Although we don’t live in the Village of Goodrich, we can’t blame residents wanting to save tax dollars.
The possibility of dissolving the village is a legitimate issue that deserves investigation.
This recall effort, however, smacks of an all-out witch hunt.
No looking for solutions, no cooperation, just close those ears, shut those minds, and grab those torches and pitchforks.
Do villagers have the right to petition for recall? Yes. Do they have a right to vote in a new village council? Absolutely.
But there’s a fine line between legitimately using or wastefully abusing those rights.
Consider this:
1. If villagers vote in February for a recall, with nothing else on the ballot they’ll pay about $2,500 for the vote, then hold another election to vote in a new council.
2. A new council could choose to let villagers vote on dissolution in the next scheduled election. But will they risk it?
Going against the current council’s decision could pose a problem. There’s no legal provision for giving Atlas Township residents a vote, yet they may legally regret not doing so.
3. If there are five empty council seats, who will be willing to fill them? Council members sacrifice lots of time and energy, getting about $800 a year.
Some are dissatisfied with the council, yet every single councilperson ran unopposed this March. Know why they ran? ‘No one else will do it,? We were told.
4. What happens if villagers get a new council, fire the village administrator and attorney, and then a dissolution vote doesn’t succeed?
Do you see anyone else in town who knows how to properly behave in a meeting, let alone know how to handle village business?
5. Why the rush? The village council is already working with Lansing to amend its charter–residents will vote on it in 2005. If villagers then petition to dissolve the village, they and township residents get to vote within one year. Guaranteed by law.
6. Under an amended charter, there’s a built-in option to put everything in writing before voting on it. If it was us, we’d want to see an inked agreement before rushing into such a big decision.
Skipping a written prenuptial agreement might work if you’re in love, but love’s hardly a factor here. You have to question why some oppose getting details in writing, trying to rush it through at any cost.
This isn’t the first recall attempt we’ve seen in our time. They cost the community time and energy, and left scars that won’t easily heal.
It’s our opinion those recalls were fueled by wounded egos, and aided by misinformation.
Sadly, people often think because a recall petition is approved by the county elections office, it must be valid.
Wrong.
Petition words are reviewed to make sure the language is clear. That’s all.
Just ask Genesee County elections director Rob Coffman. They can’t possibly investigate issues. Petition signers have a civil duty to thoroughly research the issue before signing anything.
Don’t confuse recall and dissolution. They’re two different issues.
Rumors are flying, and most of them are little more than overblown, inaccurate gossip.
No, the council didn’t ‘illegally lock out? residents from any meeting, and no, they didn’t illegally change the charter on their own during that closed session. If that was the case, they’d be taken to court.
Some advocate contacting state representatives about village-related issues. We agree. Look for their contact info in this paper. They can give a good idea of what’s normal government procedure, and what’s a violation.
We wish you the best in your decision making.
Months from now, when the hot issues of today have faded into tomorrow’s local history, we’ll all need a vacation.