City Government as well as state issues. Try getting a real answer to a legimate question from your state and local politicians...smoke and mirrors is what I get when I write Mr. Walsh or the Governor, or our County Commissioner.

How are laws made? "It is like sausage, you don't want to know what goes in there!"

But I like to see sausage being made and I have even made my own. But if you ask the representative of your choice what was his recipe to get it made was , you most likely will get anything from "no" to the old "pass the buck" routine until you tire in your search...like filing a FOI request.
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