Responses to the council’s firing of Village Manager JoAnn Van Tassel
From the meeting:
‘I do not think it’s prudent for council to make this change in the administration at this time. Having served on council for six years, I found Ms. Van Tassel to be totally dedicated to serving the Village of Lake Orion. I am aware of some items underway that need her attention to finalize.?
— Bob Hollenbeck, former council member
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‘Nobody has checked my pulse. The way you’re talking, I’m dead. It’s a matter of respect. Have I liked everything that JoAnn has done? No, but I have a tremendous amount of respect for the decisions she has made. A review of her job, I think that’s a fair way.?
— Stan Ford
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‘It looks like Ms. Van Tassel is being railroaded and run out of town. The way you’re approaching it is absolutely wrong. I’m embarrassed right now being a village resident as well as a village business owner. If this is the way you’re going to operate, I can move my business again.?
— Tom Traurig, owner of the Village Trophy Shop
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The letter writers:
I was unhappy to read about the Lake Orion Village Council abruptly firing JoAnn Van Tassel.
Surely she can’t be so terrible, or be doing such a horrible job for the council to take this action.
I have had to ask many things of the village offices over the years, and have found Ms. Van Tassel to be the most knowledgeable and helpful manager we have had in at least three decades. If nothing else, stability in the manager’s position should be desirable. I would like to hear more from the council on why they found this action necessary.
— Gary Clouse
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I watched the replay of the council meeting. The council blind-sided her. If I knew this was going to happen, I would have been at the meeting and I would have stood up for my dear friend, JoAnn Van Tassel. She always treated me with respect.
Why don’t they have an open forum, where people can come in and express their feelings, as Michael Toth suggested?
— Peter Peterson
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Around town:
‘I’m disappointed. She helped us a lot getting started.?
— Shelly Peek, owner of Elements
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‘I’m shocked and disappointed.?
— Matthew Cassidy, owner of Cuisine Catering
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‘I feel sorry for her; it’s hard for anybody to lose a job.?
— Lloyd Coe, owner of Ed’s
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‘Perhaps it will allow for a new approach to the problems we are experiencing as business people.?
— Bridget Kelly, owner of Celtic Cove Catholic Bookstore