Shelby Trustee Lisa Manzella Becomes the “Great Obstructor” As She Puts Political Friends and Special Interests Ahead of Taxpayers

Residents who watched the regular Tuesday, December 20th Board of Trustees meeting got a full and clear perspective of how some people will do anything to try and intimidate Shelby’s elected officials.  Viewers also saw, quite clearly, how a majority of Shelby Trustees understand that they work for the people — and not special interests pushing their own political agenda.

You knew it was going to be an interesting night when the issue of the township towing contract was placed on the agenda.  But before we talk about that, let’s discuss another issue that took center stage at the meeting:  the appointment of a temporary township clerk.

When clerk Terri Kowal announced she would be resigning to take a new job in Auburn Hills, it became incumbent on the Board to try and pick a successor.  According to township ordinance, the Board must vote UNANIMOUSLY to pick a replacement for vacancies on the Board.  This procedure was followed years ago following the death of long-time Trustee Kirby Holmes, Jr.  Failure to reach a unanimous agreement, the decision on a replacement must go to the voters.

The Clerk performs some valuable duties, not just at election time but all the time.  The one that impacts the most people directly is signing paychecks and overseeing the department to make sure it is being run properly.  This is why it is important that someone be selected to fill this position for the remainder of Kowal’s term.

The Board reviewed five candidates who were interested in becoming township clerk.  The Board conducted public interviews, which were televised on Shelby television.  One of those candidates, Richard Batchelder, is a familiar name to readers of the Inside Out.  Batchelder is the spokesperson for the “Save Shelby, Status Quo, Liberal Spending Liars Society”, also known as Save Shelby.  We have written that Batchelder is interested in a position on the township board, and would become a candidate on a forthcoming Save Shelby slate  in 2012.  Little did we know that Batchelder would show his hand early and throw his name into contention now.

When we watched the clerk interviews, we were shocked to learn that Batchelder, who was the first candidate interviewed, admitted that he received the questions early.  This gave him the opportunity to prepare for his “interview” early and read his answers.  When he was asked where he got the questions, he responded (evasively) that they were e-mailed to him.  Treasurer Paul Viar then asked where the e-mail came from, and it was obvious that Batchelder didn’t want to answer Mr. Viar’s question.  It was at that time that Trustee Lisa Manzella chimed in that she sent the questions to him.

So Mrs. Manzella gave her Save Shelby associate the questions ahead of time, hoping to improve his chances.  Even with this preparation, Batchelder gave the worst performance of all the interviewees.  Mr. Batchelder didn’t do himself any favors by reading scripted answers to questions. Besides, even with time to prepare, his answers were hollow, meaningless and mundane.

Perhaps this is why a few days later Mr. Batchelder withdrew his name from consideration as a Township Clerk candidate.  Nevertheless, look for Save Shelby spokesman Richard Batchelder to be among the candidates who will form a forthcoming Save Shelby slate for township offices in 2012.

So the five prospective clerk candidates were reduced to four.  Three of those candidates were put forth for consideration as a replacement for the resigning Terri Kowal at the Tuesday, December 20th meeting.

• One candidate, Fran Gillett, was nominated but failed to get a second.

• A second candidate, Stan Grot, was nominated and seconded, but the final vote for him was 5-to-1 (Clerk Kowal did not vote).  The lone dissenter was Trustee Lisa Manzella.

• The Board was presented with a third choice, Raquel Moore.  Mrs. Moore was nominated and seconded, but the vote for her was, once again, 5-to-1 (again, Kowal did not vote).  Once again, the lone dissenter was Trustee Lisa Manzella.

By ordinance, if the Board cannot come to a unanimous decision on a Board vacancy, the decision goes to the voters in a special election.  This election will cost our township $30,000, not to mention the additional strain and burden this needless election will place on the clerk’s staff during what is already expected to be a busy and tough election year ahead.

Trustee Paula Filar then recommended that Supervisor Stathakis be appointed to fill the clerk’s position, and perform statutory duties, until the Board developed a permanent solution.  This motion passed, opposed by (as expected) Trustee Manzella and Clerk Kowal.

Despite the expense on taxpayers and the time strain it will put on township employees, Trustee Manzella could care less.  Apparently, since her choice (Batchelder) was no longer in the race, she felt a need to try and obstruct the process.  So she was the lone voice against bringing closure to this decision.

So why did Manzella decide to become Shelby’s Great Obstructor?  Politics?  Did she carefully interview the candidates for clerk and make her decision based on the merits of the individuals?  Did she act out of concern for the township’s greater good?  Or did she have another more personal, and political, reason for voting against the prospective clerk nominees?

Immediately after the Board meeting, Mrs. Manzella posted the following comment on the Save Shelby Facebook page:

So, THAT is the reason!  Mrs. Manzella was upset that the Board was going to discuss terminating the towing contract with the Nightingales and so she was determined to hold up her vote on the issue of a replacement clerk in order protect the interests of the Nightingale’s and their coveted towing contract.

Instead of looking at the clerk candidates carefully, doing her research and then voting based on their qualifications and abilities, Manzella linked the vote for a clerk replacement to the township towing contract.  So Lisa Manzella, the person who always complains about politics,  played political games with her vote.  Was she saying that her vote is for sale — if the price is right?  Was the right price in this instance helping her Save Shelby associates by preserving a towing contract for the Nightingales?

So much for Lisa Manzella taking her responsibilities as Trustee seriously and making every decision independently based on the facts and merits of the case.  If this doesn’t stink of political paybacks and favoritism, we don’t know what does!

We also find it interesting that Mrs. Kowal would prefer an election to a Board temporary appointment.  She has always complained about the stress that elections put on her department.  Maybe she doesn’t care about the additional workload of another election since she is resigning.

THE ATTACK OF THE SPECIAL INTERESTS

Now, moving on to the other big decision that was made at the Tuesday, December 20th Board meeting: the township’s towing contract.

Supervisor Rick Stathakis put the towing contract on the meeting agenda after sending the Nightingales a letter stating four reasons why they were in violation of their contract.  As outlined by an article in the December 22nd issue of the Source newspaper the four allegations included:
• Failure to complete site improvements as described during the big process before the township contract was awarded.
• Failure to prominently display a list of towing charges, a list of storage charges and hours of operation.
• Failure to appropriately charge for services pursuant to the terms of the township contract.
• Failure to adequately screen all employees so as to minimize risk to the public receiving services.

These allegations were detailed in a report given to the Board by Russ Weipert, a former police officer with the City of Troy. Weipert was hired as a consultant too examine the police auction process and the township towing contract.  Following a report by Mark Nottely that the township needed to improve its car auction process, overseen by the Nightingales.

As expected, the Nightingales fanned out to attack.  To try and pack the meeting hall, they made phone calls, posted on Facebook, paid for political robo-calls to residents, distributed flyers and sent around e-mails to try and boost attendance.  They figured that the larger the crowd they could get, the better chance they would have of intimidating the Board.

Anyway, the meeting day came.  It was one of the longest meetings we have seen in a while, and yet it was a very well-run meeting — despite the rude and angry protests of those in the audience. When the facts against the Nightingales were presented, no one of their group came forth to explain what they did, or failed to do.  Overcharge the people?  No comment from the Nightingales.  Failure to improve the appearance of their site, which John Nightingale agreed to (on television) when receiving the contract?  No explanation.  Failure to charge according to the terms of the contract?  The Nightingales said nothing.  There was literally no effort by them to explain the contract, other than a family member asking why they don ’t have the right to charge customers whatever they want if they are called for a tow?

The list of those who supported the Nightingales was comprised of family members, friends, business associates and Save Shelby cohorts.  Despite their time and money trying to stack the room, they only managed to muster those with a personal or financial interest in the Nightingales keeping the contract.

The mud started flying, and the person who receives the “Bonehead Award” for the most rude behavior at the December 20th meeting was Marsha Nightingale.  Mrs. Nightingale yelled at the Board, calling them names and claiming that Supervisor Stathakis is not a Christian.  Really?  Mr. Stathakis is not a Christian?  We understand he is a Lutheran, and yet Mrs. Nightingale doesn’t consider that one of the many Christian faiths?

Mrs. Nightingale then went on to claim, without supporting evidence, that the Supervisor has been slapped with a sexual harassment complaint by a female township police officer.  Supervisor Stathakis said, emphatically, that Mrs. Nightingale’s accusation was totally untrue, yet Mrs. Nightingale persisted.  Obviously, taking a page from McCarthy’s book of dirty tricks, Mrs. Nightingale tried to change the subject from her family’s blatant contract violations to unfounded claims of sexual harassment.  Mrs. Nightingale has the right to her opinion, but she does not have the right to make up stories to support her personal views!

We have since learned that the so-called “sexual harassment” that Mrs. Nightingale raised is actually is a workplace complaint of unfair treatment by Supervisor Stathakis.  Apparently, Mr. Stathakis’s oversight (or perhaps failure to purchase enough baking supplies) resulted in more home-made treats being given to the fire department than the police department.  Since some police officers somehow thought that they were being treated unfairly by the shortage of desserts, they filed a “harassment” complaint against Mr. Stathakis.

When pressed by Mrs. Nightingale about this so-called “sexual harassment investigation”, Supervisor Stathakis said emphatically that there was no sexual harassment complaint and that “there would not be.”  Quite frankly, we believe Mr. Stathakis.  He then told Mrs. Nightingale that he was not going to tolerate her making such blatantly false statements, adding that he was not going to comment further.

Given the truth of what this “harassment” actually entails, we can understand why Mr. Stathakis did the right thing by not engaging.

Claiming, as some police officers have, that you are being unfairly treated because the fire department got more desserts than you did sounds extremely petty, and quite frankly makes the whole Shelby Township police department look stupid.  Apparently, by refusing to comment on the specifics of this incident, Mr. Stathakis recognized the ridiculousness of this claim and decided that he was not going to whitewash the entire police department because of the hurt feelings of a few who didn’t get enough desserts to satisfy their sweet tooth.

In the end, the Board of Trustees, and attorney Rob Huth, laid out four valid reasons why the towing contract with the Nightingales should be revoked.  Their attorney, Paul Kowal (husband of clerk Terri Kowal) tried to paint a picture that the Board was doing something improper by voiding the contract, but his legal charade was overridden by township attorney Rob Huth who said the township has the authority to determine whether or not a vendor has violated a contract.

Given the Nightingale’s failure to abide by the contract, the Board had no choice but to terminate the contract.  Trustee Doug Wozniak did a fantastic job of summarizing why the contract had been violated in terms that everyone could easily understand.

The vote to terminate the contract was 5-to-2.  The only two Board members who supported the Nightingales were Trustee Lisa Manzella, a long-time Nightingale/Save Shelby associate, and Clerk Terri Kowal, another Nightingale/Save Shelby associate whose husband has been hired as the Nightingale attorney.  It is clear that while Supervisor Stathakis, Treasurer Viar and Trustees Filar, Flynn and Wozniak understand their duties to stand up for the township, Mrs. Manzella and Mrs. Kowal see their duties as standing up for special interest groups.

Shame on Mrs. Kowal and Mrs. Manzella for turning a blind eye to contract violations in order to protect their political friends.  Their actions in this instance clearly show that, for Manzella and Kowal, political paybacks trump the greater good for Shelby Township taxpayers.

Until next time...

Shelby Clerk Terri Kowal’s Paranoia Goes Too Far As She Hires A Private Investigator to Check the Township Hall for Electronic Listening Devices (Taxpayers End Up Paying the Bill)

Paranoia [ˌpar.rəˈnoɪ.ə] (adjective: paranoid [ˈpar.rə.noɪd]) is a thought process believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety or fear, often to the point of irrationality and delusion. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs, or beliefs of conspiracy concerning a perceived threat towards oneself. False accusations and the distrust of others also frequently accompany paranoia.
_________

Generally, people who suffer from a paranoia complex have a mental state where they think everyone is out to get them.  In their view, everyone is an enemy and no one is to be trusted.  So these people act irrationally, and at times do things that make you question their sanity.

Recently the Shelby-Utica News ran a story about an electronic sweep of Shelby’s municipal offices that was conducted recently.  Apparently, believing the place was bugged, Shelby Township Clerk Terri Kowal authorized an outside private investigator (Ricco Investigations) to come in and check the municipal hall for listening devices - or BUGS as they are called by people outside the industry.

WTF?  Hiring a private investigator to sweep for bugs??????  Mrs. Kowal really has become weird over the last few weeks.

Mrs. Kowal said she has evidence that her office was bugged?  Really?  Where is the evidence?  She said ceiling tiles were moved and duct tape was hanging down from the ceiling.  Oh really?  Were any photos take of this security breach?  If so, where are the photos?  Footprints on the wall?  Really?  What was the shoe size?  More importantly, why weren’t the Shelby Township police notified and called in to investigate this bizarre event?

If Mrs. Kowal thinks that her office was bugged, does she really believe the culprit/culprits would be so sloppy as to leave ceiling tiles moved, footprints on walls, or duct tape hanging?  And just who does Mrs. Kowal believe in her own mind bugged her office, and for what reason?

Furthermore, just how would someone go about planting listening devices in the police department?  Isn’t there someone in the department 24/7 — and wouldn’t the police notice a strange person walking around the department?

This listening device incident, coming on the heels of Kowal’s “banker box” stupidity, reinforces why Kowal’s decision to hit the trail for Auburn Hills is the right decision for taxpayers.  The sooner the better!

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?

When you read the Shelby-Utica News article, you will likely be shocked at what the newspaper has reported.


Documents obtained from Freedom of Information Act requests show the sweep was conducted under the request of Shelby Township Clerk Terri Kowal.  


“Kowal said it would be authorized and on behalf of whoever,” Riccobono said.


Kowal said she commissioned Riccobono to do the sweep after discussions with now-former Police Chief Robert Leman about security concerns.


While Kowal discussed with him that she was having a sweep done of her office, Leman said, he did not give his official authorization for the sweep prior to being placed on administrative leave Sept. 21.


“There was a discussion but no authorization from me,” Leman said.

Okay, we we have documented proof that Kowal and former Chief Leman tag-teamed this electronic sweep over security concerns?  Really.  More paranoia?  Sure, there may have been no formal authorization from Leman about the sweep (wink-wink...plausible deniability?) but ask yourself this question: Do you think anyone could get access to roam around the police department, planting bugs of all things, without approval from the Chief?

Continuing on:

Joe Riccobono Sr., founder of Ricco Investigations in Utica, performed a search for electronic listening devices in the township clerk’s office, the office of Human Resources Director Lisa Suida and Shelby Township Police Department offices without the authorization of Acting Chief of Police Roland Woelkers or Township Supervisor Richard Stathakis, which Stathakis and Woelkers said would have been proper protocol for the sweeps of the latter two.


“I’m not at liberty to discuss that,” Riccobono said when asked how he gained access to the Police Department without official authorization from the acting police chief or township supervisor.
“I was received and allowed entry,” Riccobono said of the sweep, which occurred Sept. 23.  “I can tell you  it was an uneventful situation.  Nothing was found.”


The $300 charge for the sweep — originally $200, according to Riccobono, but raised to $300 because it was paid by check rather than case — was in the bill run approved by the Board of Trustees Dec. 6.

Okay, so if you are a vendor providing a service to Shelby Township, Terri Kowal has an offer that you can’t refuse.  First get approval for $200 and then raise your fee by 100% because the township has to pay the bill by check instead of cash?  Does this mean if a contractor does road work for $600,000 they will get the same opportunity to double the bill to $1.2 million if you pay by check instead of cash?

This cash for services arrangement that Mrs. Kowal made with her P.I. friend Joe Riccobono stinks!!!

Here is more from the story:
Along with the police offices, a sweep of human resources was done without the authorization of the supervisor, who is the top executive overseeing that department.


“I didn’t know anything about human resources,” Kowal said.  “(Human Resources Director Lisa Suida) asked if she could have her phone checked because it wasn’t working properly.”


There was no police supervision of the sweep in the Human Resources Department, and Stathakis said he did not know about it until the Oct. 8 email that Kowal sent to Woelkers.


“My concern is that this was not done in an upfront manner,” Stathakis said.  “This was something that should have been communicated to me by the chief of police [Leman] or by those with whom he discussed this matter.”


Stemming from his interviews with Kowal after the sweep, Woelkers submitted a memo Nov. 18 to Stathakis that stated the reason Kowal had not informed the supervisor was that “the supervisor would be the last person she would tell about the electronic sweep that was conducted on September 23.”


Kowal said she did not recall making the statement.


“I’ve tried to get as many answers as I could from the clerk’s office, and I’m not having much success,” Stathakis said.

So Mrs. Kowal doesn’t think she has to inform the top elected official of the township about a security breach?  The former police chief concurs with Kowal and does not communicate a possible breach to the Supervisor either?  Does this make any sense?  Kowal said she does not recall making the statement about not needing to tell the Supervisor.  So is Terri Kowal calling Acting Chief Woelkers a liar?

Furthermore, we wonder what Mrs. Kowal would be telling the newspapers had Mr. Stathakis, or even Treasurer Paul Viar, conducted an electronic sweep of the Financial Management offices without Kowal’s knowledge.  Since Mrs. Kowal supervises this department, and given her eagerness to trash people in the press, it is likely that she would have an entirely different spin on this entire weird incident.

Interestingly, just a few weeks ago, when she was asked about this electronic sweep by Shelby This Week’s host Phil Nye, Kowal implied that there was nothing wrong with it.  Just a simple request.  Further, she tried to brush all the concerns about this off as no big deal, since she has the authority (by Board edict) to spend up to a specific amount of tax dollars without Board approval anyway.

Mrs. Kowal thinks she can spend our precious tax dollars on any frivolous item she thinks that she “needs” as long as the amount stays below the threshold of Board approval?  Even if that means our tax dollars are wasted because someone has a paranoia complex and thinks people are listening to her in her township office?

We find it amusing that those in our township who oppose democracy — the “Save Shelby, Status Quo, Liberal Spending Liars Society” have tried to say that the Board has forced Mrs. Kowal to leave.  That is a lie.   Mrs. Kowal voluntarily sought another taxpayer-funded job in another community, taking advantage of her lifetime health care benefits paid for by Shelby taxpayers.  Nobody is forcing Mrs. Kowal to leave.  This is a decision she made, voluntarily, because she has said the new job is a great career move.

The Save Shelby crew could really give a damn what the taxpayers think — and have showed great contempt for the taxpayers in all their ridiculous outbursts and nasty attacks for three years.  Save Shelby associates Trustee Lisa Manzella and Clerk Terri Kowal have fed this group’s hunger for attacks upon our Board of Trustees.  This group claims that they care about the township, but we all know that the only thing the Save Shelby crew cares about is power, power and more power.  The Save Shelby message can be summarized as follows: “To hell with Shelby taxpayers, we are more important!”

Well, as a majority of residents have proven, the Save Shelby vision for Shelby Township is NOT one shared by a majority of residents.  The Save Shelby agenda will result in sweetheart contracts, higher union pensions, and grossly higher spending all paid for by Shelby Township taxpayers.  The Save Shelby gang will deny all this, of course, but when you look at what they want to do, the end result will always be higher spending and higher taxes.

Getting back to Terri Kowal, we hope that she curtails much of the stupidity which has tainted her last few months in office.  Chances are her new employer will see no value in obsessed paranoia and will consider some of Kowal’s follies unsuitable for the taxpayers of Auburn Hills.

We also have this final piece of advice (warning) for our friends who live and work in Auburn Hills:  Beware of Terri Kowal.  Because what you see is definitely NOT what you get!

Until next time...

Trustee Lisa Manzella Fights to Keep the (Money-Losing) 41-A District Court In Shelby Township — At All Costs!

The 20-year long debate and discussion concerning the 41-A District Court building is back in the headlines once again.

Shelby Township’s Board of Trustees voted on Wednesday, December 14th to put a question on the February, 2012 ballot giving Shelby taxpayers a direct say (through our public vote) in deciding whether the 41-A District Court should stay in Shelby Township or relocate to Macomb Township.

This decision by the Board is greatly appreciated, and very welcome news to residents who firmly believe that taxpayers, those who will be paying to build and operate a new Court, should have a voice, and a vote, on this crucial decision.

This has indeed gone on for way too long - primarily because the politicians didn’t bother asking the people their thoughts on this.  Now, we will finally get our opportunity to tell Shelby’s Trustees how we feel about the Court.  Should it stay or should it go?

If Shelby residents want to keep the court in our township then we need to let our Board of Trustees know at the ballot box so that we can then understand the total costs involved for bonding/taxing to build a new facility.  If we don’t want to pay for the court, and if the 41-A District Court is a financially-losing proposition for our township (as it appears to be based on financial reports), then we owe it to ourselves to vote NO and let them move to neighboring Macomb Township.

Either way, the people will decide — and for that the INSIDE OUT says “thank you” to the Board of Trustees for voting to give Shelby taxpayers a voice in this decision through the power of the ballot box in February, 2012!

By now, we all have seen that whenever the Board of Trustees discusses the 41-A District Court issue, Trustee Lisa Manzella gets on her soapbox in defense of the Court.  This is obviously a very touchy issue for her.  She has publicly that the $20 million figure cited by Supervisor Stathakis and others as the cost for the “justice center” is incorrect.  She then goes on a rampage about how the Supervisor, Treasurer and others are misleading people about the Court.  Actually, it is Lisa Manzella who has been misleading people.  She has been the chief cheerleader for the court, going so far as to openly support higher taxes to build and operate the Court.

Check out this e-mail that Trustee Manzella sent to resident Ed Young back in 2006.  We are reprinting the e-mail in its entirety so there is absolutely no confusion about what Lisa Manzella’s position is:

We find it extremely interesting that Manzella actually says “no one knows better than I about the financial predicament Michigan is in right now.”  Really?  No one in the entire State of Michigan understands the complexities of the economic picture except Lisa Manzella?

Manzella then wrote:
“I predicted these economic time back in the early '90s.”  
Really?  Lisa Manzella, Shelby’s economic gypsy, gazed into her magical crystal ball (probably paid for by taxpayers) and predicted the tough times Michigan is now facing a full 15 years before the recession actually happened?  That Manzella Snake Oil really does impact the brain, doesn’t it?

Manzella also wrote:
“I took the justice center under my wing because I firmly believe it is a necessity.  I’d love to see a new library and a rec center, but the police/court facility is a necessity.”  
Manzella has tried to rewrite history, saying that she never supported Skip Maccarone’s $50 million campus project.  However, since building a new library and recreation center (two ideas Manzella supports) were elements of the campus idea that was defeated, this proves that Manzella DID support the campus, and once again is not being honest with township taxpayers.

Also, take note that her “justice center” would have cost taxpayers $20 million dollars that we do not have and would be taxed to the max to pay for!

We also find this statement by Manzella to be truly bizarre:
“I believe the time is now to complete this project.  I was elected by the people to make decisions, and I believe it is an act of cowardace [stet] to throw this back at the people.  Only a self-serving official who has only their own interest, would be coward enough not to act on the police and court building.”

COWARDICE!!  True political cowards are arrogant politicians, like Lisa Manzella, who believe that they were elected for some higher purpose, have all the answers to all the problems, and should just be trusted by us to make the right decisions.  Lisa Manzella’s die hard support for both the unaffordable justice center and the unneeded Maccarone “campus” proves, without question, that she is incapable of being trusted by anyone to make the right decisions for Shelby taxpayers.

At the Tuesday, September 6, 2011 Board meeting, Manzella announced that she was never in favor of a $20 million court building.  This was a lie.  Not only did she champion it, but also chaired the committee which proposed this massive structure.  Check it out yourself by reading the September 8th Inside Out.  She was called out for her revisionist lie and immediately went on the attack against those who dared point out the truth.  Typical Manzellian behavior.

Interestingly, while Lisa Manzella is busy condemning people for using the $23 million figure (or even a $20 million number), as you can see from the letter to resident Ed Young, Manzella readily admits that the “justice center”, which she fully embraced, was projected to cost $24 million.

What the heck .... a million here, a million there, millions of our tax dollars being spent everywhere (nods to Dr. Seuss).  Manzella’s taxing and spending agenda was, and is, a path to financial destruction for Shelby Township.

Trustee Manzella enjoys attacking people who question the logic of spending $20 million (or $24 million) for a justice center.  Actually, she attacks anyone who questions any decision she makes, and loves using Facebook to promote her political bullying.  She is bitter and angry that the people rejected her justice center concept, and is on a revenge mission against those who oppose her big spending, liberal views of government.

Today, Lisa Manzella is still lobbying for the 41-A District Court to remain in Shelby Township.  She still does not want the people to vote on whether to build a new court or let the facility move to Macomb Township, as evidenced by her December 14th vote against a ballot question.  She further says that she has not changed her mind, and that the township can support and fund the Court.  In other words, Shelby Township has plenty of money to keep the 41-A District Court in Shelby Township.

Or ... do we?

Check out this e-mail that Manzella sent around on April 8, 2010.  She was responding to a request from Supervisor Rick Stathakis, on behalf of officials in Macomb Township, to schedule a meeting to discuss the 41-A District Court’s future:

Okay, so on April 8, 2010 Shelby Township, by Manzella’s own admission, Shelby Township “can not afford the court.”   However, she has repeatedly that nothing that she has seen or read has changed her mind about the Court staying in Shelby.

So let’s dissect this logic.  Since Shelby Township can’t afford the Court under current funding arrangements (and financial forecasts say we cannot), and since Manzella has said she does not want the court to leave, does Lisa Manzella then support higher taxes and fees to keep the court in Shelby Township?  Based on her public statements and actions, what do you think?

Manzella is on record as wanting to increase fees to pay for a new court — raising them higher than what the 41-A Court judges even wanted.  Consider the following that was first reported in our October 10, 2010 Inside Out detailing Lisa Manzella’s track record in her own words:

Macomb Daily - April 23, 2006

Sierawski and Chief Judge Maceroni agree to increase fines for traffic tickets an additional $5 per ticket.  That money then would go into the Court's building fund.  Trustee Lisa Manzella said she would have preferred a 100% increase above what the judges recommended.

“I thought $5 was a little light,” Manzella said. “If we get to June and make some plans to break ground, maybe we can think about $10.”

NOTE: WAS MANZELLA LOOKING FOR AN EASY WAY TO PAD THE BANK ACCOUNT FOR HER JUSTICE CENTER?  TAKE MONEY FROM TAXPAYERS TO BUILD SOMETHING WE CAN'T AFFORD SO THAT WE ARE THEN ARE FORCED TO PAY EVEN MORE MONEY TO OPERATE?

Given that the “Save Shelby, Status Quo, Liberal Spending Liars Society” (also known as Save Shelby), has already gone on record as saying the Board should raise taxes to deal with financial issues, is this Manzella’s true secret agenda? Raise taxes in order to keep the 41-A District Court in Shelby Township at all costs?  Do we really need a new Court building that taxpayers must pay higher taxes to construct and operate?  Should we just let politicians, like Manzella, decide — or should taxpayers be involved in helping make this important pocketbook decision?

Trustee Lisa Manzella opposes a public vote on the 41-A District Court.  However, an overwhelming majority of taxpayers believe a public vote is the proper and prudent thing to do.  Lisa Manzella has much to be ashamed of given her conduct in office — and depriving the people of a public vote is just one of the many reasons (her Facebook posts being another) why she does NOT deserve another term on the Board of Trustees in 2012.

Now that Shelby’s Board of Trustees has approved this advisory ballot language about the 41-A District Court, it is up to us, the voters of Shelby Township, to get to the polls and make our voices heard.  We predict that informed voters will make an informed choice in February, 2012— and this will finally put to rest a discussion that has been dragging on in this township for FAR TOO LONG.

Thanks to the current Board of Trustees, the people will finally get a chance to speak on this.  When we do, everyone will know where Shelby taxpayers stand on the 41-A District Court once and for all.

Until next time...

Effectively Patrolling Shelby Township’s Police Budget Requires New Departmental Leadership Who Will Put Taxpayers’ Interests First

Everywhere you look these days people, businesses and governmental bodies are changing, reforming, modifying, and improving the way things get done.  Why?  Because they MUST or face the reality of service cuts, layoffs, bankruptcy, higher taxes or being taken over by a state-run Emergency Manager.  Those who support the old ways of doing business are trying desperately to prevent change, but are increasingly finding themselves losing as the power of the people has become more power than the demand of special interests.

Recently, the Shelby Township Board of Trustees conducted an independent review of the police department.  This comes on the heels of similar reports done for both the Fire Department and for the Parks, Recreation and Maintenance Departments.  In both the Fire and PRM the reports outlined effective ways to trim costs, hundreds of thousands of dollars to be exact, in each department.  As a result, our elected officials now have a tool they can use to help make sure the departments get the resources they need, while taxpayers get the cost reductions we demand.

Given the success of the two studies, a review of the police department made perfect sense. Since the police department faces a serious budget deficit in a few years, and since the department was disinterested in making any changes, why not act now to fend off such deficit.  So the Board voted to conduct the study, a move that was immediately blasted and condemned by those associated with the “Save Shelby, Status Quo, Liberal Spending Liars Society” or more commonly called “Save Shelby.”

One man in particular, named Tim Orbacki, went to the mat opposed to any review of police operations. When the Board initiated a study of the police department, seeking an expert review of how and where to reduce costs without hurting police protection, Orbacki protested.  As reported by Frank DeFrank in the Monday, December 22, 2010 issue of the Macomb Daily, Orbacki declared the study a waste of time.  
“You can do a review, but I don't really see what you're going to get out of it.”


For your information, this is the same Tim Orbacki who once said that if taxes need to be raised to deal with the township budget, then the Board should do it.  On September 22, 2010, at 10:07 a.m., Orbacki sent an e-mail to township officials stating the following: 
“The budget is the board’s problem to raises taxes if needed.”

Criticism by Orbacki and Save Shelby aside, the township got quite a bit out of the review of the police department.  The report outlined some ways to save costs long-term, without impacting the protection we deserve as township residents.  Trustees who supported this review did the right thing.

The Save Shelby group tried to stop the study, but failed.  Trustee Lisa Manzella made plenty of noise, along with a few of her political cronies, protesting the study.  Manzella has never wanted to change anything - especially if it means saving taxpayers money.  She has always believed that the best way to keep Shelby Township strong is to continue the same policies of the past.  This includes high spending, high pensions, high payrolls and higher taxes to support this high-life agenda.

We must never forget that Manzella wanted to raise $50 million in new bonds for a campus of new buildings.  Her claim was that taxpayers could easily afford such spending without impacting their pocketbooks.  Financial reports show that the township could not, and still cannot, afford the Manzella spending plan.  Nevertheless, she presses on in full big liberal form.

Manzella made lots of noise, once again, when the Board decided to move on and not renew the contract of the township police chief.  Even though Manzella may think otherwise, he was NOT entitled to his position for as long as he wanted it.  Our understanding is that the police chief is an at-will employee.  He worked for the Board and at any time if the Board felt they wanted a new chief, they have the legal authority to hire one.  On September 20, 2011 by a vote of 5-2 the Board of Trustees decided to move on and hire a new chief.

Oh sure, Manzella (and Kowal) tried to stir up a hornet’s nest of trouble.  However, outside the circle that these two speak to this is not a big deal.  Okay, so Shelby Township will have a new police chief.  Sure, the previous chief did a pretty good job in the past, and as we understand it that was not the point.  The Shelby police department is facing financial challenges that will require serious leadership to correct.

Angry that her friend did not get his [entitled?] contract renewed, Manzella and her close associates logged onto Facebook to once again trash the Board of Trustees.  This has become pretty standard way for Mrs. Manzella to air her political frustrations and show her true unprofessional conduct.

Check out this exchange:

Trustee Manzella needs to understand that public posts made on Facebook are public record, and as such you will be open to criticism for your comments especially if you are a public official.  So in the interests of transparency we urge Mrs. Manzella to PLEASE keep posting stupid and ill-conceived rants on Facebook for everyone to read!

In the private sector, there is a thing called “constant improvement.”  You either have it, or you don’t.  Those who understand this concept, and work to implement it, are successful.  Those who don’t are not. It is that simple.  Clearly, from what we have seen and read, the police department needs improvement.  Oh sure, the police officers provide quality protection.  That is not the issue, as far as we are concerned.  Finances, projected deficits and bloated pensions are.

According to the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, Shelby Township police officers are paid substantially more than the average law enforcement salary.  In fact, a recent Mackinac Center study showed that 30 percent of Shelby Township police officers are paid more than $90,000 a year.  Some will argue that the police officers deserve every penny they get.  Fine, but does this mean they are worth tens of thousands of pennies more than police officers in other communities — many with higher crime rates and population than Shelby Township?

Here is just some of what the Mackinac Center report shows:

• According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics data from May of 2009, police and sheriff patrol officers made $51,270 (not including overtime) on average in the state of Michigan. All but five of the Shelby Township patrol officers surpassed that average salary in 2009. The average gross pay of the 50 Shelby Township patrol officers was $78,402.

• According to a Freedom of Information Act Request, the Shelby Township Police Department has 72 employees, of which nine made six-figure gross salaries last year, and another 13 made $90,000 to $99,000. Thirty percent of the police force was paid at least $90,000 for 2009.

• Also, according to the “all fund” 2010 budget information online, Shelby Township's expenses exceeded revenue by $2 million.

Shelby Township is one of many municipalities that are paying lucrative salaries while in red ink.  So the operational review was done, and the results made public at the September 6th meeting.

We are most certainly not experts, just casual observers and longtime township taxpayers.  However, the outlined changes seem to make sense.  Will they work?  On the surface they look reasonable and prudent, but this is for people much smarter than us to decide.  However, at least the Board is now finally having a discussion about cutting costs instead of just kicking the can down the road and doing nothing until the day comes when the only course of action will be higher taxes or drastic cuts to police protection.

We thank Supervisor Stathakis and the Board for showing leadership on this issue and doing what is right for taxpayers.

When the Board voted not to renew the police chief’s contract, Trustee Manzella and her crowd rebelled.  They made all sorts of outrageous claims against the five informed Board members who did not believe the chief deserved a new contract.  Moreover, the Board’s refusal to award a new contract resulted in the former chief filing a lawsuit against the township.  It certainly looks as if some people don’t like change and will go to great lengths to try and stop it.

Those who watched the Board meeting where the vote on the chief’s contract took place will recall how people came up to complain that there was no justification for this decision.  Well, as it now turns out, recently released documents show that this 5-to-2 decision by the Board of Trustees was based on performance.

The Monday, December 12th Shelby-Utica Patch included a story which contained some very interesting information concerning the former police chief.  As it turns out, there was a basis for the decision not to rehire the former chief.  As the Patch reported, Supervisor Rick Stathakis, Trustee Paula Filar and Trustee Lisa Manzella all submitted memos with their opinion of the situation.  We encourage all taxpayers to read the Patch (click on the link) and pay special attention to the letters from Mr. Stathakis and Mrs. Filar.

You can also access each of these documents at the following links:

Letter from Supervisor Stathakis explaining why he voted not to renew Leman’s contract.

Letter from Trustee Paula Filar explaining why she voted not to renew Leman’s contract.

As for the nasty personal rant from Trustee Manzella, which (among other things) calls into question Supevisor Stathakis’ Christianity, you probably should take it for what it’s worth.  Is this shameful religious attack upon Mr. Stathakis something you would want, or expect, from a township elected official who also teaches catechism to our young boys and girls?

Until next time...

Shelby Clerk, and Career Politician, Terri Kowal Hits the Trail for Auburn Hills To Take Yet Another Taxpayer-Funded Government Job

First, we want to say thanks to our readers who continue sending us notes of appreciation and praise.  It is good to know that people enjoy reading our viewpoints, and consider us to be a valuable resource for information that can’t be found anywhere else in Shelby Township.

The Inside Out was the first township information outlet to report Clerk Terri Kowal’s upcoming departure (some call it an escape) to Auburn Hills.

Since her friend, and Assistant City Manager, Tom Tanghe was the person who recommended the hiring of a new city clerk, Mrs. Kowal’s new employment opportunity should surprise no one.  This proves that (especially when it comes to government jobs) it is not what you know but WHO you know.  Someone who has feasted at the public trough for 21 years, as Mrs. Kowal has done, would most certainly understand this fact.

It does seem rather peculiar, however, the way this came down.  In fact, much of what Mrs. Kowal has done over the last several months seems rather strange and, in some ways, bizarre.

• Kowal’s active support of the “Save Shelby Status Quo Liberal Spending Liars Society’s” recall against Supervisor Rick Stathakis and Treasurer Paul Viar soured many residents about Terri Kowal’s independence.  Furthermore, when her son and daughter-in-law (who live with her) circulated petitions for the recall, residents began to see through Kowal’s facade and understand the dirty politician within.

• Kowal’s paranoia hit a high mark just a few weeks ago.  It was revealed that she approved having her township office area swept for listening devices.  She also approved this surveillance sweep for the entire police department and the Human Resources Department.  Her reasoning was unclear and since nothing was found this seems like a ridiculous waste of time and taxpayer money.

Kowal tried to give credence to this by claiming some ceiling tiles had been moved and wires and duct tape were hanging down.  So, obviously somebody planted bugs, right?  For the sake of argument, let’s assume someone did plant bugs in her office?  Who?  And if they did, would they be so sloppy as to make it obvious that it had been done?  Were any photos taken to justify this waste of tax dollars?  If so, where are the photos?

• Kowal’s abuse of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) resulted in the Board of Trustees voting to take FOIA responsibilities away from.  Kowal’s political games with the FOIA, including using e-mails from other Trustees for her own political reasons, prompted the move.This was a unanimous vote, with Kowal herself supporting the move.  However, she claimed that due to the heavy workload of her department, and with her department being so understaffed, giving these duties to the Human Resources Department was a good idea.

• Kowal’s statements and actions about the so-called “banker box gate” were weird.  First, Kowal claimed someone tampered with an e-mail in a cardboard banker box with string around it.  Trustee Manzella then claimed it was a break-in of a locked file drawer, and claimed she was filing a complaint with the Michigan State Police (no complaint was filed).   Then, Kowal turned this back into to a locked banker box.  How exactly do you lock a cardboard box with string anyway?  Duct tape??

• At first Kowal denied wanting another job, saying she never looked for one.  But, it was later discovered that Kowal put her name in for consideration in Auburn Hills.  She denied getting any offer from the city, and persisted in her denials even after the Inside Out posted actual minutes from the meeting where the Auburn Hills City Council voted unanimously to give her an offer.  Check out the screen capture below:

Keep in mind that the meeting where the Auburn Hills City Council voted unanimously to make Kowal an offer was held NINE DAYS before Kowal’s Facebook comment above.  The meeting minutes show that Kowal was present at that meeting to answer questions from the Auburn Hills City Council.  Yet, she still seemed surprised by news that she would be leaving?  The only thing we can figure is that word of her employment change spread much faster than Kowal wanted, so she tried to deflect the message.

• Mrs. Kowal told her friends and township employees that the Auburn Hills gig was a good opportunity with more money.  Then we found out that her new appointed job actually pays less than her current elected position.

So what is going on here?

One theory, raised by one of our readers, is “politics.”  Mrs. Kowal probably glanced around at the township political landscape and saw the handwriting on the wall.  She apparently didn’t want to go through another election to try and keep her job.  Maybe she realized that she is not as popular or well liked as she thought?

Keep in mind that even though the press has reported that Kowal has been township clerk since 1996, and has won re-election ever since, there is much more to this story.
• In 1996, she first elected by promising to put “Kowality” in the clerk’s office.  Pretty lame theme.
• In the 2000 election, Kowal faced token opposition and almost got defeated.  If that candidate against her had actually done some real work, and not taken the lazy way out and did nothing, Kowal may have lost that race.
• In the 2004 election, Kowal had NO OPPOSITION.  It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to realize that it is very easy to win when you have no one running against you.
• In the 2008 election, Kowal again had NO OPPOSITION so naturally she won.

However, times have changed, and we suspect Kowal understood this too.  She probably reviewed her recent statements and actions about the banker box/FOIA incident, spoke to people about her strange claim that her office had been bugged, and saw (in hindsight) that voting to add her family members to the township’s payroll, and then voting to give her daughter a promotion and pay raise, were not the smartest things to do.  So, given this and the fact that she had served on the Board of Trustees for 21 years, she decided to get out now before she is voted out next year.  This way, she gets to take her lifetime health benefit (paid for Shelby Township taxpayers) with her as she begins her new taxpayer-funded job in Auburn Hills.

As expected, Kowal’s resignation has drawn plenty of attention.  However, not every reporter has gotten his or her facts straight.  Consider the following story from the November 16th Detroit News:
Township seeks new clerk: Shelby Township is seeking to replace its municipal clerk, who has been hired by the city of Auburn Hills.  On Monday [Nov. 14th], the Auburn Hills City Council voted unanimously to appoint Terri Kowal its new clerk.  Kowal, 37, of Shelby Township had been the township’s clerk since 1996.  Kowal will become Auburn Hills’ clerk on Jan. 3, 2012, at a starting salary of $72,000 a year, according to meeting minutes.

Since the Detroit News reports Kowal’s age as 37, and since she has served the Clerk for 15 years, this would mean she was first elected clerk at the age of 16?  In fact, since she was first elected Trustee in 1990, that means she first became a member of the Shelby Board at the ripe old age of 10?  It is unfortunate that so many journalists are sloppy in reporting basic facts.

After finally admitting that she has a new job, Kowal posted the following on Facebook to those people who were sending her goodbye messages:

Going out in handcuffs after attacking someone?  Now that would make a great parting photo to cap off Mrs. Kowal’s career!

Kowal has tried to dispute the image of her “resigning”, insisting that she is “retiring.”  She may truly see this as a retirement, but most people see it for what it really is.  If she had completed her term and decided not to run again, that would be a retirement.  However, deciding to step down before your term ends to take another job is a RESIGNATION, pure and simple.  This is a game of semantics, and Kowal doesn’t want to be remembered as the clerk who resigned to go to work for her friend Tom Tanghe in Auburn Hills.

However that, in essence, is exactly what she is doing.

Shelby Township residents sincerely hope Mrs. Kowal has learned from her grave missteps here in Shelby Township.  As the Auburn Hills FOIA coordinator, we hope she doesn’t play politics with the process over there the way she apparently did here.  We also hope she doesn’t talk about bugs planted in her office or someone breaking into a locked, cardboard banker box.

If she does, LOOK OUT Auburn Hills taxpayers — because you are in for a huge surprise!

Until next time...

Shelby Township Clerk Terri Kowal Resigning To Take New Job As City Clerk of Auburn Hills?

We interrupt this regularly-scheduled blog posting for some BREAKING NEWS from Shelby Township.

The rumor being spread around the township by Trustee Lisa Manzella the last few days that Clerk Terri Kowal will be resigning turns out to be true.

Although Mrs. Kowal had previously said that she had no interest in another job, we are in receipt of the minutes from a special October 24, 2011 Auburn Hills City Council meeting below.  Apparently, her employment interest has changed drastically.

Read the minutes below for yourself and help spread the word...

We wish Mrs. Kowal the best in her newest taxpayer-funded, government job.  However, for her own sake, and the interests of Auburn Hills taxpayers,  we hope she doesn’t devise the kinds of outlandish schemes for her new employer that she has done here in Shelby Township.

Until next time...

UPDATE:  Two news stories have confirmed what we reported above.  One was the Shelby-Utica News and the other was the Shelby-Utica Patch.

Even though no “formal” offer has been extended to Mrs. Kowal to become the Auburn Hills City Clerk as of yet (that will change soon), that is a mere formality at this point.  So it looks like as of January 1, 2012 Shelby Township will have the first new township clerk in 15 years.

Are Lisa Manzella’s “Investigation” Cries Justified - or Political Publicity Stunts?

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

First, we want to clear up something we posted last time.  In our October 26th report, we mentioned that Shelby Township Trustee Lisa Manzella was gearing up for a planned campaign for Shelby Township Treasurer.  After we raised this possibility, we received the following e-mail (which made us smile):

“To the liars at the inside out.  Lisa Manzella is great!!!!!!!!!!!! !! !!  She is a real conservative, not like those other fakes on the Board.  You have no proof about your claim that she wants to be Treasurer, and are just trying to smear this fine lady.  If you have proof, show it.”

Your wish is our command.  Here is the proof you requested to see:

Now what do you think?  Are we lying just to try and smear this “fine lady”?

Advantage Associates is a Lansing-based communications firm.  Interestingly, a few hours after the company announced their “proud” support of Manzella for Treasurer via Facebook and Twitter, both proclamations mysteriously disappeared.  POOF!  Was it a premature leak that Manzella didn’t want exposed since she had not yet made her intentions public? 

So what is the connection here?  On the Advantage Associates website you will find the name Joseph Manzella as one of the firm’s employees.  Any relation?  You bet.  Joseph Manzella is Lisa’s son.  Now the endorsement makes sense.  What isn’t clear is why Manzella’s name was quickly dropped.

Just imagine what Shelby Township would look like today if Lisa Manzella has been our township Treasurer for the past several years. 
• Lisa Manzella supported $50 million in new bonds/taxes for her “campus”.
• Manzella advocated millions in new spending, including $20 million for an unaffordable “justice center”.
• Manzella said the people should not have the right to vote on new bonds/taxes, going so far as to call any decision to give it to the people “cowardice.”  (see Manzella e-mail to resident Ed Young at right.  Click on the e-mail to see a larger version).
• Manzella has consistently opposed efforts to expose the high costs of union pensions.
• Manzella criticizes Treasurer Viar for his exposé about union pensions — perhaps not wanting to upset her friends/supporters in the union?
• Manzella has said it is better to spend tax money than save it in the bank.  This comment quickly brought criticism from other township Trustees as well as taxpayers.  Manzella has always wanted to spend money, and as Treasurer she will control the checkbook.  Can we afford that risk?
• Manzella once said, while complaining about her fellow Trustees, “actions speak louder than words.”  Well, one look at Manzella’s public record will prove that her actions as Treasurer would be devastating to our township, and would take Shelby back to the days (or just four years ago) when our township was teetering on bankruptcy, facing huge deficits, and heading toward higher taxes to pay for ever-rising spending.

Treasurer Lisa Manzella?  It may sound like a joke, but this is no joking matter.  Shelby taxpayers cannot afford to give Manzella these responsibilities.  She has indicated that she no longer wants to serve on the township Board, so given this attitude why should we trust her with our township’s finances?

Shelby residents know how Lisa Manzella loves to call for “investigations.”  Most recently, Manzella did this when she threatened to file a complaint with the Michigan State Police over what Treasurer Paul Viar called “banker box gate.”  This “banker box” investigation call eerily resembles a complaint that Manzella filed with the Macomb County Prosecutor back in 2009 over what she claimed was an Open Meetings Act violation by the Board of Trustees.

Manzella’s Open Meetings violation got her some favorable publicity to advance her personal agenda.  Here is how the Macomb Daily covered the story:

Manzella tried to play up this alleged scandal big time.  Her goal was clearly to try and paint the Board of Trustees as violating Michigan’s open meetings law.

Did her scheme work?  Two weeks later, Macomb Daily reporter Frank DeFrank wrote the following:

Feeling stung (and perhaps a little embarrassed) that they gut sucked into by Manzella’s publicity stunt, three days later the Macomb Daily wrote the following editorial:

Manzella’s open meetings complaint was thrown out as baseless.  We applaud the Macomb Daily for calling Manzella out on this when they wrote the following:
“...An agenda format is not required.  Consequently, omissions, errors or amendments to a published agenda do not constitute violations of the Open Meetings Act.
“Manzella probably could have come to the same conclusion [that what the Board did was legal] if she had taken time to research the act before going to the Prosecutor’s Office.”
“And lesson No. 2 is for Manzella, who left the meeting early and prior to the discussion of layoffs.  Don’t excuse yourself early and then complain about what happens in your absence.”

Even though she loves to demand investigations, Manzella doesn’t take the time to investigate the facts of an issue herself.  For example, when Manzella called for a State Police investigation over “banker box gate”, she obviously hadn’t investigated the facts before making that knee-jerk remark.  If she had she would have realized how the whole FOIA break-in story by Clerk Terri Kowal stunk to high heaven.

First Clerk Kowal said, publicly and on television, that she filed a police report because someone was going through her stuff.  Then, after it became clear that there was no police report filed, Kowal’s response was that she filed a verbal report.  Initially, according to Kowal, it was a cardboard banker box with string around the ends sitting under her Deputy Clerk’s desk.   However, a few days later, according to Manzella, it became a break-in of “locked file drawers.”

Mrs. Kowal was clearly uncomfortable discussing the FOIA issue and the whole police report aspect of it.  Why?  Was the entire claim a fraud?  How did Manzella come to the conclusion that a cardboard banker box was really locked file drawers?  Who could have told Manzella to make that unfounded claim?  Who should we believe?  Kowal?  Manzella?  Neither?

Despite her proclamation that she would file a written complaint with the Michigan State Police over this the morning after the Tuesday, October 18th Board meeting, Manzella did nothing.  Why bother to announce that you are going to file a Michigan State police complaint, and then fail to follow through?  Was this just an attempt by Lisa Manzella to, hopefully, get a headline or two in one of the local newspapers (as she did with the open meetings issue) to help her political agenda?

Did the publicity stunt work?  Considering the lack of attention that her call for an “investigation” garnered in the press, it appears that Manzella’s plot failed.  Even the Macomb Daily refused to take the bait this time around, opting only to give Manzella’s State Police angle a passing reference in a larger story about the Board removing FOIA duties from Clerk Kowal after she misused the process for her own political agenda.

Lisa Manzella’s constant lies have worn thin with a majority of Shelby taxpayers.  Her support of the recent failed recalls has shown her true political intentions.  Her credibility is waning with her colleagues due to her constant nasty personal attacks on the Board of Trustees.  And now that reporters (once favorable to her) are no longer buying her snake oil, Manzella is purely a lone wolf howling off in the distance.  She may not realize it, but time is quickly running out for Lisa Manzella.

Tick...tick...tick...tick.

Until next time...

Shelby Trustee Lisa Manzella Advocates Retroactive Ticket Writing As A Way To Raise Revenue For Skyrocketing Union Pensions?

Shelby Township Trustee Lisa Manzella, the lead proponent of the “Save Shelby, Status Quo, Liberal Spending Liars Society” (aka Save Shelby), never ceases to amaze us.  Just when you think things can’t get any stranger, Manzella ups the ante and does something more unusual than before.  Her newest antic: attacking Shelby Township Treasurer Paul Viar (again) over an unwarranted ticket that he recently received.

Treasurer Viar wrote a letter to the Source newspaper detailing the facts surrounding his handicapped parking ticket incident.  On the face of it (as it was reported in the newspapers), the issue seemed cut and dry.  But, as Paul Harvey would say, “Now, for the rest of the story.”

When you get below the surface and understand the complete details about what really happened, the ticket issued to Mr. Viar stinks of retaliation.  The process by which Mr. Viar was issued this ticket raises serious ethical questions among those of us who live, work, drive and pay taxes here in Shelby Township.

We are reprinting Mr. Viar’s letter to the editor below.  We encourage you to read the letter and judge for yourself whether or not this retroactive parking ticket was justified.  The letter appeared in the October 10, 2011 Source newspaper.

_____ 

To the editor: Won’t be intimidated

Published: October 10, 2011

All Shelby Township residents want a strong police department. This is the backbone of a dynamic community, where residents feel safe to go about their daily business. As township treasurer, I have worked to help make sure our township's police officers have the tools and training to protect the public. I have also done my part, as a voice of the people, to make sure that we reduce the costs wherever possible, thus protecting the pocketbooks of taxpayers.

Recently an incident occurred which, in my mind, calls into questions how some township police officers have chosen to do their job and enforce the law. I am talking about a situation that took place at Chase Bank on Monday, Sept. 19.

While I was depositing tax receipts, retired Shelby police officer Ken Underwood called the township to complain that the car I was driving was parked in a handicapped spot. Mr. Underwood proceeded to raise this issue at the Tuesday, Sept. 20 Board of Trustees meeting, when he came to the podium to attack me. I am not complaining about Mr. Underwood's free speech rights; as a public official I am open to criticism. However, democracy allows me to tell the whole story since Mr. Underwood left out details which weakens his message.

Underwood's contention was, and is, that I do not have the right to park in a handicapped spot. Therefore, he demanded that I receive a parking ticket. Even after I displayed my handicapped permit, Underwood protested and demanded that I be issued a ticket for illegally parking in a handicapped spot.

Two days after the meeting where Underwood made his appearance, and three days after the alleged illegal parking incident took place, guess what. A ticket was written against me claiming that I violated the law by parking in the handicapped spot. Even though I have the legal right to do so, and have the permit to prove it, police officer (C. Johnson) issued me a retroactive parking ticket, which also included Mr. Underwood's signature. The citation was sent by registered mail paid for by the taxpayer.

This strange action by these police officers should alarm everyone, both resident and non-resident alike, who drives in our township. What are we to make of a retired police officer engaging in a ticket-writing scheme to harass drivers for legal conduct? Does this policy of writing unwarranted retroactive tickets apply only to me, or is this a police department policy? Is this, somehow, related to my votes as treasurer? Have other motorists received retroactive tickets like this, or am I being singled out?

More to the point, if some police officers decide to issue me a ticket three days after an alleged incident occurs, how far back could some police officers go to issue retroactive tickets? One week? One month? One year? Six years? What is the township's statute of limitations when it comes to writing these retroactive tickets?

Shelby Township residents know that I have been a prime target of the police union over the past several months. Some police union members, including Mr. Underwood, have come forth at televised Board of Trustees meetings to personally attack me and call me malicious names - words I will not reprint. I have been threatened repeatedly and even once by Mr. Underwood, at a televised meeting, to meet him in the parking lot for a "conversation." I was the subject of a malicious recall campaign by these same union members who want me removed to silence any discussion about budget-busting unsustainable pensions.

There is a clear pattern here. I was falsely attacked during their failed recall. I have been personally smeared at televised board meetings for speaking out about police pensions. Please know this: I cite names of pension recipients only after they have exposed their names to the press or at board meetings. Now I am being retroactively attacked by the police union and being issued a retroactive ticket for parking in a handicapped spot, even though I have the legal right to do so.

Given the union's ongoing pattern of behavior, I believe that I am target of police harassment. The police union is angry because I have chosen to tell taxpayers the true cost of their jackpot pensions. The union is angry because the Board of Trustees, including myself, asked them to accept nine modifications to their contract to help Shelby Township during these economic times. The union responded by suing the arbitrator to stop the changes. Finally, the union is angry at me because I have refused to cave to their campaign of humiliation.

If some police union members can get away with writing unfounded parking tickets against me to even a score or satisfy some kind of grudge or personal vendetta, what does this mean for our township? If I am the target of these activities today, will you be targeted tomorrow? Given this obvious pattern of harassment against me by the police union, will it require a lawsuit to stop this union harassment once and for all?

Everyone who is concerned about the values of democracy in our township should be forewarned. Speaking up for needed changes, speaking out to protect the interests and pocketbooks of taxpayers, and protesting union bullying can and most likely will get you in trouble. Nevertheless, I will not be intimidated by those who will use any, and all, means necessary to try and silence me.

Paul Viar, Shelby Township Treasurer

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WOW!  Reading Treasurer Viar’s letter raises serious questions.  Is this the policy of the police department, go after people a few days or weeks after something happens, or is this a selective policy used against certain people (or elected officials) in the township?

What amazed us is how Trustee Lisa Manzella immediately jumped into this discussion.  In the interest of fairness we are reprinting Manzella’s response.  When you read it you will likely find yourself shaking your head in bewilderment at Manzella’s attack against Mr. Viar.

_____

To the editor: Treasurer needs to accept responsibility

Published: Friday, October 14, 2011

Mr. Viar’s letter to the editor in last week's edition of The Source is another example of how he can “dish it out, but he can’t take it,” as well as the entitlement he expects and demands.

It is illegal to park in a handicap parking spot if you do not display a handicap permit in the rearview mirror or on the license plate. Township vehicles do not have handicap plates.  Even if you have a handicap permit, it is not an excuse; you need to have it on display to be in compliance with the law. I am certain Mr. Viar was given that information by the Secretary of State's office when, or if, he received his permit.

It is becoming commonplace for police departments to have cameras at intersections to track cars going through red lights and in some desert communities planes track speeding cars.  Some communities enlist senior citizens to take pictures of the plates and dashboards of cars illegally parked in handicapped spots, and the car owner receives a ticket in the mail.

Mr. Viar knows that as an elected official he could not be reprimanded as an employee would. What would the board have done if one of the employees parked a car in a handicapped spot with no visible permit?  Surely they would have been written up and this info would be part of their permanent work record, and likely get a ticket.

I have a close family member who qualifies for a handicapped permit. She has children that she has to carpool. I can assure you that if she forgot her permit, she would not park in a handicapped-accessible spot. And, if by some stretch of the imagine she did, she would, as Mr. Viar should have, apologize to the person pointing it out or to the officers who issued the ticket. An explanation of forgetting the permit is pretty easy for anyone to understand. Had Mr. Viar responded with a statement like, "I'm so sorry, I was in a hurry to get back to my office and serve the community, I inadvertently left my handicap permit in my car," this would not have become an issue.

All Mr. Viar has to do is take his ticket, and his permit, to the court to get the fine reduced.

Once again, in order to cover up his own wrongdoing, Mr. Viar chooses to blame everyone else rather than take responsibility for his own actions. Mr. Viar is a professional at slinging blame elsewhere; you can see it at every board meeting.  He always fails to mention that he has served on the Police and Fire Pension Board for 12 years, yet he complains constantly that the pensions are too high.  Mr. Viar, man up and take responsibility for your own actions - for the people who want to lawfully use the handicapped parking to the residents who want the facts on all the issues.

Lisa Manzella, Shelby Township

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Excuse our French, but what the hell is Lisa Manzella talking about?  Dish it out but can’t take it?  Unless our memory is incorrect, Mr. Viar has taken quite a number of unwarranted hits from Manzella and her recall crew over the last few months.  If there is anyone who can dish it out (but can’t take it) it is Manzella.  She has the audacity to complain about our blog, and yet feels she should have free reign to smear and trash anyone she pleases?  Manzella is, without question, the consummate cry baby!

She claims that Mr. Viar must accept responsibility?  Mr. Viar has the legal right to park in a handicapped space.  How do we know? Because he has a handicapped permit.  What the police did to Mr. Viar is wrong.  So who should really take responsibility here?

Mr. Viar took Manzella to about her letter during the October 18th Board meeting.  Here is what Mr. Viar said:

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Treasurer Paul Viar’s comments

Tuesday, October 18th Board of Trustees meeting

I begin by trying to clear up some questions concerning a parking ticket that I receive a few weeks ago.  This ticket was issued to me, on the word of a retired police officer, who had no evidence of facts.  This officer has attended two Board meetings to express his displeasure with me for explaining to Shelby taxpayers the threat posed to our township by the current unsustainable police union pensions.  So we must assume that he had an axe to grind.

I was getting questions about the ticket, so I wrote a letter to the Source explaining the details of this parking ticket incident.  I explained how I thought this was a highly unusual circumstance in the way the ticket was issued.

The ticket was not given to me in the traditional manner.  It was written by an officer who did not see the incident, but who took the word of a retired officer and sent a ticket to me certified mail, paid for by taxpayers.  I accepted this citation, contacted my attorney, and a pre-trial court hearing was held last Thursday.  At no time in these proceedings did I mention the name of Lisa Manzella.  My concern has been focused on the practice of issuing retroactive tickets.

However, Mrs. Manzella decided to write a scathing letter about me as a follow up to my letter.  She said, in this letter ,that I had not manned up.  As I said, I took this ticket to my attorney and we set up a court date.

Obviously Mrs. Manzella would like to compare  my ticket to her contact with police sometime ago, so let’s do that.  Mrs. Manzella ends her letter by saying residents want the facts on all issues.  Here are some of the facts concerning Mrs. Manzella’s contact with the Shelby Township police.

Her response to the press after the one-car accident was “accidents happen.”

In my view, accidents of this nature, where you cross a center line of a two-lane road, roll your SUV, end up with the nose of your vehicle in a ditch at 1:00 a.m. on a Sunday morning deserves more than a flippant “accidents happen” comment.

I would like to read from a deposition taken from an officer the night of the accident:

QUESTION: You concluded she wasn’t wearing a seat belt, Mrs. Manzella?
OFFICER:  That’s correct.
QUESTION: You didn’t issue a citation for not wearing a seat belt, did you?
OFFICER: No, I did not.
QUESTION:  Why not?
OFFICER: I don’t know why.

Any remarks about Mrs. Manzella that I have made, either positive or negative, have been made at these meetings for residents to hear and evaluate for themselves.  My comments have been remarks about her record, her actions, and her votes on issues impacting taxpayers.  By contrast, over the past several months, Mrs. Manzella has chosen to use social media sites, like Facebook, to malign me and call me names that are not used in mixed company.

In trying to explain her rationale for a retroactive ticket-writing scheme, Manzella compares Shelby Township to a desert community that uses airplanes to track speeders.  She says traffic cameras at intersections are being used to track speeders.  She even says that some communities pay people to go around taking photos of cars to issue tickets.  Is this her plan for our township?

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We find it unbelievable that Lisa Manzella wants to engage in a public debate about tickets.  As mentioned by Treasurer Viar at the October 18, 2011 Board meeting, Manzella did not receive a ticket for her one-car accident in 2005? She could have, but did not.  Manzella confirmed that she did not receive a ticket in the October 13, 2005 story in the Macomb Daily (see graphic at right).

Mr. Viar pointed out that a police office who was on the scene of the accident that night, was asked (under oath) why Manzella did not receive a seat belt ticket.  His response: “I don’t know why.”

Think about it.  If you are pulled over and are not wearing a seat belt, you will probably get a ticket.  If a politician, like Lisa Manzella, can get out of receiving a ticket, why can’t ordinary taxpayers?

Just like Manzella, we too have close friends who are current and former police officers.  So we value their advice.  When they heard the story of Mr. Viar’s ticket incident, one thing we kept hearing over and over was: “the police can’t do that.”

We have been advised that Michigan requires that in order for a handicapped parking ticket to be legally written, a responding officer MUST  witness the infraction.  In this case, the police officer who issued the ticket did not see it himself, but instead took the word of a retired officer.  The ticket was sent certified mail, paid for by taxpayers.  How often does this take place in Shelby Township?

Some of the other points Manzella raises in her letter to try and justify this retroactive ticket were laughable and, quite frankly, irrelevant:
• Intersection cameras to catch red light runners?  Sure, some communities use them, even though the continued maintenance required on these cameras has become a severe drain on dwindling municipal resources.  Plus, many of these cameras have come under fire for being unreliable - perhaps due to lax maintenance.  What do red lights have to do with a parking ticket discussion anyway?
• Airplanes to monitor speeding motorists?  Yes, this may be used in “desert communities” but how does this apply to Shelby Township?  Our township is not a desert community, and our police department can hardly afford to purchase an airplane for traffic patrols.  So what’s the point?
• Paying people to take photos for tickets?  This is the most bizarre idea Manzella raises.  Do we really need a private shutterbug force (of seniors?) walking around taking photos so that retroactive tickets can be written and sent to people?  Is this prudent or wise?

This latest Manzellian attack upon Treasurer Viar indicates just how out of touch with reality Lisa Manzella has become.  Her nasty political attacks have become a tiresome display of desperation.  Manzella is so fed up with public service (as evidenced by her numerous Internet rants) that the only tool left in her toolbox these days is attacking other people.  Even if she knows nothing about the topic at hand, she complains, gripes, and distorts the facts to meet her own views.  This is unhealthy — both for Manzella and for our township.

Given all this, and her continued weird and unexplained actions, we should all do Mrs. Manzella a favor and kick her out of office in 2012.  Whether she runs for Treasurer (as she is now telling people) or runs for another term as Trustee, her negative attitude is doing more harm that good, and we should tell Manzella (very clearly by our votes) that it would be best if she retired.  This way, she can go back to commenting on Facebook full-time and leave the responsibilities of public service to those elected officials who take the concerns of township taxpayers seriously.

Until next time...