The following is my reply to an article published in
Bridges magazine about the comparison between
Windsor, Ontario schools and Michigan schools. A
significant local event (Blossom Street) is incorporated
for comparison.
http://tinyurl.com/qbfco8o
I went through high school at Princeton NJ during
the period before the university professors were
receiving the high levels of pay they now achieve. As
a result, I attended public high school with the professors'
children. The pressure from those academics to
guarantee that their children received a first class
education was incessant. Princeton High School was
in a constant competition with one other school in the
state for first place, and many years Princeton won.
Then the university began paying better salaries and the
professors sent their children to private schools they
could finally afford. Princeton High School's status
slipped and will probably never recover. As a transplant
to the UP of this state I have come to the view that
parents who don't demand any better of their schools
than they do of their politicians reap the rewards as,
unfortunately, do their children.
In an angry meeting last night (9.18.2013) the city
council in Iron River told the people that there is no
money to repair half a block of Blossom Street so it
will remain closed. But where were those people during
the past 20 years while the street was deteriorating?
They seem to think that anyone they elect will look out
for the interests of those who elected them. That simply
is never the case. Similarly, the comparison of a
Michigan education to those of other states as well as
foreign districts has been available for decades.
Parents of today should know the quality of their
education compared to that of people they compete
with from elsewhere, and have made no significant
moves to improve the Michigan standards. In theory,
in the representative democracy we live in, the key isn't
the legislature, but the electorate, the parents who have
the power to apply political pressure if and whenever
they will. Until they do that, the best that Michigan has
to offer will, for the most part, leave for greener pastures.
Bill Vajk
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Monday, September 9, 2013
What's Wrong With You People?
On Monday, 9 September 2013 I presented myself
at the Iron County Clerk's office with the intention
of reviewing the copy of the City of Iron River
charter that is on file (as required by state law) there.
Joan Luhtanen, the elected clerk, was out for the day.
Ordinarily that would not have presented a problem,
but only 2 of the three additional county employees
who form part of that office were present, and neither
of them know where/how to find the required
documents. Indeed, one of them wasn't even aware of
their presence in the office or the reason they were to
be found there.
The employment level at the clerk's office has been four
for a very long time. Iron County Doings finds that the
failure of the clerk, who is set to resign/retire at the end
of this calendar year, to cross train all her employees to
provide any and all the services that are the mission of
the clerk's office is inexcusable.
Will the county board take notice of this fact? Are all
the county offices this incompetent? Cross training of
all employees to fill in during emergencies should
always have been the norm.
Is it possible that the elected officials keep employees
in the dark because they're afraid that they might be
challenged in an election? That's awful!
The more I see, clearly, of the behavior of local politicians
the more I am convinced that unless we get some real
education in civics into this region, and it comes soon, this
local political structure is headed for a financial collapse.
Some newspaper articles I recently read about Iron
River's consolidation saving the three municipalities from
bankruptcy observed the local facts better than the
politicians in Iron County were willing to admit. But
here we are, a mere 13 years later, and draconian
measures are necessary to stave of another threat of
bankruptcy for Iron River. Crystal Falls was on the
same path till recently, and partly saved by handing
their fire department and water system over to
Crystal Falls Township.
These problems stem from poor management practices
by inept local politicians who, unfortunately, have not
learned anything from their failures. They seem to think
that any sort of reorganization will solve the problems.
Here's a free clue, ladies and gentlemen, they will not!
First you have to learn to live within your means. That
means streamlining every operation!
While we're on this subtopic, the electorate needs a
major wake up call as well. After all, they are the
clowns who actually voted these other clowns into
office, and when the public officials fail, they ask why
can't local government get more grants to patch things
up for a few more years.
For want of a nail, the shoe was lost....
So Iron County Board, why don't you have rules in
place requiring cross training of county employees
wherever possible. And then spend a little time
studying the clerk's functions with an eye to reducing
the 4 employees there the three, or perhaps two. With
all the automation that's taken place over the past few
decades, who has undertaken the responsibility that's
inherent in county board officials jobs to streamline all
county operations?
Why I'll bet a cup of coffee that nobody has ever
looked at the operations in such light.
Shame on you Joan, and shame on the board of
commissioners, that a simple request to review a
document cannot be fulfilled because an employee
was out for the day! And the county board wants
to eliminate another position and put an additional
entire department under the jurisdiction of the clerk
when the clerk is already doing an inadequate job
as matters presently stand? The county board
isn't even aware that offices they're responsible
for aren't functioning correctly? Is Iron County less
that a full service organization? Is that what it is
supposed to be, because that's what we have now!
What's wrong with you people?
Bill Vajk
at the Iron County Clerk's office with the intention
of reviewing the copy of the City of Iron River
charter that is on file (as required by state law) there.
Joan Luhtanen, the elected clerk, was out for the day.
Ordinarily that would not have presented a problem,
but only 2 of the three additional county employees
who form part of that office were present, and neither
of them know where/how to find the required
documents. Indeed, one of them wasn't even aware of
their presence in the office or the reason they were to
be found there.
The employment level at the clerk's office has been four
for a very long time. Iron County Doings finds that the
failure of the clerk, who is set to resign/retire at the end
of this calendar year, to cross train all her employees to
provide any and all the services that are the mission of
the clerk's office is inexcusable.
Will the county board take notice of this fact? Are all
the county offices this incompetent? Cross training of
all employees to fill in during emergencies should
always have been the norm.
Is it possible that the elected officials keep employees
in the dark because they're afraid that they might be
challenged in an election? That's awful!
The more I see, clearly, of the behavior of local politicians
the more I am convinced that unless we get some real
education in civics into this region, and it comes soon, this
local political structure is headed for a financial collapse.
Some newspaper articles I recently read about Iron
River's consolidation saving the three municipalities from
bankruptcy observed the local facts better than the
politicians in Iron County were willing to admit. But
here we are, a mere 13 years later, and draconian
measures are necessary to stave of another threat of
bankruptcy for Iron River. Crystal Falls was on the
same path till recently, and partly saved by handing
their fire department and water system over to
Crystal Falls Township.
These problems stem from poor management practices
by inept local politicians who, unfortunately, have not
learned anything from their failures. They seem to think
that any sort of reorganization will solve the problems.
Here's a free clue, ladies and gentlemen, they will not!
First you have to learn to live within your means. That
means streamlining every operation!
While we're on this subtopic, the electorate needs a
major wake up call as well. After all, they are the
clowns who actually voted these other clowns into
office, and when the public officials fail, they ask why
can't local government get more grants to patch things
up for a few more years.
For want of a nail, the shoe was lost....
So Iron County Board, why don't you have rules in
place requiring cross training of county employees
wherever possible. And then spend a little time
studying the clerk's functions with an eye to reducing
the 4 employees there the three, or perhaps two. With
all the automation that's taken place over the past few
decades, who has undertaken the responsibility that's
inherent in county board officials jobs to streamline all
county operations?
Why I'll bet a cup of coffee that nobody has ever
looked at the operations in such light.
Shame on you Joan, and shame on the board of
commissioners, that a simple request to review a
document cannot be fulfilled because an employee
was out for the day! And the county board wants
to eliminate another position and put an additional
entire department under the jurisdiction of the clerk
when the clerk is already doing an inadequate job
as matters presently stand? The county board
isn't even aware that offices they're responsible
for aren't functioning correctly? Is Iron County less
that a full service organization? Is that what it is
supposed to be, because that's what we have now!
What's wrong with you people?
Bill Vajk
Is This The Best Iron River Has To Offer?
The following memorandum is a copy of my reply to the
letter that Iron River's city manager sent out with the
water bills received by people who have their water
shut off at the curbstop. If any reader would like a copy
of the documents mentioned in the memorandum, (with
the exception of the 1876 case) please send me email
and I'll send you a copy.
==================================
Memorandum
To: Mr. Perry Franzoi, City Manager
(Personal Service)
From: William J. Vajk
Date: 9 September 2013
Ref: 413 Plum Street “Water” bill
CC: Carl Lind
Thank you for your letter of August 26, 2013 addressed
to “Dear Utility Customer.” It was clearly sent to me in
error as I am not now nor have I ever been a utility
customer of the City of Iron River. In fact an admission
by the city that I am not a utility customer at that address
was faxed to the Department of Treasury by your office
on July 13, 2009.
It has come to my attention that the aforementioned letter,
copy enclosed for your convenience, was only sent to
those property owners whose water was shut off at the
curbstop. Given all the circumstances attendant to the
public discussions and the letter, it is clear that the
ordinances along with the billing and collections
practices of the city in these regards are violative of all
three prongs of the test imposed by the Bolt v. City of
Lansing (1998 and 1999) case from which I have attached
a reprint of the two pages discussing those prongs. Below,
I repeat those prongs in an abbreviated form.
1) A “fee” must serve a regulatory purpose rather than a
revenue raising purpose.
2) A “user fee” must be proportionate to the necessary
costs of the service.
3) A “user fee” must be voluntary-users must be able to
refuse or limit their use of the commodity or service.
For further guidance on these matters please see Jones v.
Detroit Water Commissioners, 1876 that said, “The
price of water is left to be fixed by the board in their
discretion, and the citizens may take it or not as the price
does or does not suit them." The Jones case implicated no
permanence to the customer’s choice. In Roman days it
was customary to disconnect the service line from the
water main for non-payment. Today that is unnecessary
because a curbstop provides any necessary disruption to
services.
To add insult to injury, it is obvious that the garbage
collection aspect of the “water bill” has nothing to do
with water service, and that the newly imposed charges
for 413 Plum Street have only a revenue raising purpose
because the city has never collected any solid waste
from the property since I have owned it. I deem it
disingenuous on part of the administration that the city
knew this fact until such time as it became inconvenient
to the current scheme to raise additional revenue by any
means including illegal measures. The newly added charge
for the collection of solid waste also violates all three of
Bolt’s prongs.
Ignoring that the City of Iron River is unable to point to
any state authorization for initiating utility billings as has
been done for 413 Plum Street ever since I have owned
that property, there are a number of other reasons that
clearly demonstrate the illegality of the ordinances and
practices of the City and Iron County relevant to such
city services as this potential customer has determined to
refuse. Please note that since all such services have been
refused while I have owned the property, no contract,
implied or otherwise (see “implied-in-fact contract”, City
of Cincinnati v. U.S., 1998) has ever existed in these
regards. “…[A]n implied-in-fact contract arises when an
express offer and acceptance are missing but the parties'
conduct indicates mutual assent.” Also see Attorney
General Opinions 5167 and 7263 that relate directly to
some of these issues.
For the reasons listed above, as well as others
unstated here, I refuse to pay the invoice submitted to
me. I and will enter a more formal response to these
latest illegal actions by the City of Iron River in terms of
additional counts to the pending lawsuits that presently
remain in work.
For your amusement, while pertinent, I have included
a copy of an email generated on 11 May 2012 by your
predecessor. In the final paragraph, Archocosky
discriminates between “0 pay” and “not paid” clearly
demonstrating that he, therefore the City of Iron River,
understood the value of zero and “shut off at the
curbstop” in the conventional sense that the city, in
its ordinances, has chosen to ignore where it comes
to municipal utilities.
This letter is provided to formalize, once again, my
position on the illegal charges imposed by the City
of Iron River and to afford the city council the
opportunity to take corrective measures prior to
lawsuit. The time available, however, is short. I
understand that their reticence to obeying established
state laws, court precedent, and constitution that are
inconvenient to city council members will doubtless
prevail until the courts insist otherwise. I dare say such
attitude is ignorant, arrogant, and obstinate to say nothing
of plain stupid. Is this really the best that Iron River has to
offer?
====================================
Bill Vajk
letter that Iron River's city manager sent out with the
water bills received by people who have their water
shut off at the curbstop. If any reader would like a copy
of the documents mentioned in the memorandum, (with
the exception of the 1876 case) please send me email
and I'll send you a copy.
==================================
Memorandum
To: Mr. Perry Franzoi, City Manager
(Personal Service)
From: William J. Vajk
Date: 9 September 2013
Ref: 413 Plum Street “Water” bill
CC: Carl Lind
Thank you for your letter of August 26, 2013 addressed
to “Dear Utility Customer.” It was clearly sent to me in
error as I am not now nor have I ever been a utility
customer of the City of Iron River. In fact an admission
by the city that I am not a utility customer at that address
was faxed to the Department of Treasury by your office
on July 13, 2009.
It has come to my attention that the aforementioned letter,
copy enclosed for your convenience, was only sent to
those property owners whose water was shut off at the
curbstop. Given all the circumstances attendant to the
public discussions and the letter, it is clear that the
ordinances along with the billing and collections
practices of the city in these regards are violative of all
three prongs of the test imposed by the Bolt v. City of
Lansing (1998 and 1999) case from which I have attached
a reprint of the two pages discussing those prongs. Below,
I repeat those prongs in an abbreviated form.
1) A “fee” must serve a regulatory purpose rather than a
revenue raising purpose.
2) A “user fee” must be proportionate to the necessary
costs of the service.
3) A “user fee” must be voluntary-users must be able to
refuse or limit their use of the commodity or service.
For further guidance on these matters please see Jones v.
Detroit Water Commissioners, 1876 that said, “The
price of water is left to be fixed by the board in their
discretion, and the citizens may take it or not as the price
does or does not suit them." The Jones case implicated no
permanence to the customer’s choice. In Roman days it
was customary to disconnect the service line from the
water main for non-payment. Today that is unnecessary
because a curbstop provides any necessary disruption to
services.
To add insult to injury, it is obvious that the garbage
collection aspect of the “water bill” has nothing to do
with water service, and that the newly imposed charges
for 413 Plum Street have only a revenue raising purpose
because the city has never collected any solid waste
from the property since I have owned it. I deem it
disingenuous on part of the administration that the city
knew this fact until such time as it became inconvenient
to the current scheme to raise additional revenue by any
means including illegal measures. The newly added charge
for the collection of solid waste also violates all three of
Bolt’s prongs.
Ignoring that the City of Iron River is unable to point to
any state authorization for initiating utility billings as has
been done for 413 Plum Street ever since I have owned
that property, there are a number of other reasons that
clearly demonstrate the illegality of the ordinances and
practices of the City and Iron County relevant to such
city services as this potential customer has determined to
refuse. Please note that since all such services have been
refused while I have owned the property, no contract,
implied or otherwise (see “implied-in-fact contract”, City
of Cincinnati v. U.S., 1998) has ever existed in these
regards. “…[A]n implied-in-fact contract arises when an
express offer and acceptance are missing but the parties'
conduct indicates mutual assent.” Also see Attorney
General Opinions 5167 and 7263 that relate directly to
some of these issues.
For the reasons listed above, as well as others
unstated here, I refuse to pay the invoice submitted to
me. I and will enter a more formal response to these
latest illegal actions by the City of Iron River in terms of
additional counts to the pending lawsuits that presently
remain in work.
For your amusement, while pertinent, I have included
a copy of an email generated on 11 May 2012 by your
predecessor. In the final paragraph, Archocosky
discriminates between “0 pay” and “not paid” clearly
demonstrating that he, therefore the City of Iron River,
understood the value of zero and “shut off at the
curbstop” in the conventional sense that the city, in
its ordinances, has chosen to ignore where it comes
to municipal utilities.
This letter is provided to formalize, once again, my
position on the illegal charges imposed by the City
of Iron River and to afford the city council the
opportunity to take corrective measures prior to
lawsuit. The time available, however, is short. I
understand that their reticence to obeying established
state laws, court precedent, and constitution that are
inconvenient to city council members will doubtless
prevail until the courts insist otherwise. I dare say such
attitude is ignorant, arrogant, and obstinate to say nothing
of plain stupid. Is this really the best that Iron River has to
offer?
====================================
Bill Vajk
Monday, September 2, 2013
An Inconvenient Variable
In every field of study and discussion, the "variable"
has an important place. When it comes to politics, the
most crucial variable has a name, "the Overton
window." Its importance has to do with what a
politician or political group can get away with and
still be re-elected. The concept that a politician's
primary reason for existing is to serve the public
falls by the wayside whenever such ideology
assumes control over the decision making process.
Whether Iron River's torturous lengthy demise is
the consequence of stupidity on the part of elected
officials or one of "what can we get away with"
becomes inconsequential at some point. The fact is
we are engaged in the total collapse and failure of a
very small city that is well on its way to complete
irrelevance. Iron River is, under all the present
circumstances, unsustainable. Within the rules
governing how municipal governments may behave,
as established by the legislature, Iron River cannot
survive.
Many variables have been hidden from the taxpayers
and citizens of Iron River for a very long time. And
there's a plethora of wrongdoing yet to be uncovered.
The following was sent to the Iron County Reporter for
publication as a letter to the editor. At the time of this
writing we have no idea whether that newspaper will
publish my contribution or not.
===================================
During the August 27th city council meeting, damage
to and closure of Blossom Street was blamed on a
failed or plugged culvert. Show me that culvert, please.
I looked and the only thing I found was a lame excuse
for failure to maintain our streets. There is no culvert
there. Go around a few corners you’ll see an identical
failure evolving on Coolidge near Cherry. There’s
another in the alleyway behind my house on Plum
Street. How many more are around the city? With
public works trucks driving all over the city every day,
why not report similar problems in writing?
Misallocation of funds for decades, leaving no
money for maintenance, has brought us a Blossom
Street looks like an episode of the TV show “Life
After People,” perhaps 50 years after.
Cost cutting by the city should never be done at the
expense of diminishing infrastructure that the
taxpayers paid for. Come on, City Council, we
handed you a well functioning street, why can’t you
maintain it? Every property affected by a permanently
closed street, whether it is a longer altered traffic
pattern to get home, or loss of street access, should
experience an immediate reduction in property taxes
by 50% until the problem is fixed.
Blossom Street has been there for about 100 years
because it is needed. Does the city have an inventory
of failing assets in order to plan repairs or are you
simply “grant chasing” and permitting everything not
covered by a grant to fail? How many more make-
believe culverts will collapse before the recall petitions
begin to circulate?
I fear that Blossom Street is just the tip of an iceberg.
===================================
Bill Vajk
has an important place. When it comes to politics, the
most crucial variable has a name, "the Overton
window." Its importance has to do with what a
politician or political group can get away with and
still be re-elected. The concept that a politician's
primary reason for existing is to serve the public
falls by the wayside whenever such ideology
assumes control over the decision making process.
Whether Iron River's torturous lengthy demise is
the consequence of stupidity on the part of elected
officials or one of "what can we get away with"
becomes inconsequential at some point. The fact is
we are engaged in the total collapse and failure of a
very small city that is well on its way to complete
irrelevance. Iron River is, under all the present
circumstances, unsustainable. Within the rules
governing how municipal governments may behave,
as established by the legislature, Iron River cannot
survive.
Many variables have been hidden from the taxpayers
and citizens of Iron River for a very long time. And
there's a plethora of wrongdoing yet to be uncovered.
The following was sent to the Iron County Reporter for
publication as a letter to the editor. At the time of this
writing we have no idea whether that newspaper will
publish my contribution or not.
===================================
During the August 27th city council meeting, damage
to and closure of Blossom Street was blamed on a
failed or plugged culvert. Show me that culvert, please.
I looked and the only thing I found was a lame excuse
for failure to maintain our streets. There is no culvert
there. Go around a few corners you’ll see an identical
failure evolving on Coolidge near Cherry. There’s
another in the alleyway behind my house on Plum
Street. How many more are around the city? With
public works trucks driving all over the city every day,
why not report similar problems in writing?
Misallocation of funds for decades, leaving no
money for maintenance, has brought us a Blossom
Street looks like an episode of the TV show “Life
After People,” perhaps 50 years after.
Cost cutting by the city should never be done at the
expense of diminishing infrastructure that the
taxpayers paid for. Come on, City Council, we
handed you a well functioning street, why can’t you
maintain it? Every property affected by a permanently
closed street, whether it is a longer altered traffic
pattern to get home, or loss of street access, should
experience an immediate reduction in property taxes
by 50% until the problem is fixed.
Blossom Street has been there for about 100 years
because it is needed. Does the city have an inventory
of failing assets in order to plan repairs or are you
simply “grant chasing” and permitting everything not
covered by a grant to fail? How many more make-
believe culverts will collapse before the recall petitions
begin to circulate?
I fear that Blossom Street is just the tip of an iceberg.
===================================
Bill Vajk
Monday, August 12, 2013
Take 2
As a followup to our article of August 4th, I wrote the
following letter to the editor of the Iron County Reporter
that fills in a few more blanks of the multifaceted problems
facing us in Iron County.
=======================================
To the editor:
Planners around the world are aware that a “cone of
possibilities” expands with time allowing for an always
better future than the past. Governments in Iron County
chop off all that positive energy with tunnel vision that
limits us to the worse possibilities. The recent changes to
the water and sewer ordinances, and their thorough
enforcement, make issues more difficult for property
owners who have their water shut off by charging them
for water and sewer as though they were consuming
water. That’s morally, ethically, and legally prohibited,
but no matter, the city council reaches into all pockets
even when their technique violates state laws and
constitution, assuring our region a lousy future. Dabecks,
Coast-to-Coast, and the bowling alley aren’t being
encouraged to succeed by this, and other, city actions.
The water bills for anyone whose water is shut off are
now scheduled to more than double. 22 non-functioning
businesses who served you well can’t afford that any
more than any average reader of this newspaper.
Councilman Sacheck said, “Our revenue is going out
of here so fast, we’re going to have to find other sources
of revenue.” Water and sewer billings are supposed to
be revenue neutral, but the city council pulled $150,000
out of water funds for other uses in 2011, so now we
have to make up for it as a new burden on the citizen.
Robbing Peter to pay Paul never works. It just kicks
the can down the road.
The real problem is population decline. Local
governments have lots of tools to counteract that
difficulty, but have chosen to punish the population
with additional burdens rather than use the available
tools to improve life for everyone. As a property owner
in the city of Iron River, I strongly protest.
=======================================
Unfortunately the published limit for letters to the editor at
the Iron County Reporter is 300 words, and once I had
a letter kicked back to me asking that I eliminate 2 words
so that that requirement was met. So I endeavor to limit
my submittals to their acceptable level.
A proper description of the complex problems, and
likely successful solutions, would fill a book.
Ultimately nothing will happen to improve the situation
unless a voluntary independent committee of influential
individuals organizes itself and takes up the project of
improving things here.
Several years ago I organized a group we called "Iron
County Boosters" and we had a few meetings, but
nothing ever came of it, because "official" opposition
manifested itself that rang the death knell for the group.
I wish future endeavors better success. There were other
failed attempts before mine, but apparently none managed
to include the necessary "influential."
The cone of possibilities does, after all, have some
limitations. That's why it is only a cone.
Bill Vajk
following letter to the editor of the Iron County Reporter
that fills in a few more blanks of the multifaceted problems
facing us in Iron County.
=======================================
To the editor:
Planners around the world are aware that a “cone of
possibilities” expands with time allowing for an always
better future than the past. Governments in Iron County
chop off all that positive energy with tunnel vision that
limits us to the worse possibilities. The recent changes to
the water and sewer ordinances, and their thorough
enforcement, make issues more difficult for property
owners who have their water shut off by charging them
for water and sewer as though they were consuming
water. That’s morally, ethically, and legally prohibited,
but no matter, the city council reaches into all pockets
even when their technique violates state laws and
constitution, assuring our region a lousy future. Dabecks,
Coast-to-Coast, and the bowling alley aren’t being
encouraged to succeed by this, and other, city actions.
The water bills for anyone whose water is shut off are
now scheduled to more than double. 22 non-functioning
businesses who served you well can’t afford that any
more than any average reader of this newspaper.
Councilman Sacheck said, “Our revenue is going out
of here so fast, we’re going to have to find other sources
of revenue.” Water and sewer billings are supposed to
be revenue neutral, but the city council pulled $150,000
out of water funds for other uses in 2011, so now we
have to make up for it as a new burden on the citizen.
Robbing Peter to pay Paul never works. It just kicks
the can down the road.
The real problem is population decline. Local
governments have lots of tools to counteract that
difficulty, but have chosen to punish the population
with additional burdens rather than use the available
tools to improve life for everyone. As a property owner
in the city of Iron River, I strongly protest.
=======================================
Unfortunately the published limit for letters to the editor at
the Iron County Reporter is 300 words, and once I had
a letter kicked back to me asking that I eliminate 2 words
so that that requirement was met. So I endeavor to limit
my submittals to their acceptable level.
A proper description of the complex problems, and
likely successful solutions, would fill a book.
Ultimately nothing will happen to improve the situation
unless a voluntary independent committee of influential
individuals organizes itself and takes up the project of
improving things here.
Several years ago I organized a group we called "Iron
County Boosters" and we had a few meetings, but
nothing ever came of it, because "official" opposition
manifested itself that rang the death knell for the group.
I wish future endeavors better success. There were other
failed attempts before mine, but apparently none managed
to include the necessary "influential."
The cone of possibilities does, after all, have some
limitations. That's why it is only a cone.
Bill Vajk
Saturday, August 10, 2013
one of the better kept secrets
One of the better kept secrets is that West Iron District
Library has a Facebook page. It can be found at:
http://tinyurl.com/jvptudl
Bill Vajk
Library has a Facebook page. It can be found at:
http://tinyurl.com/jvptudl
Bill Vajk
Sunday, August 4, 2013
City Council Assures Destruction
Iron River’s City Council once again reasserted their
insistence on taking another step towards the total
destruction of their own town on July 31, 2013.
Destruction is assured by the underlying
organizational (corporate) culture of this region.
Some of the issues are discussed below.
The immediate action took place at the city council
meeting. The city council approved, for themselves,
future authority to increase water and sewer rates
without taking the issues to those affected by such
future increases for public comment. There was an
attitude taught during mining days that went, “do as
you’re told and shut up.” I've heard this from
several individuals who grew up here. You can see
the process played out simply by reading the
wording of city ordinances.
Additionally, the city council approved elimination
of a separate “readiness to serve” fee for those
whose water is shut off at the curbstop by charging
those properties that remain connected to the water
mains as though they are consuming water. At the
current rates, this means that those whose water is
shut off at the curbstop will see an immediate increase
of $1.50 per month. The sewer ordinance includes
charging anyone connected to the sewer system
$25.10 per month whether any sewerage is created
or not. This sewer charge has not been enforced in
the past but apparently will now be enforced.
The changes approved on July 31, and some of the
reasoning given for them, are published here:
http://bill-vajk.angelfire.com/130731-new_ir.pdf
But, as usual, the real reasons for the city council
doing as they have done in this instance, and on
every occasion previously, is rather different. All
political problem solving in this region is
undertaken with the idea that the solution needs
only to address the particular difficulty that finds
itself immediately in front of the decision maker as
a “simple problem.” In fact most of the decisions
have much broader implications because they are
the result of bigger issues of which the decision
makers are cognizant, but fail to relate in a
cause-effect-best_possible_solution paradigm.
The children in regions like this economically
stagnant one are taught from before they ever start
formal schooling right on through 12th grade to solve
only the problem immediately in front of them. See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem_solving
The article doesn’t give easy solutions to the
problems facing this region, but rather serves as a
rather good introductory work about the inability
of local politicians to effectively problem solve.
They've taken to calling it "kicking the can down
the road" in Washington, but the idea is just as
applicable here. The sad part is that in Washington
they understand what they're doing, but haven't a
clue in Iron County.
What is essential to solving any problem is
identifying all aspects and branching inherent in
any challenges to a community. We have two
interrelated aspects to every sociopolitical
problem here in Iron County. The first is the
depletion of the population, and the second is the
problems caused by local politicians attempting to
fix those sociopolitical problems. In fact, the
organizational culture, also often called the
corporate culture (this publication has referred to
that term a number of times in the past) forces
compliance with continuing failed strategies. See:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organizational_culture
Another aspect of the difficulties this creates is a
situation much like the one faced by Mexico. Those
willing to work and capable of greater achievement
than is available in their home towns emigrate to
locations where greater challenge and greater
rewards are available. In most cases that brings
them to the United States from Mexico by any
means available to them. The old saying is, “You
can’t keep a good man down.”
We have precisely that situation here in Iron
County. The capable and willing individuals
migrate away toward greater opportunity. And
what does that leave us with? What/who stays
here to run local governments? Certainly those
who are the most brilliant staying behind find
successful economic niches, with entrepreneurial
risks and rewards, to occupy them. Gasperini
Landscape Services provides us with one
excellent example of that outcome.
They generally don’t attend to the local politics.
Those who run for office don’t have the vision
necessary to identify sociopolitical problems in
meaningful ways. In the 1980-85 timeframe,
with the mines having closed and the exodus
well under way, the local political leaders
participated in what can best be described as a
cargo cult mentality. See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cargo_cult_science
In the meantime, they allowed the indigenous
population that formed the economic underbelly
of the community, to escape to better
opportunities elsewhere instead of seeing to it
that those opportunities found a home here.
It is just that simple.
And, naturally, successive generations of
political “leaders” have all been cut from the
same cloth. When I offered the first tier of a
solution process about increasing local tourism
to someone who had asked specifically for one,
their first reply was, “but that requires the
cutting of trees on the south side of US2
county property and I think that’s such a
pretty site….” And this came from a formerly
economically successful transplant
(now in retirement) to our region. So now they
live here, and when in Rome (Iron County) will
do as the locals do, breaking away from their
formerly successful ways. I do wish you had
introduced successful ideologies into Iron
County instead of "fitting in" with the locals
and embracing their economic failures. Please
don't talk to me of past successes when today
you're a failure indistinguishable from the rest.
The second and third sentences in the wikipedia
article on organizational culture say, “Culture
includes the organization values, visions, norms,
working language, systems, symbols, beliefs and
habits. It is also the pattern of such collective
behaviors and assumptions that are taught to
new organizational members as a way of perceiving,
and even thinking and feeling.” That’s precisely
what happened with the solution I offered. It fell
on ears deafened hell bent on adhering to the
local, and it is important to add failed, culture. Just
as it was in declining Rome, the local gentry all
flock to the entertainments provided under the
auspices of local government, from "Holiday in
Lights" to "Rum Rebellion Days" and the monthly
open mike night, because there is nothing else
here to seize their attentions. One such person
recently told me how lucky we are to have a
radio station as well as a newspaper in Iron River.
We’re in a county full of trees, but we’re not in
a county of unlimited locations lending themselves
so nicely to economic advance, the most rare
commodity in Iron County, but no matter, a
successful economy is not desired in Iron County.
It must not be, because they're so successful at
that!
In the meantime others say that tourists, “come
with $5 in their pockets and one pair of clean
underwear, and while in Iron County don’t change
either.” Once again, we witness the tunnel vision that
persists here. Have you ever been on Eagle River's
Wall Street on a summer afternoon?
The first and final answer is that in that case is that
here, in Iron County, you haven’t achieved a large
enough a tourism base. Why is it that you’ve only
managed to attract the lowest class of tourist?
Clearly not all tourists are of that ilk. Could it be
that they seek out their own level? What do you
need to do to attract the better classes? The first
tier solution I offered incorporated local advertising.
That’s also needed in regions that send tourists to
our area. When that solution was pointed out to
the Rodeo Board, it was soundly rejected because
greater achievement is not sought locally, only more
of the same level of marginal success that’s been the
norm for many decades. Besides, the purpose of
the rodeo must be just to entertain the locals, since
nobody else is invited!
So Iron River’s city council thinks they’ve solved
the problem of water and sewer bills not paying the
costs. Well it is so very obvious that they’re
oblivious to the real problem and that their solution
is only a short term one.
If we carry the problem of the population reduction
to its natural conclusion, we see that at some point
there would be one, count them 1, citizen living
within the corporate limits of Iron River. And then
the entire tax burden would have to be paid by
that one citizen. But we know that between now
and then, the entire city will become unsustainable
and will collapse. Perhaps the city council thinks
grants will be available to maintain the entire City
of Iron River for a population of 1? Why does Iron
River keep adding new water system infrastructure
while in the throes of this downward spiral? What
sort of reducio ad absurdium will finally convince
local politicians of the error of their ways?
And then we look at some of the other things that
Iron River does, like unnecessarily fining
commercial property owners whenever things go
wrong. Give a little man a little authority and he’ll
exercise every inch of it. Two examples spring to
mind. The bowling alley burned down. Iron River
imposed nuisance fines because the results weren’t
being cleaned up quickly enough. The Coast to
Coast building sees similar treatment for a few bricks
having fallen off the facade. Like other buildings that
provided some tax revenue, they want to tear it down
providing more assurance that they’re knowingly
destroying what remains of Iron River.
Guess what else. Both of the properties are being
billed for water and will also be billed for sewer,
because the city, under its ordinance, can do that!
Who, in their right mind, would want to bring a new
business into Iron River knowing that?
And as we discussed in this publication earlier
( http://tinyurl.com/pkkntkv ) parking regulations
prevent proper use of downtown space. But that
is convenient for the city council. To heck with the
needs of the people!
In that article we also proposed, “any elected
official not bringing at least two good ideas
for improvement to a meeting every year should
be prohibited from standing for re-election.”
That idea is sounding better by the day. It might
get local politicians off this self-destructive path
for a change. Right now they’re so used to
abusing the population that they no longer
recognize that the effect of their actions isn’t
helping matters, but driving people to leave the
county, and in most cases, the state.
A Chicago area woman who grew up here has kept
and beautifully maintained her grandmother’s house
in Iron River with a view to retiring here. Even the
lawn maintenance is so pristine that there isn’t a
single weed on the property. After an entire lifetime
of coming up here for a week or two every summer
and maintaining, paying year-round water, sewer,
garbage, heating, electricity, and tax bills, she will be
putting that home, and her dream, up for sale
because local politics behaves in such an asinine
fashion. It is a beautiful older home, but it is in Iron
River. So compared to what such a property would
fetch in most other parts of the country, it has very
little economic value.
That’s not nice for the current owner. It is very nice
for anyone with a little money who wants to come
here. But who wants to come here these days?
Rational people won’t put up with the nonsense.
Is this the way things ought to be? I don’t think so.
Bill Vajk
insistence on taking another step towards the total
destruction of their own town on July 31, 2013.
Destruction is assured by the underlying
organizational (corporate) culture of this region.
Some of the issues are discussed below.
The immediate action took place at the city council
meeting. The city council approved, for themselves,
future authority to increase water and sewer rates
without taking the issues to those affected by such
future increases for public comment. There was an
attitude taught during mining days that went, “do as
you’re told and shut up.” I've heard this from
several individuals who grew up here. You can see
the process played out simply by reading the
wording of city ordinances.
Additionally, the city council approved elimination
of a separate “readiness to serve” fee for those
whose water is shut off at the curbstop by charging
those properties that remain connected to the water
mains as though they are consuming water. At the
current rates, this means that those whose water is
shut off at the curbstop will see an immediate increase
of $1.50 per month. The sewer ordinance includes
charging anyone connected to the sewer system
$25.10 per month whether any sewerage is created
or not. This sewer charge has not been enforced in
the past but apparently will now be enforced.
The changes approved on July 31, and some of the
reasoning given for them, are published here:
http://bill-vajk.angelfire.com/130731-new_ir.pdf
But, as usual, the real reasons for the city council
doing as they have done in this instance, and on
every occasion previously, is rather different. All
political problem solving in this region is
undertaken with the idea that the solution needs
only to address the particular difficulty that finds
itself immediately in front of the decision maker as
a “simple problem.” In fact most of the decisions
have much broader implications because they are
the result of bigger issues of which the decision
makers are cognizant, but fail to relate in a
cause-effect-best_possible_solution paradigm.
The children in regions like this economically
stagnant one are taught from before they ever start
formal schooling right on through 12th grade to solve
only the problem immediately in front of them. See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Problem_solving
The article doesn’t give easy solutions to the
problems facing this region, but rather serves as a
rather good introductory work about the inability
of local politicians to effectively problem solve.
They've taken to calling it "kicking the can down
the road" in Washington, but the idea is just as
applicable here. The sad part is that in Washington
they understand what they're doing, but haven't a
clue in Iron County.
What is essential to solving any problem is
identifying all aspects and branching inherent in
any challenges to a community. We have two
interrelated aspects to every sociopolitical
problem here in Iron County. The first is the
depletion of the population, and the second is the
problems caused by local politicians attempting to
fix those sociopolitical problems. In fact, the
organizational culture, also often called the
corporate culture (this publication has referred to
that term a number of times in the past) forces
compliance with continuing failed strategies. See:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organizational_culture
Another aspect of the difficulties this creates is a
situation much like the one faced by Mexico. Those
willing to work and capable of greater achievement
than is available in their home towns emigrate to
locations where greater challenge and greater
rewards are available. In most cases that brings
them to the United States from Mexico by any
means available to them. The old saying is, “You
can’t keep a good man down.”
We have precisely that situation here in Iron
County. The capable and willing individuals
migrate away toward greater opportunity. And
what does that leave us with? What/who stays
here to run local governments? Certainly those
who are the most brilliant staying behind find
successful economic niches, with entrepreneurial
risks and rewards, to occupy them. Gasperini
Landscape Services provides us with one
excellent example of that outcome.
They generally don’t attend to the local politics.
Those who run for office don’t have the vision
necessary to identify sociopolitical problems in
meaningful ways. In the 1980-85 timeframe,
with the mines having closed and the exodus
well under way, the local political leaders
participated in what can best be described as a
cargo cult mentality. See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cargo_cult_science
In the meantime, they allowed the indigenous
population that formed the economic underbelly
of the community, to escape to better
opportunities elsewhere instead of seeing to it
that those opportunities found a home here.
It is just that simple.
And, naturally, successive generations of
political “leaders” have all been cut from the
same cloth. When I offered the first tier of a
solution process about increasing local tourism
to someone who had asked specifically for one,
their first reply was, “but that requires the
cutting of trees on the south side of US2
county property and I think that’s such a
pretty site….” And this came from a formerly
economically successful transplant
(now in retirement) to our region. So now they
live here, and when in Rome (Iron County) will
do as the locals do, breaking away from their
formerly successful ways. I do wish you had
introduced successful ideologies into Iron
County instead of "fitting in" with the locals
and embracing their economic failures. Please
don't talk to me of past successes when today
you're a failure indistinguishable from the rest.
The second and third sentences in the wikipedia
article on organizational culture say, “Culture
includes the organization values, visions, norms,
working language, systems, symbols, beliefs and
habits. It is also the pattern of such collective
behaviors and assumptions that are taught to
new organizational members as a way of perceiving,
and even thinking and feeling.” That’s precisely
what happened with the solution I offered. It fell
on ears deafened hell bent on adhering to the
local, and it is important to add failed, culture. Just
as it was in declining Rome, the local gentry all
flock to the entertainments provided under the
auspices of local government, from "Holiday in
Lights" to "Rum Rebellion Days" and the monthly
open mike night, because there is nothing else
here to seize their attentions. One such person
recently told me how lucky we are to have a
radio station as well as a newspaper in Iron River.
We’re in a county full of trees, but we’re not in
a county of unlimited locations lending themselves
so nicely to economic advance, the most rare
commodity in Iron County, but no matter, a
successful economy is not desired in Iron County.
It must not be, because they're so successful at
that!
In the meantime others say that tourists, “come
with $5 in their pockets and one pair of clean
underwear, and while in Iron County don’t change
either.” Once again, we witness the tunnel vision that
persists here. Have you ever been on Eagle River's
Wall Street on a summer afternoon?
The first and final answer is that in that case is that
here, in Iron County, you haven’t achieved a large
enough a tourism base. Why is it that you’ve only
managed to attract the lowest class of tourist?
Clearly not all tourists are of that ilk. Could it be
that they seek out their own level? What do you
need to do to attract the better classes? The first
tier solution I offered incorporated local advertising.
That’s also needed in regions that send tourists to
our area. When that solution was pointed out to
the Rodeo Board, it was soundly rejected because
greater achievement is not sought locally, only more
of the same level of marginal success that’s been the
norm for many decades. Besides, the purpose of
the rodeo must be just to entertain the locals, since
nobody else is invited!
So Iron River’s city council thinks they’ve solved
the problem of water and sewer bills not paying the
costs. Well it is so very obvious that they’re
oblivious to the real problem and that their solution
is only a short term one.
If we carry the problem of the population reduction
to its natural conclusion, we see that at some point
there would be one, count them 1, citizen living
within the corporate limits of Iron River. And then
the entire tax burden would have to be paid by
that one citizen. But we know that between now
and then, the entire city will become unsustainable
and will collapse. Perhaps the city council thinks
grants will be available to maintain the entire City
of Iron River for a population of 1? Why does Iron
River keep adding new water system infrastructure
while in the throes of this downward spiral? What
sort of reducio ad absurdium will finally convince
local politicians of the error of their ways?
And then we look at some of the other things that
Iron River does, like unnecessarily fining
commercial property owners whenever things go
wrong. Give a little man a little authority and he’ll
exercise every inch of it. Two examples spring to
mind. The bowling alley burned down. Iron River
imposed nuisance fines because the results weren’t
being cleaned up quickly enough. The Coast to
Coast building sees similar treatment for a few bricks
having fallen off the facade. Like other buildings that
provided some tax revenue, they want to tear it down
providing more assurance that they’re knowingly
destroying what remains of Iron River.
Guess what else. Both of the properties are being
billed for water and will also be billed for sewer,
because the city, under its ordinance, can do that!
Who, in their right mind, would want to bring a new
business into Iron River knowing that?
And as we discussed in this publication earlier
( http://tinyurl.com/pkkntkv ) parking regulations
prevent proper use of downtown space. But that
is convenient for the city council. To heck with the
needs of the people!
In that article we also proposed, “any elected
official not bringing at least two good ideas
for improvement to a meeting every year should
be prohibited from standing for re-election.”
That idea is sounding better by the day. It might
get local politicians off this self-destructive path
for a change. Right now they’re so used to
abusing the population that they no longer
recognize that the effect of their actions isn’t
helping matters, but driving people to leave the
county, and in most cases, the state.
A Chicago area woman who grew up here has kept
and beautifully maintained her grandmother’s house
in Iron River with a view to retiring here. Even the
lawn maintenance is so pristine that there isn’t a
single weed on the property. After an entire lifetime
of coming up here for a week or two every summer
and maintaining, paying year-round water, sewer,
garbage, heating, electricity, and tax bills, she will be
putting that home, and her dream, up for sale
because local politics behaves in such an asinine
fashion. It is a beautiful older home, but it is in Iron
River. So compared to what such a property would
fetch in most other parts of the country, it has very
little economic value.
That’s not nice for the current owner. It is very nice
for anyone with a little money who wants to come
here. But who wants to come here these days?
Rational people won’t put up with the nonsense.
Is this the way things ought to be? I don’t think so.
Bill Vajk
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Wednesday 5:30pm IR City Hall aquatic nuisance plant species mtg
From Sara Basso
Casperson to hold a town hall meeting on
aquatic nuisance plant species Who: State Sen. Tom Casperson, R-Escanaba;
a representative from the Michigan
Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ);
and General public What: A town hall meeting regarding aquatic
nuisance plant species. When: Wednesday, July 17 6:30 EST/5:30 CST Where: Iron River City Hall 106 West Genesee Street Iron River Brief: Sen. Tom Casperson, R-Escanaba, will be
holding a town hall meeting regarding
aquatic nuisance plant species such as
non-native water milfoil to allow the
general public to ask questions about
issues including control measures.
A representative from the Michigan DEQ
will be speaking and available to answer
questions. Senator Casperson will also
summarize Senate Bill 444, a bill he
introduced to help streamline the DEQ
permit process and provide more options
for locals to control aquatic nuisance
plant species.
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Send In The Clowns
The time to make significant corrections to the politics of Iron
County is here. In fact, we are already well behind the times,
because much of the work should already have been achieved.
Unfortunately we don’t appear to have the visionaries capable
of undertaking the task, so it is possible that the only recourse
remaining is the state. The reader sentiments that follow appear
to be pretty much universal for this region, and we think the
reasons in the analysis that follows do a good job of explaining
it.
Some time back a citizen of the Iron County Community took it
on themselves to be critical of this publication because, “Just
curious Bill, If you are so unhappy with Iron County and it's
"Doings". Why do you choose to live in this community? Your
negativity tarnishes the joy that those of us who appreciate Iron
County feel. Remember the old adage, 'If you have nothing nice
to say..... If you are not part of the solution you are part of the
problem. I'll be looking for my opinion to be added to your blog.”
As originator of this publication, I appreciate the sentiment and
the person stating it because it is one more “finger on the pulse”
of the community. There is no right or wrong to deciding what to
publish since we’re all concerned about how local governments
act, why they act that way, and the reaction of the community.
As I’ve written in the past, here and elsewhere, the other
regional publications do an adequate job of presenting positive
images, and in the end, that’s an unstated subtopic of this article.
After I commented, the same person came back and wrote,
“….I am simply a citizen of Iron County who appreciates the
beauty of the area, and all of the wonderful people who make
this a special place to live. I have no political agenda. My point
was, I spent half an hour browsing this blog and found not one
positive thing said about this community. In that half an hour, I
read derogatory posts about the Judge, the school system, the
city manager, the hospital, and the dog catcher to name a small
few. And yes even the way this county celebrates Christmas! I
can agree that change is needed in our county as it is everywhere,
but a negative blog such as this is in no way proactive towards
that goal.”
In 1973, Stephen Soundheim wrote a ballad called “Send In
The Clowns,” which, while about human relationships in the most
intimate context, translates equally well to the overall conditions
in Iron County. The background of the song has to do with when
a show isn’t going well, distract the audience and make them
happy by sending in the clowns. That’s precisely what has been
going on here in Iron County or rather a long time now, to the
point that the local population, as demonstrated in the two
communications above, has a skewed perspective. The locals
have mostly stopped looking beyond the immediate rewards
they receive whenever complaining, while they’ve concurrently
learned to ignore the fact that the underlying problem, the cause
of their complaint, has not been addressed—again!
Richard Bach, in one of his erudite (some of the local anti-
intellectuals consider that a dirty word) books, wrote, “There
is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in its hands.
We seek out the problems because we need their gifts.”
Please note that the first “complaint” above wants to make the
community out to be a place where everyone in the community
feels nothing but joy.
After some small amount of interaction, the same person
complained that the approach that this publication has been
taking isn’t “proactive.” Excuse me? What is it you want then?
Head in the sand, or should we “send in the clowns” yet again?
There’s the crux of all the local issues, and the ineffective
“solutions” that local politicians around the world have been
using for centuries. Alas, it isn’t unique to Iron County, it’s just
that here the local citizenry has bought into the “rewards”
aspect more thoroughly than elsewhere.
When I lived in the south, every time that local minority leadership
started to cause the politicos any problems at all, they were bought
off, usually with a new school bus or some other meaningless
concession. In Chicago, more like the old south than they like to
admit, mayor Richard J. Daley threw things like new buses and
elevated system rolling stock into the fray to make problems go
away temporarily without fixing anything. And so too birth was
given to “Community Concepts,” an entity that met (does it still)
regularly with an agenda to create an event for every month here
in Iron County, Michigan. Perhaps they thought 12 annual rewards
might shut people up permanently?
The first was the “Christmas in Lights” parade with the name
changed by one of our influential secular progressives in the second
and subsequent years. That was followed in short order by the “Rum
Rebellion” that is a celebration of Iron County lawlessness. And with
that, the “send in the clowns” approach by “Community Concepts”
(an organization with no legal existence, BTW) appears to have
ended. Still, a “Disk Golf” course was added at public expense. It
was poorly planned and part of the course is a victim of a subsidence.
Then too, cash was permanently transferred more than once out of
the Iron County Economic Development Corporation’s revolving
loan fund to get a modern sawmill up and running, and to keep it
operating, with no new jobs created in our region.
So where’s the real economic advantage to the public from any
of these, Aren’t they merely all “clown” antics? Here’s one stanza
of Soundheim’s famous song:
“Don't you love farce?
My fault, I fear.
I thought that you'd want what I want...
Sorry, my dear!
And where are the clowns
Send in the clowns
Don't bother, they're here.”
As a child, it goes something like this:
Child-“Dad, I want a pony so I can learn to ride because
that’s my future livelihood.”
Dad-“I can’t afford a pony or the feed and other upkeep.
Here’s a nickel, go see a movie.”
Yes, the immediate gratification reward is much cheaper and it
usually side tracks the request. “I thought that you'd want what
I want...” is any unrequited love or desire, whether for a person
of a thing. We’ve become accustomed to accepting substitutions.
That example is well suited to so many, much more serious,
occasions.
As an example, the reason that minorities in this country started
being successful in their drive for equality was simple enough.
A new generation of leadership refused to accept the substitute
cheap immediate gratification; they ignored the clowns. They
were polite. When the clown act was over, they asked, “Now
where’s that pony?” And they kept it up until, sure enough, a
pony was produced. And then another, and another….
The author of the feedback I published above has spent a
lifetime, along with the rest of this community, being thrilled by
the clowns. The objective of this article, and this publication, is
to encourage the local populace to put their foot down and
demand, “Now where’s that pony?” Please start insisting that
your demands of government are met. Please start today.
Bill Vajk
County is here. In fact, we are already well behind the times,
because much of the work should already have been achieved.
Unfortunately we don’t appear to have the visionaries capable
of undertaking the task, so it is possible that the only recourse
remaining is the state. The reader sentiments that follow appear
to be pretty much universal for this region, and we think the
reasons in the analysis that follows do a good job of explaining
it.
Some time back a citizen of the Iron County Community took it
on themselves to be critical of this publication because, “Just
curious Bill, If you are so unhappy with Iron County and it's
"Doings". Why do you choose to live in this community? Your
negativity tarnishes the joy that those of us who appreciate Iron
County feel. Remember the old adage, 'If you have nothing nice
to say..... If you are not part of the solution you are part of the
problem. I'll be looking for my opinion to be added to your blog.”
As originator of this publication, I appreciate the sentiment and
the person stating it because it is one more “finger on the pulse”
of the community. There is no right or wrong to deciding what to
publish since we’re all concerned about how local governments
act, why they act that way, and the reaction of the community.
As I’ve written in the past, here and elsewhere, the other
regional publications do an adequate job of presenting positive
images, and in the end, that’s an unstated subtopic of this article.
After I commented, the same person came back and wrote,
“….I am simply a citizen of Iron County who appreciates the
beauty of the area, and all of the wonderful people who make
this a special place to live. I have no political agenda. My point
was, I spent half an hour browsing this blog and found not one
positive thing said about this community. In that half an hour, I
read derogatory posts about the Judge, the school system, the
city manager, the hospital, and the dog catcher to name a small
few. And yes even the way this county celebrates Christmas! I
can agree that change is needed in our county as it is everywhere,
but a negative blog such as this is in no way proactive towards
that goal.”
In 1973, Stephen Soundheim wrote a ballad called “Send In
The Clowns,” which, while about human relationships in the most
intimate context, translates equally well to the overall conditions
in Iron County. The background of the song has to do with when
a show isn’t going well, distract the audience and make them
happy by sending in the clowns. That’s precisely what has been
going on here in Iron County or rather a long time now, to the
point that the local population, as demonstrated in the two
communications above, has a skewed perspective. The locals
have mostly stopped looking beyond the immediate rewards
they receive whenever complaining, while they’ve concurrently
learned to ignore the fact that the underlying problem, the cause
of their complaint, has not been addressed—again!
Richard Bach, in one of his erudite (some of the local anti-
intellectuals consider that a dirty word) books, wrote, “There
is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in its hands.
We seek out the problems because we need their gifts.”
Please note that the first “complaint” above wants to make the
community out to be a place where everyone in the community
feels nothing but joy.
After some small amount of interaction, the same person
complained that the approach that this publication has been
taking isn’t “proactive.” Excuse me? What is it you want then?
Head in the sand, or should we “send in the clowns” yet again?
There’s the crux of all the local issues, and the ineffective
“solutions” that local politicians around the world have been
using for centuries. Alas, it isn’t unique to Iron County, it’s just
that here the local citizenry has bought into the “rewards”
aspect more thoroughly than elsewhere.
When I lived in the south, every time that local minority leadership
started to cause the politicos any problems at all, they were bought
off, usually with a new school bus or some other meaningless
concession. In Chicago, more like the old south than they like to
admit, mayor Richard J. Daley threw things like new buses and
elevated system rolling stock into the fray to make problems go
away temporarily without fixing anything. And so too birth was
given to “Community Concepts,” an entity that met (does it still)
regularly with an agenda to create an event for every month here
in Iron County, Michigan. Perhaps they thought 12 annual rewards
might shut people up permanently?
The first was the “Christmas in Lights” parade with the name
changed by one of our influential secular progressives in the second
and subsequent years. That was followed in short order by the “Rum
Rebellion” that is a celebration of Iron County lawlessness. And with
that, the “send in the clowns” approach by “Community Concepts”
(an organization with no legal existence, BTW) appears to have
ended. Still, a “Disk Golf” course was added at public expense. It
was poorly planned and part of the course is a victim of a subsidence.
Then too, cash was permanently transferred more than once out of
the Iron County Economic Development Corporation’s revolving
loan fund to get a modern sawmill up and running, and to keep it
operating, with no new jobs created in our region.
So where’s the real economic advantage to the public from any
of these, Aren’t they merely all “clown” antics? Here’s one stanza
of Soundheim’s famous song:
“Don't you love farce?
My fault, I fear.
I thought that you'd want what I want...
Sorry, my dear!
And where are the clowns
Send in the clowns
Don't bother, they're here.”
As a child, it goes something like this:
Child-“Dad, I want a pony so I can learn to ride because
that’s my future livelihood.”
Dad-“I can’t afford a pony or the feed and other upkeep.
Here’s a nickel, go see a movie.”
Yes, the immediate gratification reward is much cheaper and it
usually side tracks the request. “I thought that you'd want what
I want...” is any unrequited love or desire, whether for a person
of a thing. We’ve become accustomed to accepting substitutions.
That example is well suited to so many, much more serious,
occasions.
As an example, the reason that minorities in this country started
being successful in their drive for equality was simple enough.
A new generation of leadership refused to accept the substitute
cheap immediate gratification; they ignored the clowns. They
were polite. When the clown act was over, they asked, “Now
where’s that pony?” And they kept it up until, sure enough, a
pony was produced. And then another, and another….
The author of the feedback I published above has spent a
lifetime, along with the rest of this community, being thrilled by
the clowns. The objective of this article, and this publication, is
to encourage the local populace to put their foot down and
demand, “Now where’s that pony?” Please start insisting that
your demands of government are met. Please start today.
Bill Vajk
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Should Carl Lind be recalled?
Should
Carl Lind be recalled for failing to serve as he
promised?
I
sent the following by email to Carl Lind, the
chairman of the Iron
County Board and therefore the
individual designated by the FOIA
statute as the
individual in charge of FOIA appeals.
====================================
*FOIA Appeal*
3 June 2013
Mr. Carl Lind
Crystal Falls MI 49920
Dear Mr. Lind:
This appeal covers the reply by the Iron County
FOIA Coordinator to issue #2 in my FOIA request
dated 11 May 2013 and answered 16 May 2013 as
follows:
2) MCL 234(3) requires, in part, that Iron County
"a public body shall establish and publish procedures
and guidelines to implement this subsection." I wish
to review that published "procedures and guidelines"
3 June 2013
Mr. Carl Lind
Crystal Falls MI 49920
Dear Mr. Lind:
This appeal covers the reply by the Iron County
FOIA Coordinator to issue #2 in my FOIA request
dated 11 May 2013 and answered 16 May 2013 as
follows:
2) MCL 234(3) requires, in part, that Iron County
"a public body shall establish and publish procedures
and guidelines to implement this subsection." I wish
to review that published "procedures and guidelines"
document.
Although the cover letter in reply to my request
states, "Your request is granted" the actual
response (all documents pertinent to this appeal are
attached) is a simple evasion. The consequence is
a de facto failure to reply that, as spelled out in the
FOIA statutes, provides this window for the formal
appeal you are presently reading.
This appeal asks you for a complete and legitimate
answer to my MCL 15.234(3) relevant request as
stated above. Any failure to provide a copy of the
"procedures and guidelines" requested for review
will be taken by the undersigned as a knowing
violation by Iron County of state statutes. In that
event, the only available understanding will be
that either statutes are being violated by failing to
publish the documents as required under state law,
or that Iron County published them and is
withholding them from public view in an attempt to
conceal knowing violations of the statutes as well as
your own published procedures and guidelines. Or
perhaps all the violative elements above.
Ultimately the questions resolve to a decision
whether Iron County is so married to what gives
the appearance of corrupt practices relevant to
financial matters that the county board will require
court proceedings to resolve the issues. The fact
that you have what amounts to a new county board
affords you a window to correct past bad practices
that I have lately called to your attention. You would
be surprised how much easier it is to voluntarily
come into compliance with state laws than it is to
embrace the bad practices handed to all of us by
past boards. Settlement of financial issues is always
better, and far less expensive, for all parties than
involving the judicial department of government in
matters such as are before us.
I wish all of us, Iron County government, and the
public you work for, the best.
===================================
Although the cover letter in reply to my request
states, "Your request is granted" the actual
response (all documents pertinent to this appeal are
attached) is a simple evasion. The consequence is
a de facto failure to reply that, as spelled out in the
FOIA statutes, provides this window for the formal
appeal you are presently reading.
This appeal asks you for a complete and legitimate
answer to my MCL 15.234(3) relevant request as
stated above. Any failure to provide a copy of the
"procedures and guidelines" requested for review
will be taken by the undersigned as a knowing
violation by Iron County of state statutes. In that
event, the only available understanding will be
that either statutes are being violated by failing to
publish the documents as required under state law,
or that Iron County published them and is
withholding them from public view in an attempt to
conceal knowing violations of the statutes as well as
your own published procedures and guidelines. Or
perhaps all the violative elements above.
Ultimately the questions resolve to a decision
whether Iron County is so married to what gives
the appearance of corrupt practices relevant to
financial matters that the county board will require
court proceedings to resolve the issues. The fact
that you have what amounts to a new county board
affords you a window to correct past bad practices
that I have lately called to your attention. You would
be surprised how much easier it is to voluntarily
come into compliance with state laws than it is to
embrace the bad practices handed to all of us by
past boards. Settlement of financial issues is always
better, and far less expensive, for all parties than
involving the judicial department of government in
matters such as are before us.
I wish all of us, Iron County government, and the
public you work for, the best.
===================================
Only parts of the reply,
received 29 May 2013
through the US Postal Service, are repeated below.
Although the entire reply from Mr. Lind is
objectionable to any thinking citizen, we are not
prepared to write a textbook on the matter of
misconduct as it relates to the Freedom of
Information Act,
through the US Postal Service, are repeated below.
Although the entire reply from Mr. Lind is
objectionable to any thinking citizen, we are not
prepared to write a textbook on the matter of
misconduct as it relates to the Freedom of
Information Act,
Lind's
Reply includes: “You
have suggested that the
County of Iron needs to 'publish procedures and
guidelines' to comport with the requirements of
the statute.”
County of Iron needs to 'publish procedures and
guidelines' to comport with the requirements of
the statute.”
In
a word, NO! I made no suggestions, I quoted the
state statute. Mr. Lind has a severe reading and
comprehension problem. Can such an individual be
qualified to be Chairman of the Iron County Board
of Commissioner? They certainly shouldn't be.
state statute. Mr. Lind has a severe reading and
comprehension problem. Can such an individual be
qualified to be Chairman of the Iron County Board
of Commissioner? They certainly shouldn't be.
Then
Lind goes completely berserk with his next
sentence,
sentence,
“The
requirements of the statute can not be
modified by the County of Iron.”
modified by the County of Iron.”
What
substance have you been imbibing, sir? There
is no logical conclusion resulting from my request(s)
that can possibly lead any sane, or as usually stated in
case law, prudent man, to bring such ideas into the
discussion. In fact, this is a classical “straw man”
style of argument. Lind makes up a story, loosely
attributes it to the FOIA appeal, and then proceeds,
very ineptly, to answer it.
is no logical conclusion resulting from my request(s)
that can possibly lead any sane, or as usually stated in
case law, prudent man, to bring such ideas into the
discussion. In fact, this is a classical “straw man”
style of argument. Lind makes up a story, loosely
attributes it to the FOIA appeal, and then proceeds,
very ineptly, to answer it.
Lind
continues: “In
Tallman
v Cheboygan
Area
Schools, 183 Mich App 123; 454 NW2d 171 (1990)
the court clearly stated that "The Legislature
specifically mandated the method of charging a
fee, . . .”
Schools, 183 Mich App 123; 454 NW2d 171 (1990)
the court clearly stated that "The Legislature
specifically mandated the method of charging a
fee, . . .”
Since
you've gotten to the point of actually citing a
case in the Michigan court, did you actually read the
case and understand it? Here's the gravamen of that
verdict as it applies here:
case in the Michigan court, did you actually read the
case and understand it? Here's the gravamen of that
verdict as it applies here:
“A
public body is not at liberty to simply "choose"
how much it will charge for records. To permit such
action would effectively allow the public body to
override the directive of the Legislature.”
how much it will charge for records. To permit such
action would effectively allow the public body to
override the directive of the Legislature.”
Yet
this is precisely on point and one of the issues I
have earlier argued. I wrote about this problem, and
how Iron County violated state statute precisely as
the Court in Tallman held, and violates it still, along
with the judicial finding in the case you cited. See
http://tinyurl.com/k6b7s35 that I published on
June 2, 2013.
have earlier argued. I wrote about this problem, and
how Iron County violated state statute precisely as
the Court in Tallman held, and violates it still, along
with the judicial finding in the case you cited. See
http://tinyurl.com/k6b7s35 that I published on
June 2, 2013.
We
should be done with Mr. Lind at this juncture,
but alas there are a few more topics that must be
addressed in order to complete this task. The nuns
that provided my grammar school education drilled
into me, “Any job worth doing is worth doing well!”
I believed them then and I hold fast to that sentiment
today. Would that Mr. Lind experienced his
education at the hands of those same nuns. We
would all be better off for it.
but alas there are a few more topics that must be
addressed in order to complete this task. The nuns
that provided my grammar school education drilled
into me, “Any job worth doing is worth doing well!”
I believed them then and I hold fast to that sentiment
today. Would that Mr. Lind experienced his
education at the hands of those same nuns. We
would all be better off for it.
Lind
replied: “In light of the fact that all existing
public records requested from the County of Iron
have been provided to you, your appeal is denied.
The County of Iron has already provided the '... full
and complete information . . . contained in the
public records' that were requested.”
public records requested from the County of Iron
have been provided to you, your appeal is denied.
The County of Iron has already provided the '... full
and complete information . . . contained in the
public records' that were requested.”
Given
these circumstances I'd have expected no less
of the Chairman of the Iron County Board, believe
me. Not a single public record that I requested has
ever been provided. Lind relies on an unstated claim
by the county that there are no records, with Iron
County thereby violating state law, while stating he
has provided your humble correspondent with all
the available documents. The claim that the
requested documents do not exist is designed to
conceal numerous other violations of state laws.
of the Chairman of the Iron County Board, believe
me. Not a single public record that I requested has
ever been provided. Lind relies on an unstated claim
by the county that there are no records, with Iron
County thereby violating state law, while stating he
has provided your humble correspondent with all
the available documents. The claim that the
requested documents do not exist is designed to
conceal numerous other violations of state laws.
Here's
the rub. Government workers do not
function at all without official guidelines and
procedures. That's precisely why the legislature
incorporated the requirement for a published
guideline into statute. But if those guidelines
and procedures are provided, as they are
required by law to be provided upon request,
they must include the State of Michigan
instructions on how to determine the cost of
copies, another section of the law that Lind,
and Iron County, both knowingly violate.
function at all without official guidelines and
procedures. That's precisely why the legislature
incorporated the requirement for a published
guideline into statute. But if those guidelines
and procedures are provided, as they are
required by law to be provided upon request,
they must include the State of Michigan
instructions on how to determine the cost of
copies, another section of the law that Lind,
and Iron County, both knowingly violate.
As
we were growing up, most of us encountered
the wisdom about lying that once you tell one, they
just keep growing, one atop the other in order to
keep covering up the original lie along with all the
other lies that grew out of it. (Sometimes we, the
observers, say nothing, when the lies are
inconsequential.) That's likely what I have
encountered, and will continue to uncover as I
pursue this Iron County FOIA sequence of what
appears to be lies piled atop lies.
the wisdom about lying that once you tell one, they
just keep growing, one atop the other in order to
keep covering up the original lie along with all the
other lies that grew out of it. (Sometimes we, the
observers, say nothing, when the lies are
inconsequential.) That's likely what I have
encountered, and will continue to uncover as I
pursue this Iron County FOIA sequence of what
appears to be lies piled atop lies.
This
current series of FOIA requests has become
the newer version of the Tom King saga wherein
Iron County violated the laws of the state at every
turn while feigning having complied. It seems that
even with changes in elected officials, Iron
County has retained these lousy stripes. That's
merely another example that the corporate culture
has not changed. Indeed, Peter's Principle (which
see) has played its nasty role.
the newer version of the Tom King saga wherein
Iron County violated the laws of the state at every
turn while feigning having complied. It seems that
even with changes in elected officials, Iron
County has retained these lousy stripes. That's
merely another example that the corporate culture
has not changed. Indeed, Peter's Principle (which
see) has played its nasty role.
But
we saved the greatest baloney (the descriptive
plays well in prime time version of an expression of
disdain) for last.
plays well in prime time version of an expression of
disdain) for last.
Lind
wrote: “It should be noted that future county
budgets are likely to be posted on the County of
Iron website for direct viewing by anyone interested
to do so.”
budgets are likely to be posted on the County of
Iron website for direct viewing by anyone interested
to do so.”
Really,
Mr. Lind? Are you going to post all 114
pages, and perhaps more? Or will you post truly
obsolete information similar to this:
http://www.ironcountymcf.com/manor.htm
pages, and perhaps more? Or will you post truly
obsolete information similar to this:
http://www.ironcountymcf.com/manor.htm
It seems that everyone but Iron County officialdom
already knows that Crystal Manor has not been a
county-owned nursing home for a very long time,
and that it has not only passed to private ownership
but has been re-purposed as rental housing. Iron
County is well known for incompetence with
managing internet web pages. And that's why,
years later, the public continues to pay for the
county's internet publication of misinformation.
The
crux of the important issue was clearly stated
by the judge writing the opinion in the Tallman Case:
by the judge writing the opinion in the Tallman Case:
“We
acknowledge that the amount in dispute in
this lawsuit is economically insubstantial.
Nevertheless, the public policy of this state
entitling the public to be informed is clear and the
this lawsuit is economically insubstantial.
Nevertheless, the public policy of this state
entitling the public to be informed is clear and the
legislative procedure to
accomplish the public
policy must be observed.”
policy must be observed.”
A quick estimate of the
“income” generated for Iron
County through their misapplication of FOIA “fees”
in violation of statute, holds that in the realm of
county government, even giving away the documents
to all comers wouldn't amount to a teacup full of
water being tossed into Lake Superior. The original
Michigan Freedom of Information Act was enacted in
1977, well over 3 decades ago. The the state legislature
has modified it a number of times and there are two
bills presently in the works to simplify it even further.
That also means there's better than a 30 year judicial
history, and numerous state issued booklets, Attorney
General Opinions, as well as municipal guidance
organizational booklets available affording guidance
about compliance with the FOIA laws. But Mr. Lind
still can't get it right despite all this assistance available
to him.
County through their misapplication of FOIA “fees”
in violation of statute, holds that in the realm of
county government, even giving away the documents
to all comers wouldn't amount to a teacup full of
water being tossed into Lake Superior. The original
Michigan Freedom of Information Act was enacted in
1977, well over 3 decades ago. The the state legislature
has modified it a number of times and there are two
bills presently in the works to simplify it even further.
That also means there's better than a 30 year judicial
history, and numerous state issued booklets, Attorney
General Opinions, as well as municipal guidance
organizational booklets available affording guidance
about compliance with the FOIA laws. But Mr. Lind
still can't get it right despite all this assistance available
to him.
Doesn't County Government
have enough to keep
elected officials busy with significant issues? Out of
the difficulties the county owned nursing home has
been having regarding the purchase of necessary
drugs for the patients grew my idea that Iron County
should establish its own pharmacy. Then the impact
of this FOIA nonsense got in the way of my
spreading the word. But why should the county have
to rely on me in the first place? Isn't that why we
have elected officials and paid advisers?
Another input brought to light that County Health
Departments are already licensed to dispense drugs,
so the natural entity would be our health department.
But “our” health department is combined with
Dickinson County. So the entity that could be
created could serve all government employees in
both counties as well as the nursing home as a non-
profit pharmacy, thereby saving taxpayers in both
counties substantial money. You'd think that this
concept, already introduced to the county, would
be the sort of thing elected officials would grab and
run with, instead of carrying on and wasting their
time playing stupid insane games about FOIA fees.
elected officials busy with significant issues? Out of
the difficulties the county owned nursing home has
been having regarding the purchase of necessary
drugs for the patients grew my idea that Iron County
should establish its own pharmacy. Then the impact
of this FOIA nonsense got in the way of my
spreading the word. But why should the county have
to rely on me in the first place? Isn't that why we
have elected officials and paid advisers?
Another input brought to light that County Health
Departments are already licensed to dispense drugs,
so the natural entity would be our health department.
But “our” health department is combined with
Dickinson County. So the entity that could be
created could serve all government employees in
both counties as well as the nursing home as a non-
profit pharmacy, thereby saving taxpayers in both
counties substantial money. You'd think that this
concept, already introduced to the county, would
be the sort of thing elected officials would grab and
run with, instead of carrying on and wasting their
time playing stupid insane games about FOIA fees.
I also approached county
officials with an idea (the
result of a question raised in response to my article
about Crivitz) on how to get US2 through traffic
stopped in Iron County long enough to get to know
us, hopefully (because we're attractive enough) to
participate in our economy. I concurrently resolved,
in the best possible way, the placement of a
substantial future county airport.
If we're not attractive enough, why aren't you
working to fix that? For example, why hasn't the
county, along with the City of Iron River, applied
to the legislators to allow the beautification of the
Iron River as it passes through town?
There you have 2 major self-supporting projects
that would actually help the county and its citizens
that were presented, and the ball simply dropped
because our elected officials are hell bent on
getting 30 cents a page for FOIA results.And I've
only scratched the surface on the possibilities for
our region!
result of a question raised in response to my article
about Crivitz) on how to get US2 through traffic
stopped in Iron County long enough to get to know
us, hopefully (because we're attractive enough) to
participate in our economy. I concurrently resolved,
in the best possible way, the placement of a
substantial future county airport.
If we're not attractive enough, why aren't you
working to fix that? For example, why hasn't the
county, along with the City of Iron River, applied
to the legislators to allow the beautification of the
Iron River as it passes through town?
There you have 2 major self-supporting projects
that would actually help the county and its citizens
that were presented, and the ball simply dropped
because our elected officials are hell bent on
getting 30 cents a page for FOIA results.And I've
only scratched the surface on the possibilities for
our region!
Given that the demands
placed directly on the
Iron County Board by the State of Michigan as
regards interaction with the public are very few
and very easy to obey, the fact that Iron County,
by and through Carl Lind not only fail, but
arrogantly refuse, to abide by those requirements
leads us, as viewers of governmental bad conduct,
to wonder whether this is the consequence of
incompetence or insanity.
Iron County Board by the State of Michigan as
regards interaction with the public are very few
and very easy to obey, the fact that Iron County,
by and through Carl Lind not only fail, but
arrogantly refuse, to abide by those requirements
leads us, as viewers of governmental bad conduct,
to wonder whether this is the consequence of
incompetence or insanity.
Frankly my first (and
continuing) personal
reaction to having read Lind's letter was one of,
reaction to having read Lind's letter was one of,
“Are you insane?”
And I promptly realized I
had stated the question
aloud. I still don't know for sure what the answer is.
And the entire incident possibly doesn't seem very
important to most readers, until you consider that if
Carl Lind is incapable of executing the easiest tasks
of his office as required, what is he doing with the
more complex ones? He was, after all, a city
councilman for Crystal Falls while the seeds of
financial failure were being sowed for that city. The
essential question now is, can he foresee the
directions in which he is presently "leading" Iron
County?
The fact that the county has dropped the ball on
both the pharmacy and increasing tourism projects
yields to the natural conclusion that Carl Lind keeps
tripping over dollar bills in order to pick up pennies.
Is that the government you want? Really?
aloud. I still don't know for sure what the answer is.
And the entire incident possibly doesn't seem very
important to most readers, until you consider that if
Carl Lind is incapable of executing the easiest tasks
of his office as required, what is he doing with the
more complex ones? He was, after all, a city
councilman for Crystal Falls while the seeds of
financial failure were being sowed for that city. The
essential question now is, can he foresee the
directions in which he is presently "leading" Iron
County?
The fact that the county has dropped the ball on
both the pharmacy and increasing tourism projects
yields to the natural conclusion that Carl Lind keeps
tripping over dollar bills in order to pick up pennies.
Is that the government you want? Really?
Who is watching?
Who is reporting?
We recently published an
article about other trusted
county employees routinely sneaking out of the office
on Friday afternoons. They need ongoing supervision,
as does Carl Lind in his position of County
Commissioner. But that should not be necessary at
this level for an elected official. Under those
circumstances we have to say that it is your humble
correspondent's opinion that since Mr. Lind cannot
comply with the essentials of his office in this simple
matter then he's categorically unqualified to hold the
position he occupies.
county employees routinely sneaking out of the office
on Friday afternoons. They need ongoing supervision,
as does Carl Lind in his position of County
Commissioner. But that should not be necessary at
this level for an elected official. Under those
circumstances we have to say that it is your humble
correspondent's opinion that since Mr. Lind cannot
comply with the essentials of his office in this simple
matter then he's categorically unqualified to hold the
position he occupies.
So
should Carl Lind be recalled? That's up to the
voters. But it is the opinion of your humble
correspondent that if Carl Lind is an honest and
honorable man. he should resign immediately to
make way for someone who knows how to
prioritize what's important and what is “insane”
behavior by the county board and those who
advise them.
There's a lot to achieve here in Iron County, but
we have (probably more than one) public officials
hell bent on power plays instead of real progress.
Can we get rid of them?
voters. But it is the opinion of your humble
correspondent that if Carl Lind is an honest and
honorable man. he should resign immediately to
make way for someone who knows how to
prioritize what's important and what is “insane”
behavior by the county board and those who
advise them.
There's a lot to achieve here in Iron County, but
we have (probably more than one) public officials
hell bent on power plays instead of real progress.
Can we get rid of them?
Bill
Vajk
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Taxpayer's Association
I received the following email today and spoke with Al Gregg
about publishing his sentiments. The Taxpayer's Association is
an entity that should be more active than it has been in recent
years. I hope someone will volunteer to take it over.
============================================
Please contact Mr. Gregg or this publication if you are interested
in improving the situations in Iron County.
Bill Vajk
about publishing his sentiments. The Taxpayer's Association is
an entity that should be more active than it has been in recent
years. I hope someone will volunteer to take it over.
============================================
Mr. Vajk,
Many years ago I pointed out to townships, citys,
and county boards that this area was going down the
tube.
The behavior of certain people was the reason.
The very first things I noticed was the deterioration
of the entire area. Roads, Houses, Business's,
Employment, Schools, Taxes, The cost of all local
products.
I was not alone in these beliefs.
I jumped at the chance to help organize "The Iron
County Taxpayers Assoc". I had a great opportunity
to meet many people that also believed many things
were wrong with Iron County.
After many years of meetings,one day I looked
around and found myself alone. Through the years
I had found many direct confrontations,and many
personal threats. Being from the South Side Of
Chicago, none of this mattered to me.
There were some success's that helped our
Community. But many efforts were also losses,
because of the disinterest of the People.
Your last posting mentioned holding a meeting.
I am still in possession of all the paper work
and finances of the Taxpayers Assoc, which
is registered at the Iron County Courthouse.
I would very much LIKE a Concerned Citizen
from Iron County, to takeover this Association.
I would be willing to help with the startup all
I can.
If in your travels thru Iron County, you meet
someone that would be interested, please let
me know.
Thanks for your time,
Al Gregg
============================================Please contact Mr. Gregg or this publication if you are interested
in improving the situations in Iron County.
Bill Vajk
Is This What We Want? Really?
The fact that municipalities are the creation of the state and
the responsibility thereof is most succinctly stated in “Dillon’s
Rule.” The authority to create has, built in, the responsibility
for municipalities. This fact is proved by the example of the
state taking over the fiscally failed City of Detroit and running
it. But the fact that municipalities are unsupervised to the extent
that they can actually fail also demonstrates that the State of
Michigan doesn’t take that responsibility seriously until it is too
late. Crystal Falls is a local example of a city headed in that
direction, as well as the recent redirection of the City of Iron
River through the budgetary intervention of the new City
Manager.
The other shortcoming of the current scheme of “state control”
is the fact that as presently framed, audits fail to clearly show
a municipal government that’s headed for disaster.
With these facts as a backdrop, Iron County Doings decided to
take a look at the population of Iron County vis a vis the number
of municipalities in Iron County and the number of public officials
running things locally.
Pop Officials Municipality
921 21 Bates Township
1743 17 Crystal Falls Township
338 15 Hematite Township
1027 14 Iron River Township
241 17 Mansfield Township
656 18 Mastodon Township
1140 18 Stambaugh Township
906 14 City of Caspian
1469 13 City of Crystal Falls
347 14 City of Gaastra
3029 26 City of Iron River
219 8 Village of Alpha
So we have a (county provided number) population of 12036
with 195 public officials at the township/village/city aspect. It is
too difficult, for the purposes of this simple exposition of a
significant problem, to determine all the additional Iron County
officials and DDA board members. And I haven’t even included
things like redundant school boards, redundant airports, libraries,
and the Windsor Center, that add to our tax burden.
Just with those listed above, there is a public official for every
62 people (includes men, women, and children) in the
township/city/village type municipalities. I’d wager a good cup
of coffee that by the time we add in all the other officials absent
from the census above we can expect that in reality there is
presently a public official for every 50 residents, or fewer, in Iron
County, Michigan.
That’s ridiculous!
The State of Michigan estimates the total population of Iron
County at 11,633 for the year 2009, the most recent data
available on the internet. 2,383 of those are under age 20, or
roughly 1/5th of the total population. Looking a bit further,
there are 751 in the age 15 through 19 class, but only 490 in the
age 0 through 4 class, indicating a significant predictable decline
in the overall population in the next 20 years. The greatest
number of people fall into the age 55 through 59 bracket,
comprising roughly 1038 individuals.
We have a total of 2383 children, that is individuals between
age 0 and age 19. I didn’t chose the age bracketing for the state
numbers, I’d have broken it into three year brackets, but we
have what we have.
But, if these trends continue as they appear in the population
estimates at the moment, the total population of Iron County 50
years from now will be well less than half the present number,
conservatively about 47%, in all probability the population
decline will be even worse. Assuming no change to the political
structure if Iron County, township/village/city officials will be
1 for every 28 residents.
And here I thought the present day circumstance absurd enough,
but look at the future we’re planning for our descendents, not
to mention the unnecessarily wasteful price we’re paying right
now!
I had urged Iron River Township to abandon the use of the
Township Hall and to rent those existing available facilities
conducive to conducting the business of the township. In the
long haul it would be much cheaper than what is presently
planned. Good grief, we’re only talking about a total of 1027
residents today, and less than half that in 50 years! Why on
earth is the township board investing increasingly difficult to
come by tax dollars in hardly used infrastructure? Can’t the
township board think of better places to spend those tax dollars?
I sure can, as can most of the township’s population! Iron River
Township doesn’t need regular meetings at this point, we badly
need a series of old fashioned New England style Town Hall
meetings with elected officials listening to and acting on the
recommendations they receive.
In the early 1980’s, when I first became interested in Iron County
and bought property here, the major topic of discussion was that
the furnace in Township Hall had a cracked heat exchanger, and
one, or some, members of the then township board wanted to
find someone to weld the heat exchanger because the township
didn’t have the money to buy a new furnace. It seems the more
things change, the more they stay the same. Is Iron River Township
Hall something the residents are proud of? It was built during days
when energy was so cheap it made no economic sense to provide
good insulation. It is inefficient and has absolutely no redeeming
architectural value. The basement, with a single exit, is a death trap
waiting to happen. It is unfit for human occupancy under any
circumstances, even for the servicing of the heating equipment.
Here’s a dose of much needed reality. None of the public officials in
Iron County have looked beyond the end of their nose. Each sees
favorite projects they would like to see achieved during their
typically one to three terms in office. But so far, not a single one
has looked at the big picture of where this county, and its population,
is heading. The population is declining at an alarming rate, a rate
that’s bound to increase because there are natural thresholds that,
once exceeded, trigger additional population decline. And we’re
headed in that direction.
Not a single local official has considered that we have far too
many municipalities, and far too many public officials, in Iron
County, Michigan. For a total population of 11633 (or less) we
don’t need more than one, count them 1, municipal government
to service all the needs of such a small population. Just like for
2383 children total in Iron County today, headed to be roughly
½ in less than 20 years, we don’t need any more than one, count
them 1, school district. And we certainly didn’t need the grant
money “improvements” in the Forest Park school district that we
recently implemented. That money, at least the parts to make life
more pleasant for the janitorial staff who are already well paid,
could have been much better spent, perhaps on more civics
education that’s an improvement very clearly needed in Iron
County. Perhaps the elected officials could attend an adult
education version of such classes. But wait, we have no adult
education locally because the money is being wasted.
What is this insanity anyway? Just because all these 13
municipalities in Iron County today, multiple libraries, a road
commission, and multiple school districts, were organized when
Iron County was economically expanding doesn’t mean we
need to be saddled with the no longer possible dreams of
growth from the last century and pay through the nose for
services and infrastructure we don’t need! There are things
we do need. Things like reasonable roads, and sufficient
economic growth to sustain the existing population before we
become another Appalachia. We need transportation services
for our aging population. The needs list is nearly endless, with
a zero response.
What we need badly, and very quickly, is a county wide master
plan to reorganize the political structure in this county. Surely the
greedy among the politicos will resist such a change because too
few positions of power will be easily available to them. It seems
to me that if they invested their time into economic growth
initiatives instead of local politics, they would achieve even
greater clout in the community than they presently experience.
So do we do continue as we are, wasting tax monies? Or do we
bite down on the hardest job of all, and reorganize Iron County as
a model of efficiency and service to the people who live here?
Freeing up the money presently wasted on too many municipalities
and public officials could make life in Iron County much better for
everyone living here.
Bill Vajk
the responsibility thereof is most succinctly stated in “Dillon’s
Rule.” The authority to create has, built in, the responsibility
for municipalities. This fact is proved by the example of the
state taking over the fiscally failed City of Detroit and running
it. But the fact that municipalities are unsupervised to the extent
that they can actually fail also demonstrates that the State of
Michigan doesn’t take that responsibility seriously until it is too
late. Crystal Falls is a local example of a city headed in that
direction, as well as the recent redirection of the City of Iron
River through the budgetary intervention of the new City
Manager.
The other shortcoming of the current scheme of “state control”
is the fact that as presently framed, audits fail to clearly show
a municipal government that’s headed for disaster.
With these facts as a backdrop, Iron County Doings decided to
take a look at the population of Iron County vis a vis the number
of municipalities in Iron County and the number of public officials
running things locally.
Pop Officials Municipality
921 21 Bates Township
1743 17 Crystal Falls Township
338 15 Hematite Township
1027 14 Iron River Township
241 17 Mansfield Township
656 18 Mastodon Township
1140 18 Stambaugh Township
906 14 City of Caspian
1469 13 City of Crystal Falls
347 14 City of Gaastra
3029 26 City of Iron River
219 8 Village of Alpha
So we have a (county provided number) population of 12036
with 195 public officials at the township/village/city aspect. It is
too difficult, for the purposes of this simple exposition of a
significant problem, to determine all the additional Iron County
officials and DDA board members. And I haven’t even included
things like redundant school boards, redundant airports, libraries,
and the Windsor Center, that add to our tax burden.
Just with those listed above, there is a public official for every
62 people (includes men, women, and children) in the
township/city/village type municipalities. I’d wager a good cup
of coffee that by the time we add in all the other officials absent
from the census above we can expect that in reality there is
presently a public official for every 50 residents, or fewer, in Iron
County, Michigan.
That’s ridiculous!
The State of Michigan estimates the total population of Iron
County at 11,633 for the year 2009, the most recent data
available on the internet. 2,383 of those are under age 20, or
roughly 1/5th of the total population. Looking a bit further,
there are 751 in the age 15 through 19 class, but only 490 in the
age 0 through 4 class, indicating a significant predictable decline
in the overall population in the next 20 years. The greatest
number of people fall into the age 55 through 59 bracket,
comprising roughly 1038 individuals.
We have a total of 2383 children, that is individuals between
age 0 and age 19. I didn’t chose the age bracketing for the state
numbers, I’d have broken it into three year brackets, but we
have what we have.
But, if these trends continue as they appear in the population
estimates at the moment, the total population of Iron County 50
years from now will be well less than half the present number,
conservatively about 47%, in all probability the population
decline will be even worse. Assuming no change to the political
structure if Iron County, township/village/city officials will be
1 for every 28 residents.
And here I thought the present day circumstance absurd enough,
but look at the future we’re planning for our descendents, not
to mention the unnecessarily wasteful price we’re paying right
now!
I had urged Iron River Township to abandon the use of the
Township Hall and to rent those existing available facilities
conducive to conducting the business of the township. In the
long haul it would be much cheaper than what is presently
planned. Good grief, we’re only talking about a total of 1027
residents today, and less than half that in 50 years! Why on
earth is the township board investing increasingly difficult to
come by tax dollars in hardly used infrastructure? Can’t the
township board think of better places to spend those tax dollars?
I sure can, as can most of the township’s population! Iron River
Township doesn’t need regular meetings at this point, we badly
need a series of old fashioned New England style Town Hall
meetings with elected officials listening to and acting on the
recommendations they receive.
In the early 1980’s, when I first became interested in Iron County
and bought property here, the major topic of discussion was that
the furnace in Township Hall had a cracked heat exchanger, and
one, or some, members of the then township board wanted to
find someone to weld the heat exchanger because the township
didn’t have the money to buy a new furnace. It seems the more
things change, the more they stay the same. Is Iron River Township
Hall something the residents are proud of? It was built during days
when energy was so cheap it made no economic sense to provide
good insulation. It is inefficient and has absolutely no redeeming
architectural value. The basement, with a single exit, is a death trap
waiting to happen. It is unfit for human occupancy under any
circumstances, even for the servicing of the heating equipment.
Here’s a dose of much needed reality. None of the public officials in
Iron County have looked beyond the end of their nose. Each sees
favorite projects they would like to see achieved during their
typically one to three terms in office. But so far, not a single one
has looked at the big picture of where this county, and its population,
is heading. The population is declining at an alarming rate, a rate
that’s bound to increase because there are natural thresholds that,
once exceeded, trigger additional population decline. And we’re
headed in that direction.
Not a single local official has considered that we have far too
many municipalities, and far too many public officials, in Iron
County, Michigan. For a total population of 11633 (or less) we
don’t need more than one, count them 1, municipal government
to service all the needs of such a small population. Just like for
2383 children total in Iron County today, headed to be roughly
½ in less than 20 years, we don’t need any more than one, count
them 1, school district. And we certainly didn’t need the grant
money “improvements” in the Forest Park school district that we
recently implemented. That money, at least the parts to make life
more pleasant for the janitorial staff who are already well paid,
could have been much better spent, perhaps on more civics
education that’s an improvement very clearly needed in Iron
County. Perhaps the elected officials could attend an adult
education version of such classes. But wait, we have no adult
education locally because the money is being wasted.
What is this insanity anyway? Just because all these 13
municipalities in Iron County today, multiple libraries, a road
commission, and multiple school districts, were organized when
Iron County was economically expanding doesn’t mean we
need to be saddled with the no longer possible dreams of
growth from the last century and pay through the nose for
services and infrastructure we don’t need! There are things
we do need. Things like reasonable roads, and sufficient
economic growth to sustain the existing population before we
become another Appalachia. We need transportation services
for our aging population. The needs list is nearly endless, with
a zero response.
What we need badly, and very quickly, is a county wide master
plan to reorganize the political structure in this county. Surely the
greedy among the politicos will resist such a change because too
few positions of power will be easily available to them. It seems
to me that if they invested their time into economic growth
initiatives instead of local politics, they would achieve even
greater clout in the community than they presently experience.
So do we do continue as we are, wasting tax monies? Or do we
bite down on the hardest job of all, and reorganize Iron County as
a model of efficiency and service to the people who live here?
Freeing up the money presently wasted on too many municipalities
and public officials could make life in Iron County much better for
everyone living here.
Bill Vajk
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