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Topic: County Commissioners take on Road Commission
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Mr. Daly responded by saying that the severance document was created after three County
Commissioners said that he had to be separated or they were going to dissolve the Road
Commission. It is Mr. Daly’s understanding that all five of the Road Commission Board
members at that point in time were in favor of his termination. Whether Mr. Daly is ready to
retire is a moot point. Mr. Daly went on to say that he has been a successful leader at GCRC.
Three years ago members of the Board offered him a significant pay increase because they felt
he was underpaid. Mr. Daly refused because he did not feel it was fair to the employees of the
Road Commission. Mr. Daly applied for the City of Flint position because he lives in the City
and also because the position would have been a $45,000 increase in salary and that was of
interest to Mr. Daly. Mr. Daly does not subscribe to the idea that someone is unhappy because
they look elsewhere for employment. Mr. Daly is ready to discuss a severance agreement.
Chairperson Kautman-Jones asked if he would discuss the issue in an open meeting. Attorney
Derderian has a problem with discussing severance in an open meeting since Mr. Daly is
represented by counsel and that counsel is not present. Severance discussions should go through
counsel. Attorney Derderian wants the record to reflect that Mr. Daly has voluntarily gone
forward with this public discussion.
Chairperson Kautman-Jones asked if Mr. Daly’s counsel planned to contact the Board, other than
the email that was received. Mr. Daly said that a letter was mailed from Attorney Yeotis to this
Board stating that Attorney Yeotis is representing Mr. Daly in the matter of separation. Ms.
Kautman-Jones does not recall receiving that letter, only the severance agreement. Mr. Daly said
that in this society we do not prepare people for terminations. Everything is a new beginning.
He recognizes that there comes a time to go but that his separation was supposed to be in 2019.
Mr. Daly would like to retire from the Road Commission. Mr. Daly feels that he has not done
anything that merits discharge. If this Board is talking about premature termination of his
contract, then Mr. Daly feels that he is entitled to compensation. Mr. Daly is concerned about
the direction and leverage that the County Board, specifically Chairperson Mark Young, is
providing to this. Mr. Daly has heard secondhand that decisions were being made about his
termination and what the level of the termination package would be before this Board even
became aware of it.


Last edited by untanglingwebs on Thu Feb 15, 2018 1:51 pm; edited 1 time in total
Post Thu Feb 15, 2018 1:48 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Chairperson Kautman-Jones said that her goal is to gather information. Her assumption was that
Mr. Daly was ready to retire. In her opinion, when there is a lot of unrest, sometimes separation
is better for both parties involved. Ms. Kautman-Jones does not want to put GCRC in a
precarious situation and is willing to do what the GCRC Board would like to do. Commissioner
Johnson asked if the Board would be in violation for negotiating with Mr. Daly. Attorney
Derderian recommended that the Board allow him to call Attorney Yeotis and find middle
ground. Attorney Derderian will deal directly with Attorney Yeotis and report to this Board in
written form and discuss the issue in closed session.
Chairperson Kautman-Jones asked if Attorney Derderian would have a conflict representing the
Road Commission considering he has worked with Mr. Daly for several years. Attorney
Derderian thanked Ms. Kautman-Jones for asking the question and replied that he has a great
deal of respect for Mr. Daly and that Mr. Daly is well-respected in the County Road Association
community but that he is not a personal friend. If the Board is concerned about a conflict of
interest based upon his past close working relationship with Mr. Daly, Attorney Derderian is happy to withdraw but feels that he could represent GCRC well with Attorney Yeotis. Ms.
Kautman-Jones asked if Attorney Derderian works on retainer. Attorney Derderian responded
that he works on an hourly billed basis. Ms. Kautman-Jones deferred the discussion to the other
Board members present. Commissioner Dickerson said that his only concern is a potential
conflict of interest, but that if Attorney Derderian feels there is no conflict, then Mr. Dickerson is
okay with that. Attorney Derderian assured Mr. Dickerson that there is no conflict and that he
will perform the task to the best of his ability and would walk away if he felt a potential conflict.
Vice Chairperson Mandelaris said that he has the utmost respect for Attorney Derderian and his
reputation and is confident that he will be independent. Mr. Mandelaris highly recommends that
the Board retain Attorney Derderian on this matter. Mr. Mandelaris’ concern is that there be a
transition negotiated so that GCRC is not left leaderless. Attorney Derderian agreed and will
make every attempt to make a leadership transition as smooth as possible. Ms. Kautman-Jones
suspected that the City of Flint would not have been accommodating for a transition. Mr. Daly
said that there was an Emergency Manager in charge at the City of Flint at the time and Mr. Daly
told him that if Mr. Daly was successful in getting the position, that he would require four to five
months for a transition at the Road Commission and would not leave GCRC out in the cold after
18 years. Mr. Mandelaris added that there is a two month minimum notice in Mr. Daly’s
contract.
Commissioner Arceo has tried to picture himself in Mr. Daly’s position. Mr. Arceo looked at
what was discussed between the Road Commissioners and the County Commissioners and how
if the Board did not act, the County was going to take over the Road Commission. It is hearsay,
but powerful words. Mr. Arceo received an email talking about accountability and cost of a
severance package. If that is what headquarters wants over there, Mr. Arceo understands that. If
it is retirement, then let us have a retirement. The Board will go over the package that Mr. Daly
has sent, evaluate it and come to a consensus. If Mr. Arceo is getting a severance package that
talks about cost funding, revenue sharing, and benefits, then Mr. Daly must be indirectly telling
him something and Mr. Arceo must listen it.
Post Thu Feb 15, 2018 1:50 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Chairperson Kautman-Jones suggested scheduling a workshop to discuss the customer
complaints issue on Wednesday, January 24, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. Ms. Kautman-Jones wants
GCRC to come up with an outline for good practices to then discuss with the Director of
Maintenance. Ms. Kautman-Jones is not trying to create a plan all in one day. Ms. KautmanJones
said that GCRC had to have an immediate resolution to a problem, did not know the
complexity of the problem and then overreacted. Mr. Daly said that a workshop is a public
meeting and will require public notice. Ms. Kautman-Jones said that a workshop does not allow
for public comment. Attorney Derderian said that public comments can be received at the end of
the workshop. Ms. Kautman-Jones said that GCRC needs to query the Township Supervisors
and ask them how they handle road complaints internally. Mr. Daly will include it on the next
Roads & Bridges agenda and ask Township Supervisors to provide the Board with written input.
Mr. Daly referred to Mr. Dombrowski as a classic case where someone is looking for someone
else to solve a problem. The solution is very expensive and is really an issue related to Mr.
Dombrowski and his neighbors. Ms. Kautman-Jones said that nonetheless it is a complaint that
has been received and GCRC is not going to be able to resolve all of the complaints. Mr. Daly
wants to include Mr. Branch and Mr. Peivandi in the workshop, as well as Ms. Angie Carpenter,
and wants Ms. Linda Kossak to take minutes at the workshop since she handles a lot of incoming
complaints. Mr. Daly expressed frustration that the County Board says that they get all of the
road complaints. He has asked for a list of the complaints so that they can get resolved but has
never received one. Ms. Kautman-Jones knows that there is a good solution at the end of this
process. Mr. Daly acknowledged that there is need for improvement with providing feedback to
the persons making the complaints.
Chairperson Kautman-Jones expressed concern that GCRC overreacted to this situation with
potential employment and legacy costs in the area of $100,000 and wondered how the process
Post Thu Feb 15, 2018 2:02 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Key points
November 8,2017 Genesee County Commissioners Mark Young, Ted Henry and Bryant Nolden met with Road commissioners Mandelaris and Johnson to demand a severance or they would lose the road commission.

A request from daly for a list of alleged unanswered complaints went unanswered.
Post Thu Feb 15, 2018 2:17 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Wendy Braun Daly Ellen Ellenburg John's contract was through September, 2019. These three Commissioners threatened three of the Road Board that if they didn't fire John Daly by November 21, 2017, they were going to disband the Road Commission, and create a County DPW Department. Instead, they forced one of the Board members out, and put Shirley Kautman-Jones in, so their hands remained clean.



Wendy Braun Daly Dave, there really isn't one. Mark Young is possibly facing Dave Robertson as an opponent, and Mark was asking for an early endorsement. Ted Henry is still mad about something that happened 12 years ago, when his nephew was looking for a promotion, that Anthony Branch received to become the Maintenance Director. BeBe Nolden? That situation is a bit different. Cloyce Dickerson is on the Road Commission Board, and his girlfriend was fired from the Road Commission a little over a year ago, and he was BeBe Nolden's campaign manager, when he ran against Bernedal Jefferson for his County Board seat. Because of that, I guessing that got BeBe involved. So, that's how this happened.
Post Sat Feb 17, 2018 12:27 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

.
Michigan Lawmakers Push for More Federal Highway Funding
The Associated Press
3/13/03 1:38 AM
DETROIT (AP) -- Michigan lawmakers are fighting to bring home more of the federal
gas tax money the state sends to Washington, D.C. as Congress debates a highway
reauthorization bill to be decided later this year.
The state currently gets back about 88 cents for every $1 it contributes to the Highway
Trust Fund, making it the fourth-largest donor state behind Georgia, Indiana and Texas,
The Detroit News reported in a Thursday story.
Donor states get less money back than they put in to the program, which is funded
entirely by gas taxes and earmarked for highways and mass transit.
Since 1956, Michigan motorists have contributed $16.5 billion in federal gas tax money -
- $1.7 billion of which went to build roads in other states.
Michigan's congressional delegation wants to see the state's rate of return increase to 95
percent, which would mean an additional $70 million a year in federal funding.
Some members of the delegation also would support boosting federal fuel taxes to
achieve a $200 million annual increase in the state's road funding, bring the total to $1.13
billion a year.
"Michigan historically has been a bottom feeder in terms of rate of return for our own
dollars sent to Washington," said Gary Naeyaert, spokesman for the Michigan Road
Builders Association. "We are looking for a big win this year for the state."
Naeyaert is a member of Michigan's Transportation Team. The coalition of 70 private
and public groups is pushing Congress to set the rate of return for all states to a minimum
of 95 percent.
"Every $1 million paves another mile of road or rehabs one bridge structure," Naeyaert
said. "Every Michigan motorist knows our roads and bridges still need a lot of work."
A report released in January by The Road Information Program, a national research group
sponsored by the road building industry, ranked Michigan dead last nationwide in
interstate bridge upkeep and fifth-worst in pavement repair on major highways.
U.S. Rep. Vern Ehlers, R-Grand Rapids, who sits on the House Transportation
Committee, says he supports increasing the gas tax to be able to give all states more
money, in addition to changing the formula that determines a state's share of highway
funding.
"The gas tax is a user fee," Ehlers said. "People say they want the bridges not to fall down
and the roads not to have pot holes. You don't get that for free."
Gov. Jennifer Granholm is backing the push to raise Michigan's rate of return from the
Highway Trust Fund to 95 percent, said John Bruchett, director of Granholm's
Washington office.
"Governor Granholm wants Congress to patch the funding pot hole dug by other states
that take more than their fair share of highway money," he said.
Post Mon Feb 19, 2018 4:46 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

The state Legislature is considering legislation to cut local road funds when it meets on
Aug. 13. Because of the state's budget crisis, the governor wants to take local road funds
and use them to support state departments. Ironically, these cuts are in House Bill 5651,
the 2002-03 transportation budget bill.
When the gas tax was increased in 1997, Michigan's taxpayers were told that their gas
taxes would only be used to repair and maintain state and local roads. Instead, this money
will be used to support state bureaucracy and bureaucrats.
If H.B. 5651 passes, the Genesee County Road Commission will lose $773,587.06 in
road funds next year. As a result, we will be unable to continue many maintenance
projects on roads and bridges in the Genesee County road system. We cannot do our job
and serve county residents if these cuts are allowed to happen.
We are asking the residents of Genesee County to call their state legislators and urge
them to vote no on the House Bill 5651 Conference Report. Let them know that they
should pass a transportation budget that does not take local road funds to pay for state
bureaucracies. We need a transportation budget that does not use local road funds to
balance the state's budget.
John H. Daly, Flushing,
manager director,
Genesee County Road Commission
Post Mon Feb 19, 2018 4:59 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

2002 Through 2006 Archives - Genesee County Road Commission
www.gcrc.org/2002%20to%202006%20Archives.pdf
Mar 13, 2003 - William C. Ayre, Flint's transportation director, said inspectors would find even more roads in better shape today than they did when inspections were performed earlier this year. "I hope to do that or better (next year)," Ayre said of the results. "We'll put another good dent in them." The city resurfaced about 30 ...
Post Mon Feb 19, 2018 5:06 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

'Burnout' puts road chief on path to retirement
Ron Fonger Flint Journal

Road Commission Director John Daly is not the only commissioner to leave after a confrontation with Genesee County Commissioners. William C. ( Bill) Ayre only lasted about 3 years after confrontations with county commissioners led him to retire. He was named to this position after a previous commission was indicted for criminal charges.

Ayre blamed outside forces for meddling in the business of the Road Commission by attempting to influence road work and hiring decisions. Ayre objected to county commissioners going directly to the employees of the Road Commission and stated he had to quit taking orders from others than the commission foreman or himself.
Post Mon Feb 19, 2018 5:25 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

"(Work orders) should go through the appropriate channels" stated Ayre who alleged some commissioners created a kind of "helter skelter" atmosphere for employees. "We should not be dealing with political favoritism"

The county commissioners held a hearing that was said to allow blistering criticism of the road commission while limiting the time for a response. Some commissioners indicated they saw nothing improper with their contacting the employees of the road commission to have their districts road issues resolved.
Post Mon Feb 19, 2018 5:36 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

If you look at the minutes of the road commission, road projects have to be approved by the road commission. Residents come to complain about their problems, but serious issues have to be examined to come to a resolution and to locate funding. Townships have to come up with a match for proects.
Post Mon Feb 19, 2018 5:41 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

If you look at the minutes of the road commission, road projects have to be approved by the road commission. Residents come to complain about their problems, but serious issues have to be examined to come to a resolution and to locate funding. Townships have to come up with a match for projects.

The county commissioners also threatened to take over the road commission. That could lead to a donnybrook over some commissioners dominating the allocation of resources. The commissioners also took away funding from the road commission to solve the county deficit.
Post Mon Feb 19, 2018 5:41 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

County Commissioner Bryant Nolden went on the Mike Kilbreath Show to deny that he went to some commissioners against John Daly. However the minutes dio not reflect any denial that Young, Henry and Nolden were the commissioners making threats.
Post Mon Feb 19, 2018 5:59 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Tri County News Vera Hogan
John Daly, who has served as the manager-director of the Genesee County Road Commission for the past 18 years, is out of a job this week.

His latest contract was not scheduled to expire until Sept. 30, 2019.

On Friday, Feb. 9, the Road Commission Board voted to accept a severance agreement with Daly, who will receive a $100,000 buyout in exchange for his resignation, according to the agreement which was obtained by MLive via the Freedom of Information Act.


Former Road Commissioner David Miller had a frank discussion with the board at its Nov. 21, 2017 meeting, according to the minutes of that meeting which is posted online.

Miller addressed the board and staff at that meeting regarding something of great concern to him that was ongoing in the county. He referred to three unnamed Genesee County Commissioners who allegedly held “back room” meetings with a “few” Road Commissioners to terminate Daly’s employment.

When he was made aware of this, Miller called an emergency meeting with the County Board to discuss these back room meetings.

According to the minutes, “Mr. Miller stated that these back room meetings are illegal under the Open Meetings Act. Mr. Daly has the right to go under a review process before Mr. Daly can be let go from his position. You cannot fire Mr. Daly and then go to the review process. It is also illegal for one Road Commissioner to fire Manager-Director John Daly. That is why we have a five-member Board of Road Commissioners.

“Mr. Miller stated, this is the worst thing in the world the County is trying to do. If the Board goes forward with this, it can be construed as extortion and possible cause the Road Commissioners involved to go to jail.


“Under Torious interference (Tort Interference Law), interfering with a third party contract is against the law, which is what these three County Board members were trying to do. The County Board was basically asking the Board of Road Commissioners to commit extortion and possibly go to jail. …”

Miller stated later in the meeting that he is a whistleblower in this situation and said he has given interviews to every newspaper in this state. He said he called the Attorney General, the Lieutenant Government, local legislators and law enforcement in this state. He further has given copies of all the emails and documents he has to all those people mentioned, including the FBI.

Daly allegedly received a termination notice in November, which was later deemed illegal and invalid. In early January, the board voted to allow their attorney to begin talks on a severance package, which has been under negotiations for a month.

The minutes of this and subsequent meetings can be found online at www.gcrc.org, under the About Us tab.

Since that meeting, Miller resigned, claiming he was pressured by county commissioners to replace Daly.


“After a year as commissioner in Genesee County, this is not surprising of the cronyism and circular-door hiring that I’ve seen during my time in office,” said Commissioner Drew Shapiro (District. 6). “Although the Genesee County Road Commission has been far from perfect, I believe John Daly has done a good job with the limited resources he’s been provided with.

“This type of political corruption is the exact reason that I am running for higher office,” he said. “The lack of integrity and transparency from elected officials from local level all the way to federal level is why I feel the need to fight.”

Daly has declined to comment on the severance, which was part of the agreement. His wife, however, posted on her Facebook page that on Feb. 9, after three months of intense pressure, some County Board members were successful in exerting enough pressure on the Genesee County Road Comissioners to force the early retirement of her husband.

“Everyone, stay tuned to see what’s next,” she posted. “This probably won’t end well for some.”She also implied in her posts that this is not over and that a “part 2” is coming.

Daly, in the meantime, will be on a paid vacation that started this week until April 2, according to the agreement, and his salary and benefits will end at that time.


The Road Commission is currently being run by two administrators — Anthony Branch, the director of maintenance, and Fred Peivandi, director of engineering.
Post Mon Feb 19, 2018 7:05 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Genesee County Road Commission head resigns | News for Fenton ...
https://www.tctimes.com/.../genesee-county-road-commission.../article_933d73e2-134...
3 days ago - 6). “Although the Genesee County Road Commission has been far from perfect, I believe John Daly has done a good job with the limited resources he's been provided with. “This type of political corruption is the exact reason that I am running for higher office,” he said. “The lack of integrity and transparency .
Post Mon Feb 19, 2018 7:06 pm 
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