Disruptive Nightingale/Save Shelby Mob Attacks Our Township To Push and Promote Their “Alternate Universe” View of Democracy

Upon reading our “BOBLEMAN BUNCH” post and seeing how the Nightingale/Save Shelby gang conducts themselves at Board of Trustees meetings, an Inside Out reader sent an e-mail agreeing with the premise that this group is living in an alternate universe!

Hey Truth Guys...... absolutely LOVE the picture of BOBLEMAN and his puppets!  These people attacking our Township must be inhabitants of some alternate universe where words have no meaning.  Consider this:
Parallel Reality or Alternate Universe - a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one’s own.  A universe where the very laws of nature are different. Inhabitants of this alternate universe believe wrong is right; evil is good; loud and obnoxious is quiet and reserved; saving tax money is bad and bankrupting the township is good; rumors are facts; insults are compliments; childish behavior is professional conduct; and malicious lies are truth.  

- Could this explain the erratic and irrational behavior of the Nightingales?

- Could this be why this small group of people sees our township differently than most taxpayers do, and why a majority of residents vehemently oppose this mob’s bitter agenda?

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Undoubtedly, the small and disorderly group causing an uproar at Board of Trustees meetings have become a public disgrace.  Their moronic behavior underscores how out-of-touch the Nightingale/Save Shelby mob is with reality.

Phil Nye condemns the conduct of the Nightingale mob.

As this atrocious mob intensifies their mindless behavior against our community, this group’s misconduct is getting attention.  As word of this group’s activities spreads, Shelby Township residents have become increasingly turned off by this group’s code of stupidity.

Phil Nye, host and anchor of Shelby This Week, summarized the recent disruptions at Board of Trustees meetings on his January 20th cable telecast.  Much to his credit, Mr. Nye also called out Trustee Lisa Manzella, Shelby’s “Great Obstructor”, by name for her stubborn refusal to compromise with the majority of Trustees to fill the vacancy in the clerk’s position.

Trustee Manzella has made it clear, as pointed out by Mr. Nye, that she will not support any candidate for clerk that she does not nominate.  Manzella has a personal interest in not appointing a candidate, and thus forcing an unnecessary special election. Obviously she wants to be clerk so bad that she wants to force a $30,000 election so she can run for the position.  That is a pure conflict, and shows how Mrs. Manzella, once again, is putting her personal goals and objectives ahead of the common good of Shelby taxpayers.

Here is what Phil Nye sad about the hatred spewing from the mouths of the Nightingales and their Save Shelby/Team Leman mob:
“I would be remiss if I didn’t comment on recent Board meetings, especially the most recent.  Someone described it as near chaotic.  That’s being kind.  In this reporter’s opinion it was planned chaos.  This Board of Trustees has been more than generous permitting comments from the floor on all issues.  They were elected to make decisions.  They realize there will be dissent and Trustees have patiently listened and, I’m certain, considered differing opinions.  But now a small contingent of rabel-rousers, with an axe to grind, are turning routine meetings into a cacophony of cat-calls, outbursts, name-calling, personal attacks.  All totally lacking any civility.  The Trustees, in fact the township, would be better served if this small group stayed home and yelled at their television sets, permitting township business to be conducted in a proper manner with respect.  Respect is a two-way street.  It is coming from the Board, but not from the floor.”

Below is the actual Shelby This Week telecast in which Mr. Nye condemns the rude and disruptive behavior of the Nightingale/Save Shelby mob:

Shelby This week 1/20/12 from Shelby TV on Vimeo.

After Shelby This Week described this“planned chaos”, one of our readers sent an e-mail predicting that the next person this mob will attack would probably be Phil Nye himself.  Sure enough, just to show how psychic Inside Out readers are (or how stupidly predictable the Nightingale mob is) take a look at this January 23, 2012 comment posted on the Shelby-Utica Patch:

The Nightingale/Save Shelby/Team Leman mob thinks the best way to promote their “alternate universe” agenda is to attack, disrupt and degrade others.  If it comes down to a decision between who we should believe —  a respected journalist like Phil Nye or John Nightingale — who would you believe?

When you observe this mob remember that their misconduct did not just suddenly start overnight.  There has been a growing pattern of disrespect toward the Board, and our township, for some time.  This mob started attacking the Board, and especially Supervisor Rick Stathakis, during discussion about competitive bids for towing.  The Nightingale/Save Shelby mob did not want the Board to get bids for towing services, and did their best to try and stop it.

When it was clear that they could not stop progress, the mob made a conscious and calculated decision to attack and destroy:
• First, the Nightingales came to Board of Trustees meetings in 2009 attacking the Board when the township wanted to get bids for towing work.  Their comments have crossed the line from legitimate free speech to illegitimate personal attacks.  That plan didn’t work and the township got bids anyway.
• Next, the Nightingales organized a group which (falsely) called itself Save Shelby.  Then they launched recall after recall after recall to try and get rid of people who supported competitive towing bids.  That didn’t work.  Since their recall was based on a foundation of fraud, their scheme backfired.
• Then, the Save Shelby mob announced, due to their failed recalls, that they would run a slate of candidates for the 2012 township elections.  This group, the “BOBLEMAN BUNCH”, wants to take Shelby back to the days when special interests ran the township, unions got every demand they wanted, township officials could hire their relatives to work, and big-spending politicians drained our treasury.
• Then, the Save Shelby gang, led by Trustee Lisa Manzella, went on Facebook to belittle and smear the Board.  Comments posted on Facebook, and documented in several previous Inside Out posts, prove that this small group loves pushing people around to try and get their way.  Trustee Manzella obviously takes great pride in trash-talking not only her fellow Trustees, but also Shelby residents.
• Now, this mob has taken the next step by disrupting township meetings.  They have called on their family, friends and financial allies for this “planned chaos.”  Their goal is to upset normal business, and then blame the Supervisor for not properly controlling the crowds.  How do you control malcontents who, by design, are deliberately uncontrollable?  Their scheme, once again, is backfiring.

Democracy By “Minority Rule”?

The Nightingale/Save Shelby/Team Leman gang seems to have a divergent view of democracy.  When resident John Holeton took the podium at the January 17th Board meeting to speak, this interpretation of “democracy” came shining through.  Mr. Holeton (deliberately?) misspoke when he said “this Board” has wasted taxpayer money on the court and new police station.  Holeton is mistaken.  Actually, “this Board”, led by Supervisor Rick Stathakis, has saved millions — REPEAT MILLIONS —  of dollars by not building Maccarone’s “campus.”  Holeton is confused about who spent/wasted the money (the Maccarone Board) and who is saving the money (the Stathakis Board).

Shelby Twp. resident John “suck it up”
Holeton takes the bizarre position that 
in a democracy the majority should 
bow to the demands of the minority.

Then, referencing the amended ordinance concerning Board vacancies, changing from unanimous to majority vote, Holeton lectured the Board about his view of majority vs. minority rule.  Here is what he said:
“Why can’t you [the Board] just suck it up for two months?  Just suck it on up.  Everybody pitch in together, run the township just like you are doing now, for two more months?  Mrs. Manzella went ahead and gave two choices [for candidates for Clerk].  You guys gave a couple choices.  There should have been at least one good person, they’re all good candidates from what everybody said.  You could have gone ahead and given Mrs. Manzella a second, because you know she is dead heart against the other two.  You guys just can’t stop wasting the taxpayers’ money.  You should have sucked it on up, voted one person on in, and saved the money.”

Mr. Holeton ridiculed the majority of Trustees for not working together.  The majority not working together????  In OUR reality when you get a majority to support a decision, that clearly indicates working together.

The Board of Trustees wants to appoint someone as temporary clerk to save the $30,000 on an unnecessary election.  Mrs. Manzella is the problem — the Great Obstructor.  In a strange explanation of democracy, Holeton said the majority should have “sucked it on up”, supported the minority (one person) and voted Manzella’s way?  John Holeton, who brags about being a “patriot” and a believer in the Constitution (where majority rules) wants the minority to rule? 

FACT CHECK:  Manzella voted NO on two candidates supported by every other Board member.  As Phil Nye said, Manzella has made it clear that she will not support any candidate whom she does not nominate.  Since when did being in the majority become bad for democracy? 

Responding to Mr. Holeton, Trustee Paula Filar voiced her opinion about majority vs. minority rule:

“So much has been said, again, about the vote that we had in 2003 after the untimely death of Mr. Kirby Holmes where we put Mr. [Dub] Hearon in office.  I know that some Shelby Township residents will remember that Mr. Viar and I were a minority on the Board when it came to Mr. Hearon’s appointment.  Mr. Hearon was a good friend of Mr. Maccarone’s, who was Supervisor at the time.  He was also a staunch supporter of Mr. Maccarone’s.  There is no doubt that Mr. Maccarone and the other Board members that were in the majority wanted Mr. Hearon because they wanted their person.

“While Mr. Viar and I really didn’t want Mr. Hearon on the Board, we put our personal feelings aside and made the decision that since the majority had come together on one person, we would support the majority of the Board.  I think that was the right thing to do.

“Today, we have the situation sort of switched.  We have the majority of the Board flexible enough for two people. And I know the supporters who are speaking tonight are supporters of Lisa Manzella and the new slate that I hear is going to run.  Now the majority of the Board is supposed to go along with Mrs. Manzella?  I don’t understand.  I was in the minority, Mr. Viar and I were in the minority [in 2003], we changed our vote because we felt it was the right thing to do because of this ordinance that wasn’t a good ordinance.  Lisa Manzella is the one that should be ‘sucking it up’ [using Mr. Holeton’s analysis].  So I have an issue with the sucking up comment.”

Mrs. Filar went on to describe the intense criticism she and other Board members have received from the Nightingale/Team Leman mob for being proud conservatives:

“I also want to talk about the conservative nature of this Board and how happy I am that we had a conservative Board finally in November of 2008.  I sat on this Board between 2000 and 2004, and I sat on this Board from 2004 to 2008.  And I can tell you that during good times, this township was spending more money than it was taking in.  Now Mr. Stathakis talked about the fact that we have a reserve fund of $6 million, but I can tell you that fund [in 2000] was well above $6 million.  We were spending money and the reason was ‘we had it we may as well spend it.’  We were not a conservative majority.  It wasn’t until a conservative majority in November of 2008 that we were able to really make some progress — reduce spending, cut costs, change government.   If I’m not elected in August of 2012 because I’m a conservative and I want a conservative Board because that’s important to me, let the residents have their say.”

So what is wrong with changing an ordinance [making it like every other township and city in Michigan] to a “majority vote” for approving vacant elected positions on the Board of Trustees? Nothing!  Consider what the Macomb Daily wrote in its January 24, 2012 editorial. The Macomb Daily analyzed this ordinance and decided it is proper, legal and ethical to remove the roadblock of a unanimous vote — where one Trustee can play political games — and do what every other township and city in Michigan does:  fill vacancies in elected positions with a majority vote.

Here is one section of the aforementioned Macomb Daily editorial:

It appears to us that the Nightingale/Save Shelby/Team Leman mob rejects the notion of majority rule.  They want one Trustee — in this case their friend Lisa Manzella — to run the show.  Minority rule may be the ideal form of “democracy” in their “alternate universe”, but here the real world, where a majority of Shelby taxpayers live and work, this makes no sense.

Itching to get her rants plastered on Facebook, Lisa Manzella couldn’t wait to log-on and lash out against Trustee Filar and Supervisor Stathakis.  Here is what Lisa Manzella and her son, Joe Jr., posted on Facebook about the meeting:

This exchange illustrates that Joe Manzella (who lives in Lansing) either didn’t watch the Board meeting, is relying on his mom’s cliff notes rendering, or also resides in an alternate universe.  Hey Joe, since you asked the question, how would Lansing City Council President Brian Jeffries react if a small band of malcontents were as rude, disorderly, discourteous and downright nasty as the Nightingale/Team Leman/Manzella mob?

You will note that Manzella did not criticize John Holeton for telling the Board majority to “suck it up” and vote with a one-person minority.  Could there be a political connection here?

Attack of Shelby’s “SHE-HULK”

When Manzella gets angry, no one is safe!

The REAL STORY of the night, however, was how Trustee Lisa Manzella acted - or rather overreacted - during the debate on revising the appointment process for Board vacancies.  Manzella was again the lone obstructor as the Board considered, and rejected, candidates to fill the vacant clerk position.  Manzella voted against every candidate nominated and seconded.  As Phil Nye pointed out earlier, Manzella has made it clear that she will not support any candidate for clerk that she doe not nominate.

It was at that moment when the real Lisa Manzella emerged.  Just like the She-Hulk, Manzella got angry — but thankfully (for us) she didn’t turn green.

Lisa Manzella blew her top.  Why?  Because a resident was sitting quietly in the audience holding a piece of paper on his lap that was critical of her.  When she saw the paper that lit her fuse and it didn’t take very long for her to explode.

“You know he is very distracting,” Manzella screamed into the microphone as the Nightingales joined the ruckus from their seats in the Board room.  “If you won’t remove him from the room.  Get him out of the room!  It is very distracting to me sir!!!”  

Supervisor Stathakis respectfully asked those in the room to settle down.  He then gave Mrs. Manzella the floor so she could continue her comments.  But she couldn’t.  She FREAKED OUT.  She just can’t take it when someone criticizes her actions or decisions.

Lisa Manzella thinks it is appropriate for her to swat her microphone, throw a hissy-fit, stand up and abandon her post during a Board meeting.  Then, in a vivid display of intimidation, she stormed up to the resident sitting in the audience and whispered into his ear.  What did Manzella say?  Was it a threat?  Just because a resident — someone Manzella has already personally smeared on Facebook — dared attend a Board meeting and quietly hold a sign critical of her, Manzella turned into Shelby’s SHE-HULK?

Below is the link to this outburst which forced Supervisor Stathakis to take a recess in order to get the crowd under control.  Take special note of who is creating the chaos.

When you watch the video you will see how the Nightingale mob and Trustee Manzella are verbally assaulting both the Board of Trustees and other residents.  When the microphones are cut off during the recess, you can still hear John Nightingale, Marsha Nightingale and Nick “the loudmouth” Nightingale screaming at the Board.

Eager to reinterpret events to the liking of her Nightingale/Save Shelby supporters, here is what Manzella later posted on Facebook about the ruckus that she and her group caused at the meeting:

Take special note of that last post.  Calling a taxpayer “Fat Matt” and writing  “I could have taken him out.”  Taken him out?  Does this mean what we think it means?

Trustee Manzella and her Nightingale/Save Shelby/Team Leman collective thinks they have the right to say anything - including shouting, threatening and swearing - because of “free speech.”  Manzella has contempt for free speech — unless that speech happens to support the position of the Nightingale/Save Shelby/Manzella/Team Leman cabal.

As will become very obvious in the weeks ahead, the “BOBLEMAN BUNCH” is poisonous to our democracy and our township’s future.  If this is the way they conduct themselves now — disrespecting taxpayers, detracting from Shelby’s accomplishments, and dismissing reality for their much-preferred “alternate universe” — what will they do to our township, and to Shelby residents, if they get their hand-picked candidate, BOBLEMAN, elected Supervisor?

The 2012 elections are a choice between maintaining the conservative and highly successful leadership of Supervisor Rick Stathakis and the current Board or, in the words of resident Stanley Kramer, having “something different” — like what you would get with the Nightingales, the big-spending politicians, special interests, and the “Save Shelby, Status Quo, Liberal Spending Liars Society.”

Until next time...

The “BOBLEMAN BUNCH” Is One Misguided Puppet Show That Shelby Township Taxpayers Can Most Definitely Do Without!

Shelby taxpayers can’t afford the “BOBLEMAN BUNCH”.  

Let’s unite for our future and cut their strings this year!

Pictured above are Mr. BOBLEMAN (Save Shelby’s string-master); Brent Freeman (Save Shelby Treasurer candidate); Nick “the loudmouth” Nightingale; Lisa Manzella (Save Shelby Clerk candidate); John “mind your own business” Nightingale; Richard Batchelder (Save Shelby recall spokesman); and Ralph “Skip” Maccarone (BOBLEMAN’S choice for township attorney?).
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Shelby Township taxpayers who watched the Tuesday, January 17th Board of Trustees meeting were, to say the least, shocked at the total lack of respect shown by a small group of politically-motivated malcontents.  At the forefront of these latest angry outbursts were none other than the Nightingale family.

Once again, as has become a clear pattern over the last three years, ever since the concept for competitive bids for towing services was introduced, the Nightingale/Save Shelby clan has used the occasion of a televised township meeting to try and push their political agenda.  And what is that agenda?  Smear the township; trash elected officials; press their special interest priorities; seize control of the Board meetings by unruly means; and show a complete and utter lack of respect for township elected officials, the taxpayers in general, and our township overall.

Readers who may have missed the meeting, here is a brief clip, taken by a reporter for the Shelby-Utica Patch, which illustrates, in very clear terms, what our township is forced to endure on a bi-weekly basis.

WARNING:  What you are about to see is true.  Rude and disrespectful conduct like this, from disgruntled residents, directed at our township officials is dangerous to the values we cherish in our democracy!

Shelby Township Board meeting — Tuesday, January 17, 2012

That was a very telling display of disrespect by the Nightingale/Save Shelby gang.  By the way, did you hear the threat made by John Nightingale against Supervisor Rick Stathakis?  As Mr. Stathakis was seeking to get the meeting under control, asking the Nightingale loudmouths to calm down, Mr. Nightingale can be heard yelling, in a hostile manner:  “Mind your own business.  I ain’t gonna tell you twice!”  He was then approached by a township police officer and asked to show civility.

Mind your own business?  Who in the world does John Nightingale think he is!  King John the First?

As the video begins, Nick “the loudmouth” Nightingale is seen screaming at the Board and then walking away from the podium.  A true class act!  As you can also see, while Supervisor Stathakis is trying to conduct the people’s business during a Board of Trustees meeting, the Nightingale/Save Shelby mob keeps interrupting with their constant outbursts.  Following her husband’s and son’s lead, Marsha Nightingale also stood up and began screaming at the Board.  When she was asked to leave the Board room you can plainly hear her tell the police officer who was trying to restore order: “No!  No!” She then refused to leave the room.

What is even worse than what is visible in this video, is the fact that the malcontent mob that is deliberately creating chaos at Board of Trustees meetings (a mob that refuses to follow proper rules of conduct) is the exact same mob that wants to run the entire township.

Imagine, if you will, what Shelby Township would look like if his malcontent mob took power.  It would be an utter disaster.  This small but boisterous bunch, known today as “Team Leman” but formerly called “Save Shelby”, will run our township into the ground.  They tried to take our township by force with their recall scam - and failed miserably.  Their political power grab flopped due to a lack of public interest and, in the words of one political analyst, because the effort was ripe with fraud.

Thankfully, for our democracy, a majority of taxpayers saw this recall for what it really was:  a POWER TRIP by a minority special interest group.  Now, this same gang hopes to try and trick voters into giving them power in this year’s election?  Sorry, but we ain’t that stupid!

This group, the “BOBLEMAN BUNCH”, will spend all of our hard-earned tax money on their big spending schemes.  They will give unions everything they demand at the bargaining table, in order to avoid the threat of recalls.  They will bow to the whims and threats of special interest groups, again out of fear of angering them into a recall.  And, here is the clincher, they will end up raising OUR taxes/millages to pay for their big spending agenda once they have spent all the money, drained the township’s reserves but need money to balance their big-spending budget.

Shelby Township has come too far under the wise, prudent and conservative leadership of Supervisor Rick Stathakis to risk this progress on a mob that wants to take us back to the “good old days.”  Back to the days of growing budget deficits, shrinking reserve funds, expanded special interest control, threatened cuts in police, fire and other township services, and tax/millage increases.

How can we trust the “BOBLEMAN BUNCH” to run our township?  We can’t because...
- They have no respect for proper conduct at Board meetings, as demonstrated by their consistent rude and disorderly conduct.
- They have no respect for taxpayers, as evidenced by their plans to increase spending and raise our taxes.
- They push their agenda through intimidation and threats - not discussion and diplomacy.  You will do things their way - or else!
- They despise democracy and shout down anyone who disagrees with their vision for higher spending and special interest paybacks.  Their election will chill democracy in our township.
- They feel entitled to certain taxpayer-funded benefits, including life-time, no-bid contracts.
- They seek to run the township THEIR way — and everyone else, in the words of John Nightingale as stated publicly on January 17th to Supervisor Stathakis (see the video above) should “mind your own business.  I ain’t gonna tell you twice!”

This gang’s disorderly, disrespectful and disgraceful behavior is being encouraged by none other than string-master Mr. BOBLEMAN himself.  This guy sits shoulder-to-shoulder with the Nightingale mob at Board meetings to let everyone know whose side he is on.  If the “BOBLEMAN BUNCH” gets their way, Shelby Township, and the concerns and interest of taxpayers, will be doomed to a future of higher spending, higher taxes and out-of-control special interests demands.  The 2012 election is that important!

When you watch the Board meetings, you can clearly see what this group’s agenda is (although they deny any agenda).
- This mob yawns and shows no interest at all whenever Supervisor Stathakis describes about how the Board of Trustees has worked to cut the costs of government, save taxpayers money, and enhance and improve essential services — fire, EMS and police.
- This mob brushes off evidence of how conservative values of Supervisor Stathakis and the Board replaced projected budget deficits (and higher taxes) of the previous Supervisor (Maccarone) with four consecutive years of budget surpluses.
- This mob attacks the Board of Trustees as not in line with the concerns of taxpayers.
- This mob distorts facts, takes information out of context, and blatantly lies to try and convince people that their way is right — and everyone else is wrong.

Why?  Saving money is just not that important to the “BOBLEMAN BUNCH”.  Spending all of our money is what they care about most!  So they choose to ignore how strong Shelby Township finances are today, especially when compared to where they were when Supervisor Stathakis and the conservative majority were elected.  Shelby’s success is remarkable, especially when you look at other communities that failed to curb spending and, as a result, are facing massive tax hikes, millage increases, employee layoffs, service cuts, police and fire reductions and, in the worst case scenario, a state-mandated takeover by an Emergency Financial Manager.  

It appears to a majority of Shelby taxpayers, who have observed this group’s insulting outbursts at Board meetings, that the “BOBLEMAN BUNCH” must be living in an alternate universe.  That’s the only explanation for their actions!

What is this alternate universe?  In the “BOBLEMAN BUNCH” universe low taxes, spending reductions, conservative values, progress, and prudent financial planning are deemed unimportant.  The only thing of importance to the “BOBLEMAN BUNCH” is spending our tax money, helping their special interest friends (those who shout and curse at Board meetings), caving into every union demand in contract negotiations, and passing on the bill for their plans to us in the form of higher taxes and fees.

Make no mistake ... this is the “BOBLEMAN BUNCH” agenda for Shelby Township.

The irony in all this is that the string-master of the “BOBLEMAN BUNCH”, supervisor candidate (and former police chief who was let go by a 5-to-2 Board of Trustees vote due to a lack of leadership) Mr. BOBLEMAN, claims that he wants to restore “sensibility” to the township.

Sensibility????  WTF!!!!  Ask yourself these questions:

The “BOBLEMAN BUNCH” will raise our taxes and 
bankrupt Shelby Township to advance their
big-spending, high-taxing, special-interest goals.

• What is “sensible” about increasing government spending beyond what our township can afford?  We have been down this road before, and the result was near disaster for our township!  Do we want to do it again?

• What is “sensible” about giving unions every demand they want, including budget-busting pensions, which jeopardize the future for all Shelby taxpayers?

• What is “sensible” about giving special interest groups, like the malcontent mob that is backing and funding the “BOBLEMAN BUNCH,” free reign to do whatever the hell they want - and taxpayers be damned!

• What is “sensible”about returning to the days of no-bid contracts for special interests as political payback for campaign support at election time?

• What is “sensible” about raising taxes/fees/millages on residents to build a “campus” of new buildings that will break the township’s budget?  Make no mistake, the “BOBLEMAN BUNCH” will empty your wallet faster than big-spending liberals in Congress!

• What is “sensible” about repeatedly tearing Shelby Township down, as the “BOBLEMAN BUNCH” has done and continues doing, to promote their cause?  The “BOBLEMAN BUNCH” loves spreading rumors as truth and lies as fact.  Their chief irritant, Trustee Lisa Manzella, uses Facebook to smear our township.  Her Internet conduct is adult cyberbullying!

• What is “sensible” about attacking conservative values, as this group has done recently at Board meetings?  These people come up and smear our Board, compare them to the Detroit City Council and deface the accomplishments of Shelby’s Trustees — while simultaneously declaring proudly (as Democrat Clarence Cook did again at the January 17th Board meeting) that all Republicans are bad!

Save Shelby associate Tim Orbacki loves trashing the Board.  He did so, once again, at the January 17th Board meeting.  He has tried to defame Trustee Paul Filar, comparing her with disgraced Detroit City Councilwoman Monica Conyers.  Shelby residents we have spoken to (and there are many) find Orbacki’s obsession with Detroit bizarre and ridiculously out of sync given the many successes of Shelby’s Board of Trustees.  Orbacki said at the January 17th meeting that he has no agenda.  Come on Tim!  Your agenda is crystal clear: TEAR DOWN OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES.  Fess up — we all know it!

• Finally, what is “sensible” about trying to pawn yourself off as a Republican, when you are not.  If you note in the Shelby-Utica News report about Mr. BOBLEMAN’s candidacy, he said that he will “run as a Republican.”  Take notice that BOBLEMAN did not say emphatically that he is a Republican, only that he will RUN as a Republican.  That is an enormous difference.

Sensibility?  When you think about it, what is “sensible” about anything on the “BOBLEMAN BUNCH” political agenda?  NOTHING!

Given his printed remark that he will “run as a Republican”, this proves that BOBLEMAN, despite what he says, is a Republican In Name Only — also called a RINO.  He and his handlers have made a calculated decision to “run as a Republican”, not because he believes in conservative, Republican principles, but because this is the only way his gang thinks he can possibly stand a chance of winning.  

The “BOBLEMAN BUNCH” is a phony collection of puppets with one objective: POWER!  Their string-puller, Mr. BOBLEMAN, is their hand-picked choice for supervisor.  He is the only hope this gang has of taking POWER away from the people.  So they will say anything to get it, and will do anything to anyone they want in order to keep it!

If you don’t believe us, tune in and watch the next televised Shelby Township Board of Trustees meeting and see for yourself how this malcontent mob acts.  Document for yourself the unadulterated lack of respect they have for the people, and the process, of Shelby Township.

In the meantime, BEWARE of the “BOBLEMAN BUNCH”.   They don’t give a damn about our township and they have utter contempt for taxpayers.  Yet they want to run the show?  God help us!!!

Until next time...
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EDITOR’S NOTE: The “Truth Guys” thank our loyal readership for making this blog a success.  Surpassing 40,000 views is remarkable.  Word of mouth advertising, as well as some exposure by those who are outraged by our reports, has also helped spike readership.  Look for more interesting Inside Out reports in the weeks and months ahead.  If the “BOBLEMAN BUNCH” thinks we are going away, they are GRAVELY mistaken!!!!!!!!!!

BEWARE: The “Save Shelby" Attack Dog Is Getting Ready To Put the BITE On Taxpayers To Protect Their Special Interest Political Agenda

When does a so-called “watch dog” become an “attack dog”?  

That is what many Shelby Township residents are asking these days as they ponder a forthcoming Save Shelby Slate for the Board of Trustees in the 2012 township election.

The group’s spokesman, Richard Batchelder, publicly declared political war on the current Board during the August 16, 2011 Board of Trustees meeting.  On that day, Batchelder proclaimed that his group of malcontents would find candidates that would challenge our Supervisor and Board of Trustees in the August, 2012 election. He went further, proclaiming they would run candidates for township office and then serve as a “watchdog group” to keep them in line.

TRANSLATION: We will do whatever we must do to get OUR people elected and then keep the pressure on to make sure these candidates do what WE tell them — and ONLY what we tell them.

Running candidates for township office is certainly their right in a democracy.  As voters, and political junkies, we welcome the discussion over our township’s future.  The dialogue will be very interesting.  We can either continue down the current path of progress under Supervisor Stathakis and the Board of Trustees, to go “back to the future” with the Save Shelby gang.

ELECTION 2012 IS A CLEAR CHOICE

The 2012 Shelby Township election will be a referendum on our future.

• Do we want to maintain our current conservative Board of Trustees, or return to the days when high-spending liberals (disguised as Republicans) nearly ran our township into the ground?

• Do we want to continue on the current path of lower spending, lower taxes, and accountable and transparent government, or do we want to return to the days of higher taxes and fees, higher union pensions, no-bid special interest contracts, higher township spending and budget deficits?

• Do we want a Supervisor who puts taxpayers first, as Supervisor Rick Stathakis does, or do we want a Supervisor who will bow to special interests and union demands?

We welcome the forthcoming debate about which direction our township will go.  Shelby Township voters will be enlightened by what they learn about the individuals who receive the blessing of the Save Shelby, Status Quo, Liberal Spending Liars Society (aka Save Shelby), and shocked by what they will hear about the true Save Shelby agenda.  Taxpayers interested in saving Shelby Township will realize that a group slogan (Save Shelby) does NOT equate with actually trying to save and protect our township.

Make no mistake: Save Shelby could care less about saving Shelby Township.  They actually want to save their own futures and protect their own interests — at the expense of honest, hard-working taxpayers.

It’s time we all went back to the old standard: Believe nothing of what your hear, and only half of what you see — especially from the Save Shelby special interest gang!  We encourage taxpayers to do what we do:  Do your own research, sort through all Save Shelby’s hate-filled and spiteful lies, and make your own decisions.  More importantly, stop listening to those handful of people who only seek to divide the township and increase their own press buzz for personal, political reasons.

These people don’t care about you.  They don’t care about our township.  They only care about themselves and protecting their entitlements — be they township contracts, union pensions, or big spending programs.

For several months now, the Save Shelby gang has been engaged in a malicious and deliberate campaign of lies and smears.  The most recent outburst came from Marsha Nightingale, of Nightingale Towing fame, at the December 20, 2011 Board meeting.  When the Board voted to cancel the township’s contract with Nightingale - after it was shown that they overcharged taxpayers in violation of the contract - the Nightingale clan went nuts.  Marsha Nightingale capped off the attacks by accusing Supervisor Stathakis of sexually harassing a female township police officer.  Mr. Stathakis flatly denied the claim, yet Mrs. Nightingale persisted - without offering any facts to support her allegation.

This lie exposed the entire Nightingale/Save Shelby agenda for what it is: A BUNCH OF LIES.  By making such a wild accusation, without any supporting evidence, Mrs. Nightingale erased whatever shred of credibility remained for her and her Save Shelby group.

Should we be surprised that a Nightingale would spout such a lie like this?  Not really.  The Nightingales and their Save Shelby surrogates have been lying through their teeth for quite some time.
• They lied when they said Supervisor Stathakis eliminated the township’s DARE program.
• They lied when they claimed the township was forced to take on public school crossing guards because the DARE program was eliminated.
• They lied when they claimed Supervisor Stathakis has raised taxes (taxes have NOT gone up).
• They have lied claiming Supervisor Stathakis has increased township spending (spending has actually gone down significantly during his term).
• They lied when they said Supervisor Stathakis took bribes.  What they won’t admit is that this allegation was fully investigated by the Macomb County Sheriff and dismissed with NO CHARGES filed against Mr. Stathakis.  He was cleared of the allegation.
• Now, these people are lying about a sexual harassment violation against Mr. Stathakis.

Ask yourself this important question:  If Supervisor Stathakis did engage in unwanted sexual conduct with a female township police officer, and since sexual harassment is a crime, wouldn’t Mr. Stathakis have been arrested on the spot?  Sure he would have.  This shows just how dumb the claim is, and how stupid Mrs. Nightingale is to try and smear Mr. Stathakis in this manner.

“Truth be damned” should be the official slogan of the Save Shelby gang.  Led by their chief cheerleader Trustee Lisa Manzella, this group of malcontents will stop at nothing to tear apart our township.  Again, they don’t care about our community, they care only about themselves.

Case in point:  Save Shelby supporter Jeffery Berz has been on a crusade to try and destroy our Supervisor and our Board of Trustees.   Mr. Berz has posted a series of nasty (and untrue) comments on the Shelby-Utica Patch website ever since the Nightingales lost their towing contract.  Coincidence?

Not only that, but Berz took to Facebook (just like his idol Trustee Lisa Manzella) in an obvious attempt to try and stir up controversy for personal reasons.  He sent this note to Fox 2 reporter Rob Wolchek in an attempt to smear our township with a pack of lies:

In his desperate desire to smear our township, Mr. Berz is reinterpreting events and manufacturing facts to support his warped view of reality.

Let’s examine his claims in detail:
(1) Clerk Kowal was forced to leave because of bullying?  That is an absolute lie.  Mrs. Kowal resigned her Shelby position because she sought out, and received, another offer in Auburn Hills.  She left the township with lifetime health care benefits paid for by Shelby taxpayers.  She was not forced out - she voluntarily resigned to seek new employment.  She said it was a great career move for her and told other employees that she would be getting a pay raise.
 
FACT CHECK:  The reason Mrs. Kowal resigned from Shelby Township was to avoid competition in this year’s election, and risk losing her township position.  Mrs. Kowal had been on the Board for 21 years, and been Clerk for 15 years.  Her recent actions  — voting to give her daughter a promotion and $10,000 pay raise; lying about filing a police report in the so-called “banker box gate”; abusing her FOIA duties which resulted in those responsibilities being transferred to the Human Resources Department by UNANIMOUS Board vote; and hiring a private investigator (at taxpayer expense) to sweep the township offices and police department for illegal listening devices (none were found) — were bizarre decisions that Mrs. Kowal would be held accountable for at election time.  Faced with the prospect of competition this election year (she ran unopposed in 2004 and 2008), and given the fact that she had done some really dumb things lately that would become issues at election time, Kowal decided to hit the trail for Auburn Hills now while the offer was on the table.

(2) Firing the Towing Company.  Mr. Berz claims that the Supervisor fired the towing company.  NOT TRUE.  The Board voted 5-to-2 to take away the contract after it was proven that the Nightingales violated the contract and overcharged residents.  The only two who supported the Nightingales were Kowal (her husband is the Nightingale attorney) and Manzella (a strong Nightingale/Save Shelby supporter).  These two did not care that the contract was violated and residents were ripped off for towing work.  The only thing Kowal and Manzella cared about was protecting their Save Shelby associates.

As to Mr. Berz’s claims that Mr. Stathakis attacked the Nightingale family, that is also a lie.  Those who watched the December 20th meeting can clearly see how the Nightingales, their friends and business associates, were the ones doing the attacking.  Mrs. Nightingale was the star of the night, saying that Mr. Stathakis is not a Christian (a lie) and that he was being investigated for sexually harassing a female police officer (also a lie).

Finally, Mr. Berz said he can guarantee which company will get the towing contract now that it is being put out for bid again.  Really?  Since this going to be a Board vote, is anything really guaranteed?  Remember, it takes four votes to get a motion approved.

(3) Supervisor Stathakis Made Himself Interim Clerk.  Again, NOT TRUE.  The Board of Trustees voted 5-to-2 to give Supervisor Stathakis temporary statutory duties of the Clerk until a permanent solution could be worked out.  Mr. Berz is simply trying to find evil intent where none exists.

This vote was taken after the Board could not come to agreement on an appointee to fill Clerk Kowal’s vacancy.  The only holdout on the Board was Trustee Lisa Manzella — now known as Shelby’s Great Obstructor.  Manzella resisted any attempt to appoint a replacement.  What is worse than not voting is stating, on Facebook, that you held up your vote because the Board took the towing contract from the Nightingales.  Mrs. Manzella was willing to sell her vote for Clerk in exchange for protecting her Save Shelby associates.

We have since learned another interesting tidbit.  Manzella has been recruited by the Save Shelby gang to run for Clerk.  You heard correctly!  Trustee Manzella, the woman who hates serving on the Board of Trustees, wants to become Clerk.  She wants to force a special election (at a cost of $30,000 to taxpayers) because she thinks that she can get her group out to vote for her in a special election.  Is this the way an elected official should act?  Putting self-interest ahead of the greater good?

(4) Firing the Police Chief.  Mr. Berz claims Supervisor Stathakis fired the former police chief.  Again, NOT TRUE.   The Board voted 5-to-2 not to renew the contract.  Those who understand the issues realize that the chief’s contract was not renewed because he failed to show initiative and leadership of the department.  He also lacked any clear vision for reducing costs in the police department.  The Board wanted to go in a new direction and so the contract was not renewed.

As to Mr. Berz’s contention that the chief was fired because Mr. Stathakis took a bribe, that is a wild and inflammatory accusation.  The (politically motivated?) bribery claim was fully investigated by the Macomb County Sheriff and dismissed with NO CHARGES filed against Mr. Stathakis.  NONE!  Mr. Stathakis was cleared of the charges.  Despite this fact, Berz and his fellow Save Shelby attack dogs continue to spread this lie in an obvious attempt to smear Mr. Stathakis and detract from the many historic and positive accomplishments that he and the Board have done over the last four years.

(5) Shelby Township is a Dictatorship?  We encourage Mr. Berz to take a civics class refresher course or consult a dictionary for the definition of “dictatorship.”  Supervisor Stathakis is only one vote on the Board.  The Board votes and it takes four votes to get a motion passed.  Sorry Mr. Berz but that is not a dictatorship — that is DEMOCRACY.

The only thing that has “run amuck” in Shelby these days is the nasty personal attacks from Mr. Berz, Mrs. Manzella, the Nightingales and other associates of the Save Shelby, Status Quo, Liberal Spending Liars Society.  This group has one objective: POWER.  They will do anything to get it and keep it.

We hope that Rob Wolchek does investigate the towing issue.  Look at the records, the invoices, and how taxpayers have been railroaded.  We hope he digs into the motivations of those special interests and unions and exposes what is really going on.  That would make for great TV viewing!

BEWARE THE SAVE SHELBY POWER GRAB

One way they intend to keep power is by electing a Save Shelby Slate this year.  Word on the street is that the Save Shelby Slate is shaping up as follows:
Save Shelby Supervisor - Bob Leman
Save Shelby Treasurer - Brent Freeman
Save Shelby Clerk - Lisa Manzella
Save Shelby Trustees: Still undetermined as of yet.  We will let you know once the word is out.

The Inside Out predicted that this special interest group would run their own slate for the Board of Trustees in order protect their own personal and political interests.  Our psychic prediction has come true!  We will have much more to say about this Save Shelby Slate in the weeks to come.

In addition, to advance their big-spending, high-taxing, special-interest-loving agenda, the Save Shelby gang has hired a guy named John Johnson as their campaign manager/consultant.  Mr. Johnson is a lifelong Democrat with strong ties to Warren politics.  He ran the late Warren Mayor Ron Bonkowski’s campaigns.  Since Bob Leman once worked for the Warren Police, is this where the Leman-Johnson connection was initially formed?

John Johnson coordinated a nasty personal attack campaign of lies and misinformation against Macomb Township Supervisor John Brennan in 2008.  This campaign of deception helped Johnson elect his Democrat friend, Mark Grabow, Supervisor.  If you ask anyone in Macomb Township today (including many Democrats) they will tell you that Grabow was a HUGE MISTAKE.

Now, Johnson wants to bring his liberal Democrat, Warren-style, nasty political machine to Shelby Township by trying to get his (liberal Democrat?) friend, Save Shelby associate Bob Leman, elected Supervisor.

Shelby taxpayers need to be forewarned — a wave of nasty and negative attacks is on its way — courtesy of John Johnson and the Save Shelby, Status Quo, Liberal Spending Liars Society!

Until next time...