This ridiculous Save Shelby recall came up AGAIN at the Tuesday, August 16th Board of Trustees meeting. Just when you thought these people would go away, the recall zombies keep coming back for yet another bite.
The group’s new spokesman, Richard Batchelder, came up at the end of the meeting to speak. This confirms what we speculated previously, that Batchelder is the new chief propagandist for the Save Shelby recall zombies. Who the group selects as their speaker, whether that be Tom Delise, Richard Batchelder, Lisa Manzella, or Nick Nightingale, really doesn’t matter. What matters is that their self-entitlement song remains the same, and their animosity toward taxpayers grows stronger with each passing day.
Batchelder announced at the August 16th Board meeting that Save Shelby has abandoned its recall plans. DUH! How many times do you have to fail at something before you realize that you are losing and should quit?
Batchelder said that the recall would not work, especially given the $60,000 cost to taxpayers, and although the group has not ruled out a recall in early 2012, they were looking ahead. This notion of moving on (more accurately, changing tactics) was first reported in the Shelby Utica News. It was reported that the recall zombies finally, albeit reluctantly, decided to stop their recall. Oh sure, they still want to control the township, but now they have a new plan.
Even though we have included a link to the Shelby-Utica News article, we will include some of the most interesting paragraphs in order to provide our sage analysis of the looming battle ahead.
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August 5, 2011
Shelby Township recall effort stalls
Deadline missed for November election
By Brad D. Bates, C&G Staff Writer
By Brad D. Bates, C&G Staff Writer
“It’s pretty clear at this point the recall never had a broad-based support among the majority of Shelby Township voters,” Flynn said. “All along it was organized by a small number of financially motivated special interests, many of whom do not even live in Shelby Township.”
While the language that was approved July 8 is still viable until Oct. 6, if they are turned in at this point, a special recall election would not be held until January 2012.
“We had a substantial number, but just not quite enough,” said resident Richard Batchelder, who was working with a group called Save Shelby to collect signatures on the petitions, after the deadline passed.
“We had good support here; every fourth house we went to someone signed, but it wasn’t enough. Time wasn’t our friend.”
Batchelder said his group has not ruled out submitting petitions for an election that would fall in early '12, but noted they have to weigh the $60,000 price tag he said it would impose on the community to hold the election.
“Right now, we just have to think about whether or not we want to go forward or just wait and vote them out in the primary,” Batchelder said of possibly holding out until the township primary elections in August 2012.
“We’re going to keep Save Shelby together, though,” Batchelder added of the group that spearheaded the recall efforts. “We’ll get some good candidates to run against these guys and be a watchdog group to keep them in line.”
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Batchelder carried this same message with him when he spoke at the Tuesday, August 16th Board of Trustees meeting. There was nothing new or truthful in what he had to say. Just more of the same trashing and bashing of our “corrupt” elected officials that we have heard for more than two years now.
They really are like an obnoxious party guest who won’t leave when the evening is over and everyone has gone home.
Reinforcing his message, Batchelder announced that the Save Shelby recall zombies are actively searching for candidates to run in the 2012 township primaries. They want a slate of candidates who will support their position on so-called “good government” — government controlled by special interests and unions and unchallenged by inquiring elected officials.
So who are some of these potential candidates likely to appear on a Save Shelby Slate?
First, there is Nick “the Loudmouth” Nightingale. He came up to speak, AGAIN, at the August 16th meeting. Nothing really relevant from him, AGAIN, as he spoke. He ranted and raved from the podium, AGAIN. He trashed our elected officials, AGAIN. He was rude and obnoxious, AGAIN. He showed no respect for our Trustees, AGAIN. And, Nick Nightingale was escorted from the room by a police officer, AGAIN, for his shocking lack of decorum.
We encourage readers to check out our previous posts about the Nightingales, including our May 17th Inside Out that points out their possible real agenda.
Nick has ranted that his family is being unfairly criticized over the recall. Actually, when you consider that the Nightingales have been chanting RECALL for more than two years, criticism of their actions is fair. In fact, as reported in the Macomb Daily, this whole recall campaign for the Nightingales began more than two years ago after the Board voted unanimously to seek bids for towing services. When you read the story we encourage you to check out the 241 comments which appear below the article. These comments are, in some instances, more enlightening than Mr. DeFrank’s article.
Today, we hear that Nick Nightingale wants to serve on the Township Board. GULP!!! Ask yourself what his motivations could be? If Nick Nightingale gets elected what will be his political priorities? Towing or taxpayers? Who will he stand up and fight for? Taxpayers or special interests?
Next, there is Tom Delise, the old Save Shelby spokesman (who was replaced by Batchelder). Yes, Delise is also a rumored candidate for township office. We hear Delise wants to become a Trustee and kick out a true champion of taxpayers, Trustee Mike Flynn.
Delise made his public speech at the Tuesday, August 16th Board meeting. During his rambling remarks, Delise complained that unions in Shelby are being unfairly treated. Delise, himself a union member with the United States Postal Service, further declared that unions deserve everything they get. WTF!!!!
Delise is a strong union advocate who thinks that he and his fellow union brothers should get whatever they want, regardless of the costs their demands place on our township. Sorry Mr. Delise, but a majority of taxpayers strongly disagree, and believe that taxpayers deserve every dollar we can save, especially during these tough times.
Delise and his union buddies may agree that higher pay and pensions are good for the union, and may agree that unions should control everything they touch. However, these demands end up stripping money and economic freedom away from taxpayers, an overwhelming majority of whom are NOT union members.
Speaking of unions, we have heard that officials of the Shelby police union are thinking of running for township office. They would, undoubtedly, have the financial backing of the police union PAC. What do you think they would make a priority if elected? Paychecks, pensions and power for union members, or the pocketbooks of the people?
Finally, since Richard Batchelder is the new Save Shelby leader, perhaps he is positioning himself to run on a forthcoming Save Shelby Slate. Since he, too, has drank the Save Shelby kool-aid, his priorities would likely not jive with most township residents. So who is Richard Batchelder?
Richard Batchelder worked for the Shelby Township Fire Department for 25 years. He retired, in the year 2000, at the age of 47.
During his last three years working for the township, Batchelder earned an average of $89,098. Currently, he receives an annual payment, financed by taxpayers, of $55,918. He gets health care benefits, plus he receives a yearly $1,000 bonus.
In the eleven years he has been retired, Shelby taxpayers have generously paid Batchelder in excess of $790,000 in retirement benefits. Yes, you heard correctly!
How many of you are able to retire at age 47 with a guaranteed pension (for life) plus guaranteed lifetime health care benefits? How many of you, working in the private sector, even have a defined benefit pension?
In his defense of the recall campaign, Batchelder claims Save Shelby had good support but simply ran out time. By his own admission, “every fourth house we went to someone signed, but it wasn’t enough.” One house out of four equals 25%.
Admitting that you (allegedly) have support of 25% of residents means that you do NOT have support from 75% of residents. Unless our numbers are wrong, 75% beats 25% every time.
Batchelder said that despite two failed recalls, he is going to keep Save Shelby together. He brags that the group will recruit candidates for the township primary elections in 2012. Is this a way for the recall zombies to try and force their 25% special interest agenda on the other 75% of residents? What do you think?
The 2012 elections will certainly be interesting. The choice facing voters will be: a conservative Board that has taken successful steps to protect essential services, cut spending and not raise taxes; or, in the words of township resident Stanley Kramer, as reported in the July 7th Inside Out, “something different” — perhaps a more liberal township board that is more open to higher spending, higher taxes, and higher employee pensions and perks?
Can we afford the risk of what the Save Shelby difference will mean to our township and for all township taxpayers?
Regardless of who gets the blessing of Save Shelby, the group will continue to spread lies, make up stories and distort the truth for their selfish reasons. How do we know they will do this? Because they have already done it repeatedly with lies about DARE, crossing guards and other issues. It is true that some bad habits are impossible to break.
If Save Shelby gets their special interest candidates elected, here are some things to consider:
• Will the Save Shelby Slate get tough with employee unions on cutting township spending, or will they simply roll over and give the unions everything they demand in order to stay on good terms and avoid future recall threats?
• Will the Save Shelby Slate try and reduce budget-busting jackpot union pensions, or will they simply go along to get along and keep giving the unions higher pensions?
• Will the Save Shelby Slate support competitive bids for contracts, like towing, or will they give in to special interests and hand out contracts to their friends and supporters without bids?
• Will the Save Shelby Slate support taxpayers, or place the needs of taxpayers second to the demands and desires of special interests?
Now that we all know their end game — controlling the Board of Trustees and taking power away from taxpayers — we need to prepare now for the election fight to come.
Shelby Township’s future hangs in the balance in 2012. The choice is between re-electing conservative elected officials who refuse to be intimidated, who challenge the status quo, and who have brought about successful budget reductions without cutting essential services, or risk electing a more liberal Save Shelby Board backed by special interests who support higher spending, who reject budget reductions, and who will put special interest demands and “entitlements” ahead of taxpayers.
One reader even wrote saying that, in her view, the choice facing Shelby in 2012 is between elected Trustees who oppose tax hikes, and their Save Shelby challengers who think tax increases are fine and dandy as long as unions and special interests keep getting everything they “deserve.”
The 2012 elections will be important, make no mistake about it. Will we continue down the current path of progress, or return to the days of higher spending, higher taxes, sweetheart union contracts, and no-bid township contracts?
Rest assured that the Inside Out will do our part to explain where the candidates for Shelby Township office stand on the issues. We will point out which candidates for office are Save Shelby special interest candidates who want to save Shelby for themselves, and which candidates have a record of wanting to truthfully save Shelby from higher spending and higher taxes.
The political lines have been drawn. As a concerned taxpayer, which side are you on?
Until next time...
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