Moto Mania Propaganda as Printed in the 7 April 2011 Clare County Cleaver Debunked

According to the latest propaganda piece in the Clare County Cleaver, (aka the Moto Mania PR and Propaganda Rag), by Genine Hopkins, “despite the hopes by some Hayes Township Officials” – (John Scherrer?  Lee Dancer? Lyle Criscuolo?), “that the controversy surrounding Michigan Moto Mania had passed,” the neighbors have exercised their right to appeal the decision made by the Hayes Township Planning Commission to grant Michigan Moto Mania Campground and Resort a Special Use Permit without conditions. 

Really?  Did they really think we wouldn’t?  Once again we have to go through the motions of trying to make the “system” work before we abandon the system altogether and resort to court.  That means, Genine, the appeal has to go to the Zoning Board of Appeals first.  So Michigan Moto Mania must “suffer another appeal.”  (Very dramatic, Genine).  Just like the neighbors had to suffer another SUP application.  But hey, misery loves company.   

Since this Moto Mania business was snuck through in an unadvertised, last minute, hushed up meeting back in October 2009, the legal battle has only been going on for a little over a year.  (The Collins’ lawsuit was filed on 7 April 2010.)  It has not been “ongoing for the past two years” as Genine claims.  (I know.  It just seems longer when an SUP that was never supposed to be granted in the first place keeps raising its ugly head in some new mutation.  Son of Moto Mania.  Moto Mania, the Campground and Resort version.)  If it's overturned on Friday, I wonder how it will be reincarnated next time around?

"This legal battle, which has been ongoing for the past two years, has been a thorn in the side of Hayes Township, ..."

Genine exaggerates the timeframe.  What’s the matter, Genine?  Don’t you trust people to think for themselves?  If all you did was lay out the facts for them, both pro and con, what would happen?  Oh, right.  Nobody knows because you can’t tell it without trying to influence it.

This “ongoing legal battle” may well be a thorn in the side of Hayes Township, but it is a thorn of their own making.  Perhaps they should have thought about it before they bent the rules in the first place.

“MMM’s original application, although it could have fallen under resort, was applied for as a park, which has to be publically owned in order to qualify for an SUP under Hayes Township ordinances,” according to Genine Hopkins.  Wrong again, Genine.  That Doug Longenecker applied as a park instead of as a “resort” is an illustration of the fact that he just didn’t do his homework and went into this endeavor half cocked.  A privately owned park run as a business doesn’t get the same consideration as a publically owned not-for-profit park.  He applied as a “park” without realizing that there were any legal implications whatsoever.  And with key personnel in key positions on the boards, why would he have to worry about that?  I’m sure he was guaranteed to be a shoo-in when he looked at the property, hence his initial lawsuit, which he has since dropped.  (Let's see if he files a new one if his SUP is overturned again.)  Because that’s the way we do business here in Hayes Township.  Always have.  Until some neighbors called foul. 

No doubt that along with “taking their time” or appearing to do so by dragging the so-called process out for three weeks in a row, certain members of the Planning Commission probably coached Mr. Longenecker about just how to word things; assisted of course by Mr. Longenecker’s legal counsel and possibly other interested parties.  Genine with her law classes seems intimately familiar with all the details, whys and wherefores of Mr. Longenecker’s latest application.

I have no doubt that the Planning Commissioners went to Mr. Longenecker’s property. Some of their comings and goings have been noted.  While they may have “extensively interviewed” Mr. Longenecker, their due diligence was lacking in the “extensive interviews” of the neighbors.  None of us remember having any “extensive” conversations with any members of the Planning Commission, unless Mr. Criscuolo soliciting input from Matt Scheffler and Kimberly Kusiak constitutes an “extensive interview” or an attempt “to determine if some kind of compromise was possible.”  In the end, the input provided by those two neighbors was moot since it was never discussed in an open forum.         

“According to Hayes Township’s ordinances, the appeals time is only days, but township attorney David Dreyer adjusted the appeals time to reflect that of the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act, which provides for a full 30 days for an appeal.” 30 days seems to be a reasonable time to appeal a decision made by the Planning Commission.  Sometimes it takes some time to have a lawyer word the appeal.  If the Hayes Township Zoning Ordinance provided less time than the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act, that would have left Hayes Township vulnerable to a lawsuit for not providing enough time for an appeal to be filed.  It was a prudent thing for Mr. Dreyer to do.  But if needs be, the HTZO should be amended to comply with the MZEA.

In all of her biased writings, Genine continues to refer to the neighbors as “the opposition”, reminding us of her personal biases and the biases of the Cleaver in trying to cast the neighbors in a negative light.  In opposing Moto Mania, we are also opposing the misapplication of the Hayes Township Zoning Ordinances to serve an agenda.  We are in opposition to the bending and breaking of the law when it suits the purpose of our local government leaders.  The fact that this kind of thing, even to achieve a desirable end is tolerated, is worrisome for Hayes Township.  It is no wonder with all the scofflaws representing Hayes Township in local government there is so much more crime in Hayes Township than almost all of the other townships in Clare County combined.  Where there is lax enforcement, there is more crime because the criminal element has learned that the odds of getting away with it are greater in Hayes Township.  The people of Hayes Township have poor examples set for them by their elected and appointed leaders.     

“Although the opposition continues, there is a general belief that since no errors were made,  and the plan for MMM now includes a wider array of activities that are more in line with the exemptions, the appeal may lack the legal standing of the first appeal.”  Really Genine?  Where is this “general belief” coming from, except in your own mind, and in the minds of your colleagues at the Moto Mania PR and Propaganda Rag?  Is this “general belief” shared by the several biased members of the elected and appointed Hayes Township boards?  And this “general belief” is based on whose legal expertise among the general population of Hayes Township?  Yours?  This new application with the new pretty words is the exact same SUP as the last one with window dressing added.  Motocross and ORV riding and racing have not been removed from the equation at all.  (Without restrictions, remember?) Other things have been added, but nothing has been removed. 

“In the appeals document, the parties…cite conflict of interest for new Planning Commission member Wesley Kenney, …” Yes, we have pointed out Wesley Kenney’s conflict of interest  - his business was the very first business listed in the support ad published in the Cleaver on 29 Apr 2010.  How is that not bias and a conflict of interest?  Especially if Mr. Longenecker avails himself of Mr. Kenney’s landscaping services in the future?  One can hardly call Mr. Kenney unbiased.

We have also pointed out Don Atkinson’s conflicts of interest. 

Lee Dancer has admitted to hoping to get some wells out of Moto Mania. 

I’d like to know how Genine knows about a cross that was erected and has since “fallen down” (of its own accord, I’m sure) on the Collins’ property.  Has she been trespassing on the Collins’ property to see it for herself?  It is interesting that the cross was discovered as having “fallen down” about a week and a half before the news of it was printed in the Cleaver.  The Collins’ were out of town at the time it was discovered that it had “fallen down” by a caretaker.  By the time the Moto Mania PR and Propaganda Rag went to print, the cross had been erected again.  You got it wrong again, Genine.     

“The majority of local citizens hope MMM can finally open, bringing tourists to the area and creating jobs for the many unemployed in the area.” 

Let’s break that down: 

“The majority of local citizens…” – How many of these “local citizens” are paying property tax in Hayes Township?  There are a lot of “local citizens” who neither reside nor pay taxes in Hayes Township.  Why should these people have a voice in what happens in Hayes Township? 

“…hope MMM can finally open…” - They want to play on someone else’s property in someone else’s back yard with their noisy toys.

“…bringing tourists to the area…” – more people, not form around here who want to play on someone else’s property in someone else’s back yard with their noisy toys.

“…and creating jobs for the many unemployed in the area.” -  Do you really believe that the “many unemployed” (all of them) will be put back to work as soon as MMM opens its doors?  I have a bridge I want to sell you.  Just exactly what are these jobs that will be opening up on April 16 if Moto Mania is not overturned by the ZBA?  I’d like to see a list of all of those job descriptions and what the pay and benefits are for all the unemployed people of Harrison (besides potentially Wes Kenney and Lee Dancer, and whatever construction company Mr. Longenecker has building stuff for him - these are people who are not unemployed.  They already have their own work in other places besides MMM.).   Those want ads should be out on the PR and Propaganda Rag in the 21 Apr 2011 edition if the ZBA does not overturn the SUP.  Those job descriptions with pay and benefits scales should be available for the ZBA to look over in time to make their decision. Why doesn’t anyone ask Mr. Longenecker to produce them?  How many of the unemployed are there in Harrison and how many actual jobs are going to materialize? 

“An economic impact study conducted by the Outdoor Industry Foundation, that points to a study of the economic impact of outdoor resorts and activities in the state of Wisconsin, similar to the activities that MMM will be offering.  This study was attached to the application as proof of the economic value of MMM to the area.”  The entire Outdoor Industry Foundation study was not attached to the MMM SUP application.  Just a single page with a couple of sentences underlined from a document by Dick Ramey that is at least 9 pages long.  This document references the study and may or may not be relevant.  This is what was attached to Mr. Longenecker’s SUP.  Wisconsin is not Michigan.  The heavy local support is what has been whipped up by the pro-Moto Mania bully pulpit of the Cleaver and Steve and Peggy Rauch, along with Genine Hopkins.  Michigan Moto Mania has been hyping it up on facebook to people who don’t even live in Harrison. 

Instead of taking a commonsense approach to the growth of business in this area, the preferred method seems to be to foment hysteria about neighbors fighting a noisy business going into an area not zoned for it.  How much more of a win-win could it have been if Hayes Township and Harrison and Clare County combined their efforts to help Mr. Longenecker find the right place, properly zoned rather than force feeding the neighbors this business in their neighborhood and calling it good.  A lot less money would have been spent by everyone.

 

Letters Suppressed by Lyle - Letter #1 - Camping

As I have already mentioned, every letter that was written to the Hayes Township Planning Commission prior to the public hearing on 12 May 2010 was read except a handful of letters that Lyle refused to read.  In his refusal to read those letters, he suppressed the free speech of those who wrote the letters.  They were all written by me or members of my family.  They were all written on different topics related Michigan Moto Mania and the decision that was set before the Planning Commission at the time.  Since they were not read at the public hearing, I have decided to reproduce them here.

If there is any information to update, I will write it after the letter.

This first letter deals with the camping issue.

Hayes Township Planning Commission
C/O Hayes Township Clerk
P.O. Box 310 Harrison, MI 48625

Will there be camping at Michigan Moto Mania Offroad Extravaganza or won’t there be camping at Michigan Moto Mania Offroad Extravaganza?

According to the minutes of the Hayes Township Planning Commission’s “Special Meeting” dated 21 Oct 2009, Doug Longenecker had said that as part of the special use he was requesting, he was planning to have “camping and rustic areas” in his racing compound.

He was also advertising his camping areas on the Thumpertalk website as early as 14 March 2010.

After the March 16, 2010 Hayes Township Meeting when concerns were raised by the residents of Mostetler Road about this for-profit racing and riding facility, his local fan base began touting how good this facility will be for Harrison. He was painted as a concerned businessman who did not want to compete with the local businesses, but compliment local businesses, the better to garner public support for his commercial venture.

Mr. Longenecker himself began fostering this image in interviews with local newspapers. He told the Clare County Cleaver in an article on 18 March, “We will not offer any camping sites; this will provide local campgrounds with increased business as well.” Joanne Sherrick, after visiting the facility herself wrote in a letter to the editor of the Cleaver on 1 April, “Doug was quick to comment that there would be limited camping available. Instead of putting in a campground which he certainly could do, he is passing this business to our local motels and campgrounds.” To the Clare Sentinel, in an article on 9 April 2010, Mr. Longenecker said that his facility would not be a campground. Again, on 22 April, the Clare County Cleaver quoted Mr. Longenecker as saying, “…There won’t be any camping on the property, which will force any visitors to stay at local hotels and campgrounds…” Yet, for all these words and quotes from Mr. Longenecker, as late as today, May 12, 2010 on the Thumpertalk website, he lists among the amenities of Michigan Moto Mania camping, firepits and RV hookups.In the 2010 Welcome to Harrison Directory, the Michigan Moto Mania ad lists rustic camping as a feature of the racing and riding facility.

And, according the notification letter from Hayes Township, the Special Use being considered at the 12 May 2010 meeting includes camping and rustic areas.

So which is it? Camping or no camping? This inconsistency is characteristic of the other inconsistencies revolving around Michigan Moto Mania since Doug Longenecker came to Harrison with his divisive proposal.

I urge the Planning Commission to consider these and the other inconsistencies such as hours of operations, scope and magnitude of the facility, is it a racing facility or is it a family riding facility? And the many different site plans, none of which are yet in compliance with the Hayes Township Ordinance.

Thank you for your consideration,
Karen Laskowsky

Update:

The Thumpertalk Website under Where to Ride still (as of 6 Dec 2010) lists Michigan Moto Mania and exactly the same (now inaccurate) information as it did when Doug first posted it in January 2010.  Even as he was saying that there was not going to be camping, his advertisements on this site and in other places were not amended to change the status of camping at Michigan Moto Mania.

In Doug's eagerness to get Michigan Moto Mania pushed through the Planning Commission, he willingly gave up camping so as to not appear to compete with the local overnight accommodations.

The Planning Commission agreed that Doug could have his special Use for Michigan Moto Mania, but one of the restrictions they put on the facility was to disallow camping, presumably because of the concern with Doug competing with the campgrounds and motels already in Harrison.

Then in late July, someone got the bright idea to start calling Michigan Moto Mania a resort, which is an allowable Special Use in the A-R zone.  The problem is, without overnight accommodations, Michigan Moto Mania is not a resort - That's by the Hayes Township Zoning Ordinance definition of a resort.    That didn't phase the proponents of Michigan Moto Mania - as far as they were concerned, it was a resort.  Genine Hopkins now refers to it as a resort in all articles she writes for the Clare County Cleaver (the Moto Mania PR and Propaganda Paper), as she has since it first appeared in late July in one of her articles.  Jaynie Smith Hoerauf, Doug Longenecker's attorney argues that it is a resort based solely on the activity that will take place at the Gamble-Longenecker property if it is ever allowed to open.  The fan base also calls it a resort.  Steve Rauch, the self-appointed PR front man for Michigan Moto Mania says, "just throw a few campsites back in there and it will be a resort."

Saying it's a resort doesn't make it a resort no matter how badly people want it to be a resort.

That was in the run up to the final Zoning Board of Appeals meeting where the Special Use was overturned. 

Now Doug is planning to apply for a new Special Use using the "resort" argument. 

Tell me, where now is all the concern for the businesses (the motels and campgrounds already in and around Harrison) with which a Michigan Moto Mania with camping will be competing?  All of a sudden Doug is done trying to ingratiate himself with that part of the business community for the sake of getting his Special Use approved.  That really was the point wasn't it?  It wasn't about helping out the other businesses in town so much as it was getting the project approved, wasn't it?  Now that the point has been rendered moot by the Zoning Board of Appeals' decision to overturn the Special Use, it doesn't really matter whether the competing businesses like it or not.  The altruistic Doug Longenecker, whose concern is for the other businesses in town, is going to apply to become yet another business with overnight accommodations.  Because the other ones are so full up with no vacancies that Harrison needs a new one.

Because Doug cares so much about Harrison.

Who's Hating Who?

Last night (26 Oct 2010) Robin writes on the  Michigan Moto Mania page, "Meeting this Thursday at 9:30 at Hayes Twp. Meeting is to appoint ZBA members. Please show up if possible. Haters are on it and we need all the support to show ZBA members we care. thanks!"

I am sick and tired of being thought of as a hater just because I hold a different point of view.  Just because I vigorously stand up for things I believe in does not mean I hate anyone who holds an opposing point of view.  

The Mostetler Road/Deer Lake neighbors don't want to live near a Motocross business in our backyards.  That makes us haters?  We do not hate Doug and Robin Longenecker, nor do we hate the others who support Moto Mania, but we will fight tooth and nail to keep a motocross park out of our back yard and to expose and do something about the corruption that brought us this fiasco.

To Robin and others, that makes us haters. 

Shall I cite examples of the hatred that's been spewed forth by the Moto Mania supporters?  The names we've been called, the epithets that have been yelled at us just for standing up for ourselves and refusing to be bullied by a few local government officials who abuse their power?

There are more haters who support Moto Mania than there are among those who don't, and they've given me plenty to work with as Robin well knows.  All I have to do is cut and paste from Michigan Moto Mania screen captures.

      

The Proposed Amendments to the Hayes Township Zoning Ordinance Section 1501

In anticipation of Friday's public hearing, let us examine the Proposed amendments to the Hayes Township Zoning Ordinance as presented by Hayes Township Attorney Dreyer and voted on by the Planning Commission at the 13 Sep 2010 meeting.

Since this meeting is a public hearing, there will be public comment, much to the chagrin of those who would silence people with whom they disagree.  Who knows?  maybe a decent and better idea will come out during the public comment portion of the meeting.  Do I think that will happen?  No, but one can hope.

This document seems to have been drawn up by Attorney Dreyer using the most recent version of the Hayes Township Zoning Ordinance (2002) made available to the public on the Hayes Township website as the basis.  I'm not sure if this was the effort of Mr. Dreyer acting alone, or if unnamed others contributed to it.  If Mr. Dreyer wrote it up alone, it must be nice to have that much say in Township matters as an unelected lawyer who happens to represent the Township's legal interests.  As such it is only one man's opinion.

I'm still not clear if the Judge told him this was how to go about getting a definitive decision from the Zoning Board of Appeals or if this is the best way Mr. Dreyer can think of to come to a decision at all.  My sense of the situation is, the judge doesn't want to see this case until the Zoning Board of Appeals does their job and takes a decision, and it's up to them do do it.  Then he will do his job and pass judgement on the Township's handling of the whole Moto Mania/zoning situation.  Let the system work (or not), and exhaust all appeals before involving the court.  Perhaps Mr. Dreyer sent the neighbors to court prematurely.

It is unlikely that changing the rules in the middle of this debacle will result in an unbiased decision on the part of the Zoning Board of Appeals.  This issue has so divided Hayes Township that the chances of finding anyone who doesn't have an opinion on it one way or another are slim to none. 

Changing the rules is the latest attempt of the officials of Hayes Township to skirt the inevitable decision for which they will have to take responsibility.  Passing the buck to the judge ended with him passing it right back and telling the Township officials to do their job.  The Township officials allowed this situation to occur.  It is of their own making.  And they don't want to take responsibility for it. 

Personally, I think the members of the Zoning Board of Appeals, including Lyle should be locked in a room like a jury and deliberate sequestered until they come up with a decision.  Like a jury.  And no, Lyle shouldn't be allowed to vote since he already has, but he should have to be there since he's a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals.  In for a penny, in for a pound.  Only unlike a jury, they only have to pass whatever decision they take by the requisite 3 votes.  Sleep on cots at the Township offices and eat carry out food until they arrive at it.  Man up and take some responsibility for the decision you need to take.  Let the chips fall where they may.  But that's just me. 

The Township and their lawyer seem to want to complicate it further and open it up to all kinds of legal wrangling once it gets to court, not that there isn't already enough of that.

I will analyze the proposed amendments.  The proposed amendment's wording will be in italics, and the original wording will be in bold italics.  The differences will be underlined.  The analysis will be in plain text.

Section 1501

Board Membership

The Hayes Township Board of Appeals shall consist of seven (7) (five (5)) members and one (1) alternate member in accordance with the following requirements (recommendations)

In the original there were no alternates. 

Membership has gone from 5 to 7.  Certain members of the Township Board are balking because, "It's harder to get stuff done with more people."  I would suggest that it's also harder to control the votes of more people. 

Originally they were recommendations.  Now they're requirements.

(1.)  One member of the Zoning Board of Appeal (The first member) shall also be a member of the Hayes Township Planning Commission.  The Hayes Township Board shall select the member of the Hayes Township Planning Commission who is appointed to the Hayes Township Board of Zoning Appeals.    

I understand the reason for having a member of the Planning Commission on the Zoning Board of Appeals  - let's be consistent with what we're calling the Board within the document.  That way if there is any question as to how the Planning Commission arrived at a particular decision, they have a member of that board who was presumably, present at the meeting(s) in which the appealed decision was originally taken.

The original document did not address the process by which the representative from the Planning Commission was chosen.  Which begs the question of why Lyle was the member chosen, and how was he chosen?  Was he chosen because he is the Chair of the Planning Commission?  Did the Planning Commission choose him?  Did the Township board choose him?  Did he volunteer?  Was there some kind of process used to choose him?  If so, what was it?  I have more questions, but I'll ask them when those issues are addressed in the proposal.

Lyle Criscuolo is the Chair of the Planning Commission.  He is also the Planning Commission member appointed to the Zoning Board of Appeals. 

According to the new proposal, it is now the purview of the Township Board to choose a member of the Planning Commission to sit on the Zoning Board of Appeals.  It probably was before, but now it is specified.

(2)  One (1) member of the Hayes Township Zoning Board of Appeals may be a member of the Hayes Township Board.  At the discretion of the Hayes Township Board, one Hayes Township Board member shall be appointed to the Hayes Township Planning Commission.

This is a permissive appointment to the Zoning Board of Appeals.  There does not have to be a Township Board member but there may be one appointed to the Zoning Board of Appeals.  

Robert Hale is the Township Board member who is also on the Zoning Board of Appeals. 

This is a permissive appointment to the Planning Commission.  There does not have to be a member of the Township Board on the Planning Commission, but there is one currently.  This member is Lee Dancer. 

There is currently nothing in the Hayes Township Zoning Ordinance until this proposed amendment that addresses the composition of the Planning Commission at all.  This only touches on it.  Perhaps it should be fully addressed.  

(3) The remaining members of the Hayes Township Zoning Board of Appeals shall be selected from electors of (the) Hayes Township and appointed to their position by the Hayes Township Board.   

This point looks like a further clarification of the way they have been appointing members to the Zoning Board of Appeals already.

(4) In addition to the seven regular members of the Hayes Township Zoning Board of Appeals, the Hayes Township Board shall appoint one (1) alternate member.  The alternate member may be called by the Hayes Township Zoning Administrator and asked to serve as voting member of the Hayes Township Zoning Board of Appeals in any of the following events:

The current Zoning Administrator is Jim VanWormer.  It is his job to call the alternate when needed.

A. If a regular member will be unable to attend one or more meetings and notice is given by the regular member to the Hayes Township Zoning Administrator (verbally, in writing or by email) at least seven days prior to the date of the regular of special meeting.

I would suggest that notice should be given in writing or in email so there is a written and therefore verifiable record that the member will not be able to attend the meeting. 

Also, does the alternate vote as a proxy for the absent member?  Meaning is the alternate to vote the way the absent member instructs?  Or does the alternate member vote the way he or she sees fit?  This should be clarified in the amendment.

B.  In the event the Hayes Township Zoning Administrator has notice that a member has abstained or will be required to abstain by reason of conflict of interest.

This point should be further clarified that the member with the conflict of interest should give written or email and therefore verifiable notice of the conflict of interest to the Zoning Administrator.  And what the conflict is should also be a part of the record.

In this case, the alternate should vote his or her conscience.

Too bad there is no provision for a member of the the Planning Commission to reccuse him/herself from a particular vote in the case of a conflict of interest. 

C.  In the event that the regular or special meeting of the Hayes Township Zoning Board of Appeals is being called for the purpose of hearing an appeal from a decision of the Hayes Township Planning Commission.  In the event of such an appeal, the member on the Hayes Township Zoning Board is also a member of the Hayes Township Planning Commission shall abstain from deliberating or voting on the appeal and instead, in regard to the appeal, the alternate member shall serve in regard to the appeal until a final decision is made by the Hayes Township Zoning Board of Appeals.

In plain terms, this means that since the Michigan Moto Mania resolution adopted by the Planning Commission is being appealed to the Zoning Board of appeals, if this amendment is adopted, then Lyle must abstain from deliberating or voting on the Michigan Moto Mania issue in the Zoning Board of Appeals. Which begs another question of why have a member of the Planning Commission on the Zoning Board of Appeals at all?  Unless his sole purpose is to clarify why and how a decision taken by the Planning Commission was arrived at if asked.  But the alternate would deliberate and vote (presumably his conscience) with regard to the appeal until the Zoning Board of Appeals takes it's decision.

In the past, I suspect that Lyle was acting as a full voting member of the Zoning Board of Appeals until the Moto Mania situation.  If that is the case, then every vote he has ever cast as a member of the Zoning Board of appeals can be considered suspect since he has already cast his vote as a member of the Planning Commission.  How likely is it that he would ever vote to reverse a decision he took at a Planning Commission meeting?  That could open the door for appeals of past decisions made where Lyle was allowed to vote twice - once as a member of the Planning Commission and once again as a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals.

Does the zoning Board of Appeals ever meet for any other reason than to decide matters of appeal from the Planning Commission?  If they do not meet for any other reason, then it should be stipulated that the Zoning Board of Appeals member who also sits on the Panning Commission is always a non-voting member, unless there are other circumstances under which he or she can vote.  If there are no other circumstances, then I would suggest that there be an odd number of voting members and the Planning Commission member be a non-voting member. 

(5)  An employee (or contractor) of (the) Hayes Township may not serve as a member (or employee) of the Hayes Township Zoning Board of Appeals.  A licensed building contractor may not serve as a member of the Hayes Township Zoning Board of Appeals.

All the language pertaining to contractors of any kind has been stricken from the amendment.  As long as the understanding and meaning is that no one who is in the paid employ of Hayes Township may serve on the Hayes Township Zoning Board of Appeals, (so as to preclude a conflict of interest).

(6)  Any member of the Hayes Township Zoning Boardof Appeals who is also a member of the Planning Commission or a (an elected) member of the Township Board shall not serve as Chairperson of the Hayes Township Zoning Board of Appeals.   

This one appears to be aimed specifically at Lyle who has for the last decade or so been serving as the Chair of both the Planning Commission and the Zoning Board of Appeals. 

I have been asking for months how one goes about getting that gig in Hayes Township.  How is it that up until all of this scrutiny, this situation has been allowed to occur and continue?  It only adds to the perception of incestuousness on the Hayes Township governing boards and the perception that a handful of people control everything in Hayes Township. 


In my next post, I will look at Section 1502 and 1503.


      

Special Thanks To Michigan Moto Mania

Wednesday, August 4, 2010


Special Thanks to Michigan Moto Mania

My goodness! My blog is ever so popular now that I have gotten so much free publicity from Michigan Motomania's facebook page. Thank you Robin and Doug for the link!

Just remember kids - keep it clean and trolls will be banned.

Posted by klasko at 1:43 PM