2014 Local Government Awards

Unfortunately there were no positive 
outstanding achievements by local 
governments in Iron County during 
2014 deserving of notice and award.

On the other hand, the Iron County 
Board, the City of Iron River 
council, and Iron County Treasurer 
have earned the Lump of Coal award 
for the year 2014 for the illegal 
collection, under the threat of 
foreclosure, of unlawful property 
taxes. Tax documents that are required 
under law to be certified were not, and 
in the case of delinquent water bills 
and unpaid noxious weeds mowing 
invoices have not been certified for 
more than a decade by the 
city. 

The County Board is required to 
certify the taxes for collection by the 
treasurer has failed in their duty to 
the public to provide more than a rubber 
stamp approval for whatever infractions 
of laws local municipal governments 
under this jurisdiction commit. The state 
has required the county board to provide
checks and balances sufficient to 
demonstrate compliance by municipalities
to state laws. This they failed to do. See
Vajk v. City of Iron River, Michigan 
Supreme Court docket # 150015.

It is the duty, in compliance with their 
oaths of office, for each of the people 
singled out by these awards to comply
with the laws and thus to enforce 
compliance by local governments to the 
laws, and they have failed to do their 
sworn duty.

Each deserves this lump of coal award
for failing their sworn duties.

Bill Vajk