Iron County MI Disaster Plan......part 2

The following is a communication from Ben Smith to Rosalee King, the presiding chairperson of the Iron County Board of Comissioners:

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Madam Chair;
I recently asked the Iron County FOIA officer for a copy of the Iron County security and Disaster Preparedness Plan and was told it was NOT available to me under a section of the FOIA ACT. But since it claims to be the official Iron County Plan of Emergency preparedness, I asked for a copy of the minutes of the meeting of the Iron County Commissioners at which the plan was adopted.That request was also denied ! ! ! Consequently I am beginning the appeal process with you the Iron County Chair.!
Thank You,I am,
Ben Smith

Iron County MI Disaster Plan......a disaster?

According to a copy of a grant application, written by the Iron County administrator and signed by the Iron County Board of Commissioners Chair, IRON COUNTY HAS A DISASTER AND PUBLIC SAFETY PLAN. ! However they refused to show me a copy and claimed it was exempt from disclosure, by section "Y" of the FOIA.

Their grant requested funds from the federal government to acquire a new $27,000.00 vehicle for the Animal Control Officer/First responder. According to the grant application the Dog Catcher will serve Iron County AND the surrounding area of the Upper Peninsula. Do you want your employee to be serving the surrounding area?

After being told I could not get a copy of their disaster plan, I asked "Who Wrote It" "when" and "where" is it kept. I was met with stone faced staring and not a word.

The county could have bought a used comparable vehicle from the city of Caspian for approx. 25% of the cost they are spending for the Chairs son to use as DOG CATCHER ! ! They claim the present unit leaks great amounts of oil, who does the maintenance ? ? The Dept. of Rural Development in Gladstone told me that they should receive a copy of the minutes from the public hearing that they held because the Feds made them. I intend to get a copy of those minutes and check their truthfulness. ! ! I am a firm believer that figures don't lie, BUT LIARS figure.

I have an acquaintance that recorded yesterdays public hearing SO I will be able to separate the wheat from the CHAFF. Stay tuned I understand some of the incumbents will have opposition, and Iron County will have responsive and capable officals in the courthouse again ! !

While I haven't done it yet I will be using the FREEDOM of INFORMATION ACT to get the amount the county spends on legal fees for the past two years broken down by quarters. And I will keep everyone on this site up to date

Ben Smith

Ben Smith asks Iron County - event #1

Ben's persistance pays off!

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---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Ben <upsurpy@sbcglobal.net>
Date: Aug 22, 2008 8:18 AM
Subject: Fwd: Re: FOIA Request
To: ironcountywatch@yahoogroups.com

Iron County claims such records do NOT EXIST ! How did they get to
Lansing? More info will follow.
Ben

Note: forwarded message attached.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Dana Wolverton" <WolvertD@michigan.gov>
To: "Ben" <upsurpy@sbcglobal.net>
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2008 09:04:56 -0400
Subject: Re: FOIA Request
Thank you for your prompt reply to my voice mail inquiry. This is to
confirm that you are requesting this information for the past five
years. We will provide to you information from January 2003 to the
present. Thank you again.

Dana Wolverton
Departmental Analyst
Emergency Management
and Homeland Security Division
Michigan Department of State Police
TX - 517-333-5032
Pager - 517-341-0058
Cell - 517-243-0864
Fax - 517-333-4987
wolvertd@michigan.gov
www.michigan.gov/emhsd

>>> Ben <upsurpy@sbcglobal.net> 8/19/2008 12:45 PM >>>
Dear Sir/Madam;
Capt. John Ort;
Sue Passamani, Iron County FOIA Officer
I am requesting under the Mich.Freedom of Information Act.
The names of all attendees from Iron County Michigan at your
training program. I further request the names and training level IF
AVAILABLE of all attendees and certified first responders from Iron
County,Michigan.
Thank You for your assistance in this matter. I am.

Ben Smith
601 Harding
Iron River,Michigan- 49935
906-265-5979

Letter to Iron County Reporter - Aug 22 2008

The following letter was submitted to the Iron County Reporter on 22 August 2008.

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With the recent airplane surveys over Iron County there has been some discussion about the environmental consequences of mining. Those discussions need to begin not about the suspected impact in our county, but rather about human needs. All civilized society exists because we are willing to utilize the natural resources available to us.

Think about the first human who ever picked up a nicely shaped hunk of wood and used it as a club to get his dinner. The same human probably found a cave to live in out of the weather. Both of these acts require the using of natural resources. The more natural resources humans came to use, the better we lived, right up to today. Your home, your furniture, your car, cooking, and the heat in your home, didn't just happen. They are all the results of our utilizing natural resources.

I'm not prepared to give up our harvesting of natural resources that allows our lifestyle. In fact, I would rather that humanity mines sulfite, and every other natural resource, right here in the USA where state and national governments maintain harsh standards in order to minimize our spoiling the earth. Third world nations presently have no such standards or enforcement. If we mine here in the US, then by the time we've used up our resources here, the third world will have developed and advanced socially and politically to have environmental laws and controls similar to ours in place. With over a billion people living in China, their government's primary concern is just getting everyone fed, with no energy left over for worrying about pollution, as is most of the third world.

Until the third world improves their economies, mining here in the US is the only safe way to fill our needs for minerals.

Call Center Boondoggle - Part 1

Here are the pages received from Michigan Works relating to labor
requisitions made by Global Response North. I see only 3 real jobs
among the requisitions. The rest are the same sort of part time jobs
lacking any fringe benefits that many people find repulsive when they
are discussing Walmart.

I thought I heard that the Call Center employs 85 people. That doesn't
mean that 85 people actually make a living working there. The question
remains, how many do.

Don't expect the Jim Gibula & Julie Melchiori duo to give us the facts.
I have a set of FOIA requests with them that as big a disaster as
anything I've ever seen. That information will be part of another
posting. It is so stupid as to verge on amusing.

We still have to look into the EDC books to find out how much money
has been spent on the building. The question is whether or not the
Iron County EDC has improved the economic situation in Iron County
enough to justify their continued existance.

Please copy this URL into your browser search line. The target file is
about 604 kilobytes long.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/4968395/call-ctr0001.pdf

The above is the activism and opinion of Bill Vajk

Weston Powell, continued

On July 29th 2008 I received a letter from Ms. Powell Weston stating,
"You should receive shortly, from my office, a copy of the letter and
information sent to the Attorney General's office concerning these
issues."

The issues being, of course, the City of Iron River ordinances
regarding the "readiness to serve" charge for water service which is
shut off at the curbstop and the noxious weeds ordinance as that
relates to mowing of grass within the "corporate limits" of the City
of Iron River.

By dealing with these issues through Ms. Powell Weston and the
Attorney General I am hopeful of avoiding a massive class action
lawsuit against many, if not most, of the Upper Peninsula
municipalities that have similar, or identical, ordinances. If
resolution is not achieved through this approach, only lawsuit
remains. Most of the municipalities in Michigan's UP cannot afford to
defend themselves in court at this time.

I have sent Ms. Powell Weston the following mail:

William J. Vajk
US2 Highway
Iron River MI 49935
12 August 2008
Melissa Powell Weston
Iron County Prosecutor
2 South 6th Street
Crystal Falls MI 49920

Dear Ms. Powell Weston:

I am in receipt of your letter to me dated 29 July 2008. I have, as
best as I am able as a layman (not a lawyer) continued to research the
Iron River ordinances as they relate to Michigan constitutional law
and existing court verdicts.

I respectfully direct your attention to Bolt. v. City of Lansing,
Michigan Supreme Court Docket No. 108511, Decided December 28, 1998
which was a case brought based on the Headlee Amendment to the
Michigan Constitution.

The Bolt decision is clearly on mark with respect to the Attorney
General Opinion I am seeking. I find it interesting that in Bolt the
Michigan Supreme Court referred to the National Cable Television v.
United States case I brought to your attention in my earlier letter to
you.

Obligatory reference for what follows: (Lawrence W. Reed is president
of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy in Midland and, as a member
of the Headlee Amendment Blue Ribbon Commission, he helped write the
portion of the commission's report dealing with the user fee vs. tax
issue. More information on tax policy is available at
www.mackinac.org. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is hereby
granted, provided the author and his affiliation are cited.)

"Just what exactly distinguishes a user fee from a tax? The Court
advanced three main criteria: 1) a user fee is designed to defray the
costs of a regulatory activity (or government service), while a tax is
designed to raise general revenue; 2) a true user fee must be
proportionate to the necessary costs of the service, whereas a tax may
not be; and 3) a user fee is voluntary whereas a tax is not."

Please see http://www.mackinac.org/archives/1999/v1999-13.pdf for a
complete article by Mr. Reed on this subject. His article concludes
with the following:

"The message is clear to Michigan municipalities: You now have no
legitimate excuses for mislabeling taxes as "user fees." Be honest. If
it's a tax, put it before the voters as the Headlee Amendment
requires, and make your best case. You can't ignore the Constitution
just because you need the money."

I hope these references help, but I remain available for further
clarification as needed.

Sincerely,

The above is the activism of Bill Vajk. This, and other ongoing
projects designed to improve life in Iron County may be found at

www.ironcountydoings.blogspot.com

Call Center / Michigan Works FOIA Response

I sent a FOIA request (freedom of information act) to Western
Michigan Works which provides employment services to
anyone who asks for it, related to the Call Center.

In response they sent me copies of their requisitions for the Call
Center as follows:

May 16, 2007 they asked for 20 customer service representatives.
Wages are "competitive" flexible hours between 7am-7pm, no
mention of fringe benefits. High School Diploma required. Promise
of advancement mentioned.

June 6, 2007 they asked for 1 Call Center Trainer, full time (40
hours per week.) Fringe benefits are mentioned, medical insurance,
paid sick leave, paid vacation. Requires bachelor's degree and 2
years of experience.

June 6, 2007 they asked for 1 Call Canter Manager, full time (40
hours per week.) Fringe benefits are mentioned, medical insurance,
paid sick leave, paid vacation. Requires bachelor's degree and 2
years of experience.

July 9, 2007 they asked for 1 bilingual customer service
representative, English/Spanish. It is part time (28 hours
a week) with paid training. High School Diploma required.

Sept 21, 2007 they asked for 20 Customer Service Representatives.
"Earn $$$ for the holidays." Requires typing and basic computer
skills. No fringe benefits of promise of advancement mentioned.
50% employee discount from many client's catalogs mentioned.

Oct 1, 2007 they asked for 1 Network and Telecom Technician for
a full time (40 hour week) position. Fringe benefits are mentioned,
life insurance, medical insurance, paid sick leave, paid vacation,
and 401(k). This job requires 2 years of experience.

April 16, 2008 they asked for 1 bilingual customer service
representative, English/French, Part Time. Job requires a
High School Diploma. Flexible Hours between 8 AM and 9 PM.
Career advancement and paid training mentioned.

May 4, 2008 they requested 20 Customer Service Representatives,
flexible hours between 7am-7pm. Representatives take incoming
calls. Career advancement and paid raining. "This job has some
special requirements. You must undergo a reference or security
check."

Western UP Michigan Works also advised me that these job orders
were entered into the system by Global Response themselves. "As
far as wages, hours worked and benefits; these terms were discussed
with the potential employee during the interviews."

I may dig further, don't know yet. But the patterns I was
looking for are established in the records I have received. I
asked for copies of the requisitions, and they gave me those.

Does any reader here consider the part time positions, which
probably do not generate enough income to live on, "a job" as
the EDC counts them? In all of the above documentation I see
only 3 real jobs.

define:job
"occupation: the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money"
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

John Faccin - not ready for prime time

John Faccin replied. He also posted his answer on his web site,
Yahoo's IroncountyIndependent. My commentary is interspersed with his
propaganda.
Let me say right here that this is a fairly lengthy conversation that
might print out at about 9 pages or so, but it is worth a read
otherwise I wouldn't have written it.
Faccin's comments are in narrow paragraphs enclosed in quotation marks.

Faccin: "First of all I have never ran for any
office let alone State Representative of the
110th District here in the western U.P., so
there for I have never lost an election, But
I don't expect to win this current election,
but if I don't try, I shouldn't complain about
the way things are here."

Anyone who lives in a society with a "representative" form of
government has an obligation to complain about anything that doesn't
suit them. Otherwise the representatives could never get feedback
about what the people want. John Faccin fails to comprehend the very
basics of governance. This sort of ignorance comes from an education
that is lacking in just about everything beyond the basics of earning
a living (once you read what follows below you will realize he hasn't
learned those lessons very well either) as well as an apparent
unwillingness, or perhaps inability, to learn anything new. If, as an
elected official, he is going to feel that people who aren't actively
working to better the county don't have a right to complain then he's
not going to be able to be reasonable while representing the people he
feels aren't pulling their weight. This is truly not a good person to
elect. We pay officials to work for us. Without realizing what he has
written, John has disclosed a very basic weakness as an advocate for
those who might elect him. In short, he'd be completely lost as to
what to do to benefit his constituents.

Faccin: "I am trying to make a difference,
whether you want to believe it or not."

Not for me, you're not. I've also heard that from someone else at the
county level of government, and it wasn't true there either. Making
the statement isn't sufficient. I need to see action, not just words
paying us "lip service." The fellow who swings at a pitch is trying
his very best for the baseball team. When he keeps swinging and
missing, as is your case (and the other person's) then trying your
best doesn't count for anything.

Faccin: "You are right we don't like each other,"

I'm sorry for anyone who feels so inferior that the only way you can
find to compensate is by lashing out on the personal (ad hominem
fashion) as you have and indeed continue to. You started in with what
amounts to inane and insane criticism of a citizen exercising his
rights to free speech and criticism of the things local and county
government are doing. How can you, in the next breath, try to tell me,
let alone the population of the 110th district, that you are capable
of representing us when you don't even have it in you to try to
understand the things that are bothering people in the district? Just
because I'm one of the few vocal ones doesn't mean we are few in
number. Most of the rest just don't want the hassle of dealing with
people like you!

Faccin: "but if I was to win this election
I would not let personalities effect my
representation of the 110th district or
its constituents, including you or
anyone who disagrees with me. I
would hold myself to a higher standard
and do what was best for the 110th
district and the rest of the State when
my vote affects them too."

One thing I find completely unacceptable in any candidate is a promise
to behave differently after they're elected than they behave before.
This "higher standard" that you claim you would hold yourself to
should ideally have been your personal level of conduct in life before
being elected, a standard you have failed to meet so far in those 53
years of your life that I'm aware of. Now I can't always tell your
writing from Cathy's, but this entire reply smacks of her having a
hand in editing it.

Faccin: "Yes I was vocal about Iron County
Politics, I didn't ask enough questions to get
all the facts in the beginning, but I did start
asking questions and the more I learned the
more I realized the error in my opinion of
how business was handled in Iron County."

The way business is handled in Iron County is the same way a life
insurance salesman handles what they call in that trade "objection
handling." The main thing they're interested in is making a sale.
You're a really lousy salesman, John. Do us all a favor and withdraw
from consideration for public office. A woman in the market to
purchase some jewelry asked the resident gemologist, "Do your diamonds
have inclusions in them?" The man answered, "Yes Mam, we have all
sorts of inclusions. What sort would you prefer?" He didn't attack her
for asking, but with good humor tried to turn objections into a sale.

Iron County's business model appears to run without the necessary
formalities of contractual documents. Officials talk in terms of what
various people agreed to do, but there's no audit trail available, so
no enforcement is possible. By the time anyone intent on discovering
what actually happened is asking, payments have been made and memories
conveniently faded. A good example is Ben Smith's dogged persistence
in trying to find out who authorized the downstate law firm to
represent the county when it came to the personnel complaint coming
out of the Veteran's Office, as well as the details of the motion
before the BOC, and BOC approval for it. Here you have a large
expenditure by the county and nobody is taking responsibility for it,
let alone the entire BOC.

So please don't insult people's intelligence with your nonsense. It is
part of the business of government to provide sufficient transparency
that questions don't even have to be asked. It is all supposed to be
out in the open for all to see. Iron County and local governments
don't do that. I sat in a meeting where bids were opened and after
being silently read were turned face down without terms and costs
being disclosed to anyone in the audience. They then voted against the
project. It is my opinion that even if one of the prices had been $1
they would have voted the project down. But the results are all
secret, the way most things are in Iron County.

Faccin: "I still don't agree with every move
they make, and I have questioned things I
felt were wrong, and have managed to
correct a mistake or two. I have and still
will stand up to the County Commissioners
if I think they are wrong."

Well in that case, John, where was your voice in complaining about the
expenditure of many tens of thousands of dollars without the
formalities of a motion and a vote at a public meeting as required by
law? Let me tell you that that particular episode is far from over
because if and when Ben lets go of it I will start. There is no
statute of limitations on fraud.

Faccin: "I am not going to get in to a dialog
with you on what I agree with or feel is wrong
here in Iron County."

No, of course you won't, because for $600 a year you're bought and
paid for. There's not a single thing anywhere, since you've held your
appointed positions, that you've said in public that goes against the
interests of the people in power. I predict you never will because
they don't like it and you don't have the backbone to stand up to them
so long as they line your pockets with what amounts to a few pieces of
silver. They bought you as their errand boy, by putting you in
positions that are required but now they filled them with someone who
won't make any waves or trouble for them.

Did you know that there was once a pig farmer from New Jersey who ran
for president a few times. I wish you his level of success in this
endeavor of yours despite the fact that Henry Krajewski was, in his
day, a lot more a fun character than you.

Faccin: "I will tell you I believe all
the County Commissioners are doing
what they believe is best for the County."

Did you ever watch the TV series "Dukes of Hazzard?" What you call
doing the best for the county is precisely like the manipulations of
Boss Hawg in that series.

Faccin: "Your assumption that I changed
my position on Iron County Government
because I was appointed to a few
commissions is wrong."

I made no assumption at all. That's a very feminine form of argument
you've offered here. I would have to guess Cathy wrote this for you.
Though here's the answer anyway.

I looked at the evidence and reported what I saw. When it walks like a
duck, quacks like a duck, you can be pretty sure it is a duck. Like
most weak personalities you sold out very cheaply.

Faccin: "I will do what I believe is right
and what the majority of my constituents
support if I am elected."

Did the majority of your constituents tell you to write:

"I wonder if everything is so bad and there is
so much poverty around here why do you stay,
no one would miss you if you moved back to
the homeland of your roots, Hungary."

Or was that an attempt on your part to further ingratiate yourself
with BOC members? Because I can say without fear of contradiction that
writing that was not doing what is right. So do you believe it was the
right thing to do? Or are you only going to do "the right thing" if
you are elected and continue doing bad things till then? Doing stuff
like this becomes habit, John. You're probably too old to change your
stripes.

Senator Obama says he wants change to the whole US, not just Iron
County. Have you written him a letter asking him why he stays and
doesn't return to the homeland of his roots in Africa? Have you told
Obama no one would miss him! Or McCain to Scotland, and that no one
would miss him either?

But here's the best part of all. If you were able to send me to the
"homeland of my roots" you'd have to cut me into at least 4 pieces and
send me to 4 different places. So what is your personal problem with
Hungarians anyway? Are you a racist feeling hatred against people
descending from the Magyar tribe? How do you feel about the other 3/4
of my heritage, Scottish, Danish, and Saxon? Is it a universal hatred
of all people who aren't just like you?

Are you aware that hatred is one of the 7 deadly sins?

Even more to the point, I don't believe you are familiar with the
concept of the "tyranny of the majority" where it concerns government.
So what's going to happen when what you believe is right goes contrary
to what the majority of your constituents support? You want the job
but it is obvious to me that you don't understand how to behave in a
civilized society and you're not qualified for public office.

Faccin: "I don't believe for a minute that
anything I can say to answer your question
would change your mind, and that's fine
with me you have a right to your opinion."

Thanks for your permission. I hadn't been aware I needed it.

There was one thing you could have done that would have been "the
right thing to do" under the circumstances, and that would have been
an apology to me. Obviously it is too late to recant, even if you
wanted to, once you've been prompted. Truthfully everything you've
written has continued to support your petty behavior towards me, as
you continue to ingratiate yourself to the people in power at the
expense of your constituents. If the BOC had any personal decency
they'd have told you to recant and apologize long ago. I hope to see
some change in the structure of the BOC in this election and in the
future.

Faccin: "I do think it would be
advantageous to Iron County
to have such easy access to their
State Representative right here
in Iron County."

It makes no difference whether the representative is here or
elsewhere, John, because if elected you'll look after the interests of
those in power at the expense of the electorate, which will be
business as usual for Iron County. Pretty words like yours are empty.
You haven't seen fit to appear in public or to press your candidacy.
And your wife sits on the Road Commission Board, a body that stops
sweeping the winter salt and sand off US2 from Gibbs City Road
westward because no one in power in the county lives out this way. So
who gets to use the money allocated for sweeping the highway out here,
John, and what is it used for?

Faccin: "Not that I would slight
any other County in the 110th
district either."

You left out "any more than you'll slight Iron County."

Faccin: "You read my press release in the
Reporter, and they left a part of it out by
mistake. I would send you a complete
copy if you can't get it."

Unless you included an apology for past transgressions it doesn't
matter what you say, and it is far too late for apologies, even if it
sounded like you meant them. You're going to die with this hatred on
your soul, John.

Faccin: "I truly am sorry I didn't make it
to the meet the candidates last night, but
I am still sick, and barley have a voice.
I would have welcomed your question."

That's nice. I don't think you could have pulled off a single decent
response without Cathy first learning ventriloquism.

Faccin: "Here is your answer, I hope you
take it the true manner in which I am
giving it, and not just another opportunity
to criticize me."

How do you expect to know what the electorate is thinking unless you
are prepared to hear the truth, the whole truth, whatever it is,
including criticism? Unlike you, John, I am not having this discussion
with you based on personalities, but based on the fact you're running
for office and your past conduct. If you weren't running for office I
would have left sleeping dogs lie (and lie, and lie, and lie.)

Faccin: "PS: I'll call your dare, The disclosure
of my income is 600.00 from the county and
that is it for me,"

Tell me about all the wonderful job opportunities you've passed up
here in Iron County.
The fact there weren't any for you to pass up is part of what I've
been complaining about.

Faccin: "The doctor said I had to give up my
career as a over the road truck driver due to
serious health issues, I could get disability
social security but I choose not to."

Now there's a lie if I ever heard one.

Social Security Disability is granted only to those who "cannot do
work." You clearly can do work so you could not qualify. The fact that
you are working for the county proves that you can do work. The fact
that you are managing a web page (IroncountyIndependenent) further
proves you can do work. You also could work at the Call Center, and
I'll bet you could perform at least some janitorial services.

It takes very little by way of health issues to medically disqualify
an individual from holding a CDL which is required for being an over
the road trucker. I don't know what your health issues are, unless
having a remarkably nasty disposition is among them, nor do I really
care what the rest of them are.

Faccin: "My wife makes all the money here."

Now there's something you can really be proud of.

Faccin: "John Faccin"

Having read your entire response I have to believe that the signature
line is the biggest lie by far. It is my opinion that the signature
should include Cathy.

But let me wrap this up. While being an over the road trucker is an
honorable profession, it is a long ways from the sort of preparation
needed to make an effective state representative. Let me tell you
several things that impressed me at Bob Black's "Meet the Candidates"
presentations and perhaps you'll understand what drives folks like me
(and there will be more like me coming to Iron County every year,
there's just no stopping it.)

Richard Sloat brought along some books about county government. He
also announced he had purchased and had donated additional copies to
the public libraries around the county, hopeful that people would take
the time to read them. I intend to find it in the library and order
myself a copy in order to see how what is being written lines up with
the civics lessons I had in school in the 1950's. I'm impressed that
he has the personal drive and initiative to continue to educate
himself and to work to understand how the various pieces of government
were designed to work together. I support Richard. I think he's one
who should have a chance at elected office. We need more like him,
fewer like you.

As candidate for sheriff, Mark Valesano indicated his belief that
arrests are not the primary objective of police work, rather that
problem solving is at the core. This is by far the best attitude I've
ever heard from any police officer. He has my vote in spite of the
fact that his opponent, Tom Angeli, seems to be better prepared
through education for what appears to be an administrative elected
position. I think Angeli would, if elected, administer the office by
looking at statistical reports more than by involving himself in the
human element. I could be wrong, but I only have the few minutes of
his presentation to form my opinion. He failed to mention in any way
what, in his opinion, the essence of police work is. That means, to
me, that either he fails to understand what is crucial for a small
police force, or he didn't know how to prioritize his presentation
which is a very important element when working with people. Angeli
would, in my opinion, do very well as sheriff in a much larger
department that Iron County has. Don't get me wrong, Im not against
Angeli as a sheriff, just not the sheriff for Iron County's small
department.

I gleaned that Melissa Powell Weston is stepping into any role that
properly befits the office of prosecutor in the State of Michigan. She
is truly willing to work with the people and local governments to try
to make Iron County as good as it can get even when it adds to her
already heavy workload without additional compensation. She not only
wants the office, but in my opinion she deserves it. I knew nothing
but a few newspaper reports about Ms. Powell Weston before, but she
has, by several of her actions, earned my trust to do the right thing.

Her opponent, Dennis Tousignant spoke well and was very impressive. He
said he has always refused to simply roll over and recommend a plea
bargain for his clients, that he would rather take matters to trial
and fight for his clients. I appreciate his sentiments 100%. I think
that this is such a rarity that Dennis should stay in the position he
is in right now, because he can do the public much more good by being
a truly strong adversarial defense attorney. He is so rare that we
need to beg him to stay right where he is. I have a lot of respect for
Dennis. He can do no better public service thn serving as he has been
and quite probably he'll earn more than he would in public office.

But of course this all comes from someone you commented about last year:

"You are just plain wrong, what you are
is a Master of twisting things around to
suit your twisted mind."

John, I think it a shame that your analytical skills are so stunted. I
listen and watch, and think about not only what people say they'll do,
but also their job performance. Promises are cheap, John, but you knew
that already.

Let me bring up one more very troubling thing, John. You had written last year:

"Seriously you should think about going to
church and reflect on your life, I know I
have and I have made a lot of mistakes,
but I asked Jesus for forgiveness and I
know I am saved. I know this last few
days I havn't been very Christian, but I
will pray for you and me for forgiveness."

It seems to me that there's a gigantic lapse of logic in what you
wrote there. You see, once a person is "saved" they believe that's
forever. So if you've been "saved" as you say you have, then what's
the point of praying for forgiveness? Perhaps you don't actually
believe you are "saved"? Are you hedging your bets in case it doesn't
work that way? What's with all this holiness stuff in the middle of
the nastiness you were writing? The only thing it leads to is people
not being able to believe you when you promise one thing while doing
the opposite.

On the other hand the idea that "being saved" is alone enough to get
you the desired afterlife rewards is probably flawed anyway. I don't
know how many born again people I've met that once "saved" behaved
very badly for the rest of their lives because they were absolutely
certain they were going to end up in heaven. No one has been able to
put a statute of limitations on the 7 deadly sins, among which is
hatred. Being "saved" doesn't reverse the consequences of sin. When
that day comes that you're eager to admit you're probably going to
hell for the things you've done in this life I might consider voting
for you.

There's a better chance of hell freezing over.

One last little note. If you were to be elected to the Michigan
legislature, John, and you wrote memos and bills to be considered by
the legislature for eventual statute status you'd be laughed out of
Lansing for the hick quality of writing you do. You keep proving that
you are incapable of presenting your ideas to a better educated
individual in the manner to which they are accustomed, using words
with the correct commonly acceptable meaning. Therefore is one word.
"I have never ran" is correctly I never ran." Interchangeable use of
"effect" and "affect." Into is one word. It just goes on and on.

You're not ready for prime time, no matter what you think.

The above is the opinion and activism of Bill Vajk