Talk about Unnecessary

It's been a long morning.  Up at six am, I couldn't get my newspaper because of the ice in my driveway.  So, I spent the time working on my power point slide presentation on fiscal stress that is due by Monday.  (I'll be giving this talk in Lansing on March 25.)

It was almost noon by the time I got the Oakland Press out of my box.  I should have left it there.  Or at least not read the Opinion Page.

There in black and white is another guest opinion from two West Bloomfield officials.  Guess who.  The caption is 'Attacks from township clerk unnecessary'.  Attacks?  What attacks?  I haven't seen anything in the newspaper.  Wait.  Didn't I see something similar awhile back?  Why, yes I did.

The opinion starts out with the statement 'We are not conflict-oriented..'  Really?  Could have fooled me.  Why write a letter for something I have heard nothing about?

The two are complaining about a recent press release from the Township Clerk.  Well, I wonder how many residents have seen it.  Not me.  When I was Treasurer, I also sent letters to the editor and press releases, when necessary.  They were not always printed or acted upon.  So, the public knew nothing about them.

The article goes on to say that the Circuit Court Judge has 'seemingly...agreed with us...'  The issue referred to is the compensation of a trustee and the Judge has not made any decision.  If I were the Judge, I'd be more than a little peeved that they had the nerve to put words in my mouth.

They then rehash the three issues they lost on in the Court already and assert their opinion that they are still right and the Court is wrong, so to speak.

As to the position of a new Finance Director, if the position existed, the person would, under Township State law, report to the Clerk.  MCL Section 41.65 states: 

The township clerk shall be responsible for the detailed accounting records of the township utilizing the uniform chart of accounts prescribed by the state treasurer. The township clerk shall prepare and maintain the journals and ledgers necessary to reflect the assets, liabilities, fund equities, revenues, and expenditures for each fund of the township.

The job of the Supervisor is to prepare the budget, not run the finance department.  They are two separate things.  West Bloomfield never had a Finance Director, per se, in all the twenty years I was there (he was on sick leave and never came back).  That was one of the reasons we later changed a job title of Assistant Finance Director to Budget Director.

My opinion?  This entire 'guest opinion' was unnecessary.  It only serves to cause more dissension and get their pictures in the newspaper, yet again.