Many of you may have received a letter dated, well not dated, but signed by Linda Van Dolsen, Marilyn VanVleet, and Cookie Arquette. My entire voting family received their own individual copies in the mail today. I just couldn't pass up some very flagrant & inflammatory statements in said letter. For instance:
"Several years ago the previous township board formed a committee that studied the issue of a new township hall. That committee and the previous board pushed a dangerous, financially irresponsible $300,000.00 proposal. In 2006, the public forced the board to place a measure on the ballot to see if there was support for this project. The $300,000.00 proposal would have required the township to borrow at least half the money and may have required the township to increase property taxes to pay off that debt. That's right, they wanted to increase our taxes."
Wow, this paragraph is fraught with fallacies; where to begin?
Well, there was no "pushing", in fact the public in numerous meetings requested certain things be added to our current structure, such as, but not limited to, a basement, and a larger auditorium for hosting banquets and family gatherings.
Neither did the public force the board to place the measure on the ballot, that was a completely voluntary decision by a seated board, and the result of the vote was respected by that same board, hence the building project was dropped.
Now a new board, with some current members who were VERY VOCAL in their campaign against a larger township hall, has decided that they alone hold the powers to spend the very monies that the township requested not to be spent on a larger facility, and to do so with NO BIDS, and LITTLE INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC WHICH PUT THEM IN OFFICE. This is not beneficial leadership.
Another fallacy, which I believe this board understands to be misleading, is that a seated board can raise your property taxes. This is just not true. Remember, we are not the federal government, and a township government has NO AUTHORITY TO RAISE TAXES. Any raise in taxes past the Headley Amendment Rollback, must be voted on by the taxpayers. This is plain 'ole fear mongering.
Finally, this letter references people who want a seat on the board, but who is to say this is true. Who has said anyone wants a seat on this board? Who would voluntarily beat themselves up with their own severed arm.
Enjoy your week, and remember to vote your conscience on August 2nd.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Regularly Scheduled Meeting of Elk Township Goes Well, and Recall Goes On...
Notice the new links on the side bar:
Not much news info to share, just that according to the Fire Department Chair, the origin of the K & K Grocery fire was deemed "Undetermined" by the fire marshall,
and August 6th is the Annual Fireman's Ball, held again at Skinner Park.
There were motions made, seconded and passed to survey the rest of Lakeview Cemetery; renew our township's insurance policy; and turn the foreclosed township properties over to the county for selling (parcels which have not paid their property taxes).
also...
Sample Ballots have been printed for the Recall Election which will be held August 2, 2011 at the Elk Township Hall, the wording is as follows:
"Linda VanDolsen, Elk Township Supervisor (Marilyn VanVleet, Elk Township Clerk, and Frances Arquette, Elk Township Trustee), has demonstrated a lack of financial accountability and judgment when she committed Elk Township to spend $150,000.00 of cash reserve for a new town hall. She did not give due consideration to a less expensive proposal which would have extended the existing hall with new construction. The less expensive proposal would have added needed space and restored the integrity of the old building at considerable savings."
Links to interesting websites
- BSA Software Information on Taxes
- City-Data.com for Lake County
- Epodunk: Lake County Profile
- Lake County Free Public Records Directory
- Lake County Official Website
- Michigan Department of Natural Resources
- Michigan government
- Michigan Interactive Map
- Michigan Legislature
- Michigan Townships
- Snopes.com
- Wikipedia for Lake County, MI
Not much news info to share, just that according to the Fire Department Chair, the origin of the K & K Grocery fire was deemed "Undetermined" by the fire marshall,
and August 6th is the Annual Fireman's Ball, held again at Skinner Park.
There were motions made, seconded and passed to survey the rest of Lakeview Cemetery; renew our township's insurance policy; and turn the foreclosed township properties over to the county for selling (parcels which have not paid their property taxes).
also...
Sample Ballots have been printed for the Recall Election which will be held August 2, 2011 at the Elk Township Hall, the wording is as follows:
"Linda VanDolsen, Elk Township Supervisor (Marilyn VanVleet, Elk Township Clerk, and Frances Arquette, Elk Township Trustee), has demonstrated a lack of financial accountability and judgment when she committed Elk Township to spend $150,000.00 of cash reserve for a new town hall. She did not give due consideration to a less expensive proposal which would have extended the existing hall with new construction. The less expensive proposal would have added needed space and restored the integrity of the old building at considerable savings."
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