qualifications for the office he held, that is, Iron
County's dog catcher. In keeping with Michigan
statutes, we requested two documents in a
FOIA to Iron County:
1) The County's policy regarding physical,
educational, mental, and moral fitness for the
job.
2) Mr. King's qualification based successful
completion of a required course of study
as prescribed by the Michigan Department
of Agriculture.
In an office visit to encourage compliance by
answering the FOIA I noted that Mrs. Clisch,
the FOIA officer for Iron County, had a copy
of the state statute MCL 287.289b as part
of her file on the matter. I had not mentioned
the statute in my request, but someone
(perhaps the prosecuting attorney) was
sharp and had found the basis for my question.
On June 15, 2010, Mrs. Clisch answered the
FOIA request stating that none of the documents
requested exist. We've discussed this before.
A few days ago, a letter was handed to
associate editor Ben Smith, from Steven
L Halstead, program manager for the
Department of Agriculture, dated Sept 24,
2003, stating that based on information
sent to him by J. L. Brezak (then the
Undersheriff) that Tom King "has satisfied
the training requirements" for the position
of dog catcher.
This is not the end of the investigatory trail,
but rather a new beginning. Those results
will be reported here.
We have reason to believe that Iron County's
typical flim-flam was used to "qualify" Mr,
King as a political expedient. So whatever
comes out in this matter will be fairly
reported.
In the meantime, the County, for years,
violated the state statute which says:
287.289b County animal control
officers; employment standards.
Sec. 29b.
(1) The board of county commissioners
shall adopt minimum employment standards
relative to the recruitment, selection and
appointment of animal control officers. The
minimum standards shall include:
(a) Requirements for physical, educational,
mental and moral fitness.
(b) A minimum course of study of not less
than 100 instructional hours as prescribed
by the department of agriculture.
(2) Subdivision (b) shall not apply if the
animal control officer is a police officer or
has served at least 3 years as an animal
control officer.
It is clear that Iron County violated section
1 of the statute. What remains to be discovered
is how they claim that Tom King fulfilled the
educational requirements. If Undersheriff
Brezek claimed that Tom King had been a
police officer because he had been a jail guard
at the Iron County jail, we'll be looking for his
certification as a Michigan Police Officer.
Sometimes digging resolves issues. And
sometimes when you scratch something
it festers. We are eager to resolve this set
of questions and with hold judgment till
all the facts are in
Bill Vajk
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