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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Besides the no-bid contract with Phil Shaltz and the disturbing switch of the hotel tax from the Visitors and Convention Bureau to the Genesee Regional chamber of Commerce, the county commissioner keep making their own rules.
I understand a closed meeting was held and the County Clerk and his staff were excluded. There are rules under state law concerning how these meeting sre to be conducted. Where is the Corporation Counsel when these decisions are made> Is Celeste Bell afraid to challenge the commissioners because she is interim or is she incompetent? Perhaps the commissioners simply steamroll over legal opinions they don't like?
Here is an attorney General opinion that relates to the issue:
Opinion #7061
http://www.ag.state.mi.us/opinion/datafiles/2000s/op10136.htm - 9k - Cached - Similar pages
(Mich Dept of Attorney General Web Site - www.ag.state.mi.us) ... A public official |
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Thu May 01, 2014 2:41 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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The following opinion is presented on-line for informational use only and does not replace the official version. (Mich Dept of Attorney General Web Site - www.ag.state.mi.us)
STATE OF MICHIGAN
JENNIFER M. GRANHOLM, ATTORNEY GENERAL
OPEN MEETINGS ACT:
Disclosure of closed session meeting minutes
Under the Open Meetings Act, the clerk or designated secretary of a public body may furnish to a member of that body the minutes of a closed session of the body, either for inspection or copying. A public official who disseminates closed session minutes to the public in violation of this act, however, risks criminal prosecution and civil penalties.
Opinion No. 7061
August 31, 2000
Mr. John L. Livesay
Branch County Prosecuting Attorney
Branch County Courthouse
31 Division Street
Coldwater, MI 49036
You have asked whether under the Open Meetings Act, the clerk or designated secretary of a public body may furnish to a member of that body the minutes of a closed session of the body, either for inspection or copying.
The Open Meetings Act (OMA), 1976 PA 267, MCL 15.261 et seq; MSA 4.1800(11) et seq, generally requires a "public body" to open its meetings to the public, subject to limited exceptions. OAG, 1981-1982, No 6053, p 616 (April 13, 1982). The OMA authorizes a public body to meet in a session closed to members of the public only for certain enumerated purposes, such as dismissing an employee. Sections 7 and 8. A 2/3 roll call vote of members serving on the public body is required to call a closed session, except for the closed sessions permitted under section 8(a), (b), (c), (g), (i) and (j). The roll call vote and the purpose for calling the closed session must be entered into the minutes of the meeting at which the vote is taken. Section 7(1). OAG, 1979-1980, No 5436, pp 31, 33 (February 1, 1979).
The OMA should be broadly construed to "promote openness in government," Wexford County Prosecutor v Pranger, 83 Mich App 197, 204; 268 NW2d 344 (1978), and the closed-door meeting exceptions must be strictly construed so as "to limit the situations in which meetings are not open to the public." Detroit News, Inc. v Detroit, 185 Mich App 296, 302; 460 NW2d 312 (1990). If a public body deliberates in closed session on a matter affecting public policy, it must wait to reach a decision based on those deliberations until it meets in open session. Section 3(2). People v Whitney, 228 Mich App 230, 243; 578 NW2d 329 (1998); OAG, 1979-1980, No 5632, p 563 (January 24, 1980).
When a public body meets in closed session, the OMA requires that minutes be taken, retained, and remain generally unavailable to the public. Section 7(2) provides that:
A separate set of minutes shall be taken by the clerk or the designated secretary of the public body at the closed session. These minutes shall be retained by the clerk of the public body, are not available to the public, and shall only be disclosed if required by a civil action filed under section 10, 11 or 13. These minutes may be destroyed 1 year and 1 day after approval of the minutes of the regular meeting at which the closed session was approved.
The minutes of a public body meeting in closed session include transcribed testimony of witnesses appearing before the public body "as well as the dialogue between board members during the [closed] session [which] . . . were part of the members' actual deliberations." Titus v Shelby Charter Twp, 226 Mich App 611, 615-616; 574 NW2d 391 (1997). Thus, the minutes of the public body meeting in closed session become the official record of the proceedings before that public body.
Against this background, we address your question whether the custodian of closed session meeting minutes may disclose them to a member of the public body that convened the meeting. No specific language in the statute resolves the question. But consideration of concrete examples helps illustrate the Legislature's intent. Should a member of a public body be unable to attend a closed session of that body convened to consider, for example, the disciplining of a public employee or a public school pupil at their request, the absent member could nevertheless vote on final action on that matter at a later public meeting of the body. In order to make an informed decision, however, the member would need to review the minutes and transcripts of testimony, if any, of the closed session. See Leonardi v Sta-Rite Reinforcing, Inc, 120 Mich App 377, 381-382; 327 NW2d 486 (1982). The Legislature could not have intended to deny access to the minutes of a closed session of that body to that absent member or to any other member of the public body. If the members themselves could not review the minutes, there would be no discernible purpose in keeping minutes. Even members who were present at the closed session should have access to the minutes in order to refresh their recollection about their own deliberations before reaching a final decision at a later open meeting. Thus, the custodian of closed session minutes may make them available to members of the public body.
The conclusion that members of a public body have continuing access to the minutes of its closed sessions is consistent with the OMA's distinction between a member of a public body and the public. In particular, section 2(c) of the OMA defines a "closed session" as "a meeting or part of a meeting of a public body which is closed to the public." Similarly, section 3(3) requires that "[a]ll deliberations of a public body constituting a quorum of its members shall take place at a meeting open to the public except as provided in this . . . [act]." In addition, the public body may, in its discretion, selectively include certain persons in closed sessions, such as legal advisors and other consultants, while excluding all others. See, for example, OAG, 1985-1986, No 6358, p 268 (April 29, 1986), concluding that elected municipal officers, department heads, and other persons who are not members of a public body may be excluded from attending a closed session of the public body. By establishing this distinction between a member of the public body and the public, and in making minutes of a closed meeting unavailable to the public, the Legislature evidenced its intent that those minutes would be available to members of the public body.
It should be emphasized, however, that the Legislature has imposed criminal and civil penalties upon a public official who intentionally violates the OMA. Sections 12 and 13 of the OMA. Thus, a member of a public body who discloses closed session minutes to the public in violation of section 7(2) risks both criminal prosecution and civil penalties under the OMA.
It is my opinion, therefore, that under the Open Meetings Act, the clerk or designated secretary of a public body may furnish to a member of that body the minutes of a closed session of the body, either for inspection or copying. A public official who discloses closed session minutes to the public in violation of this act, however, risks criminal prosecution and civil penalties.
JENNIFER M. GRANHOLM
Attorney General |
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Thu May 01, 2014 2:43 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| The Clerk of the County is the official keeper of the records and the entity responsible for the safekeeping of the records of closed meetings. In Genesee County the same clerks staf that record court records also keep minutes fo all county functions, including closed meetings. There are also requirements under state law for the maintenance and disposal of these records. |
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Thu May 01, 2014 2:50 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Thu May 01, 2014 2:53 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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15.267 Closed sessions; roll call vote; separate set of minutes.
Sec. 7.
(1) A 2/3 roll call vote of members elected or appointed and serving is required to call a closed session, except for the closed sessions permitted under section 8(a), (b), (c), (g), (i), and (j). The roll call vote and the purpose or purposes for calling the closed session shall be entered into the minutes of the meeting at which the vote is taken.
(2) A separate set of minutes shall be taken by the clerk or the designated secretary of the public body at the closed session. These minutes shall be retained by the clerk of the public body, are not available to the public, and shall only be disclosed if required by a civil action filed under section 10, 11, or 13. These
minutes may be destroyed 1 year and 1 day after approval of the minutes of the regular meeting at which the closed session was approved.
History: 1976, Act 267, Eff. Mar. 31, 1977;¾Am. 1993, Act 81, Eff. Apr. 1, 1994;¾Am. 1996, Act 464, Imd. Eff. Dec. 26, 1996.
15.268 Closed sessions; permissible purposes.
Sec. 8. A public body may meet in a closed session only for the following purposes:
(a) To consider the dismissal, suspension, or disciplining of, or to hear complaints or charges brought against, or to consider a periodic personnel evaluation of, a public officer, employee, staff member, or individual agent, if the named person requests a closed hearing. A person requesting a closed hearing may rescind the request at any time, in which case the matter at issue shall be considered after the rescission only in open sessions.
(b) To consider the dismissal, suspension, or disciplining of a student if the public body is part of the school district, intermediate school district, or institution of higher education that the student is attending, and if the student or the student's parent or guardian requests a closed hearing.
(c) For strategy and negotiation sessions connected with the negotiation of a collective bargaining agreement if either negotiating party requests a closed hearing.
(d) To consider the purchase or lease of real property up to the time an option to purchase or lease that real property is obtained.
(e) To consult with its attorney regarding trial or settlement strategy in connection with specific pending litigation, but only if an open meeting would have a detrimental financial effect on the litigating or settlement position of the public body.
(f) To review and consider the contents of an application for employment or appointment to a public office if the candidate requests that the application remain confidential. However, except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, all interviews by a public body for employment or appointment to a public office shall be held in an open meeting pursuant to this act. This subdivision does not apply to a public office described in subdivision (j).
(g) Partisan caucuses of members of the state legislature.
(h) To consider material exempt from discussion or disclosure by state or federal statute.
(i) For a compliance conference conducted by the department of commerce under section 16231 of the public health code, Act No. 368 of the Public Acts of 1978, being section 333.16231 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, before a complaint is issued.
(j) In the process of searching for and selecting a president of an institution of higher education established under section 4, 5, or 6 of article VIII of the state constitution of 1963, to review the specific contents of an application, to conduct an interview with a candidate, or to discuss the specific qualifications of a candidate if
the particular process of searching for and selecting a president of an institution of higher education meets all of the following requirements:
(i) The search committee in the process, appointed by the governing board, consists of at least 1 student of the institution, 1 faculty member of the institution, 1 administrator of the institution, 1 alumnus of the institution, and 1 representative of the general public. The search committee also may include 1 or more
members of the governing board of the institution, but the number shall not constitute a quorum of the governing board. However, the search committee shall not be constituted in such a way that any 1 of the groups described in this subparagraph constitutes a majority of the search committee.
(ii) After the search committee recommends the 5 final candidates, the governing board does not take a vote on a final selection for the president until at least 30 days after the 5 final candidates have been publicly identified by the search committee.
(iii) The deliberations and vote of the governing board of the institution on selecting the president take place in an open session of the governing board.
History: 1976, Act 267, Eff. Mar. 31, 1977;¾Am. 1984, Act 202, Imd. Eff. July 3, 1984;¾Am. 1993, Act 81, Eff. Apr. 1, 1994;¾ Am. 1996, Act 464, Imd. Eff. Dec. 26, 1996.
15.269 Minutes.
Sec. 9. (1) Each public body shall keep minutes of each meeting showing the date, time, place, members present, members absent, any decisions made at a meeting open to the public, and the purpose or purposes for which a closed session is held. The minutes shall include all roll call votes taken at the meeting. The public
body shall make any corrections in the minutes at the next meeting after the meeting to which the minutes refer. The public body shall make corrected minutes available at or before the next subsequent meeting after
correction. The corrected minutes shall show both the original entry and the correction.
(2) Minutes are public records open to public inspection, and a public body shall make the minutes available at the address designated on posted public notices pursuant to section 4. The public body shall make copies of the minutes available to the public at the reasonable estimated cost for printing and copying.
(3) A public body shall make proposed minutes available for public inspection within 8 business days after the meeting to which the minutes refer. The public body shall make approved minutes available for public inspection within 5 business days after the meeting at which the minutes are approved by the public body.
(4) A public body shall not include in or with its minutes any personally identifiable information that, if released, would prevent the public body from complying with section 444 of subpart 4 of part C of the general education provisions act, 20 USC 1232g, commonly referred to as the family educational rights and privacy
act of 1974.
History: 1976, Act 267, Eff. Mar. 31, 1977;¾Am. 1982, Act 130, Imd. Eff. Apr. 20, 1982;¾Am. 2004, Act 305, Imd. Eff. Aug. 11,
2004.
15.270 Decisions of public body; presumption; civil action to invalidate; jurisdiction; venue; reenactment of disputed decision.
Sec. 10. (1) Decisions of a public body shall be presumed to have been adopted in compliance with the requirements of this act. The attorney general, the prosecuting attorney of the county in which the public body serves, or any person may commence a civil action in the circuit court to challenge the validity of a decision
of a public body made in violation of this act.
(2) A decision made by a public body may be invalidated if the public body has not complied with the requirements of section 3(1), (2), and (3) in making the decision or if failure to give notice in accordance with section 5 has interfered with substantial compliance with section 3(1), (2), and (3) and the court finds that the
noncompliance or failure has impaired the rights of the public under this act.
(3) The circuit court shall not have jurisdiction to invalidate a decision of a public body for a violation of this act unless an action is commenced pursuant to this section within the following specified period of time:
(a) Within 60 days after the approved minutes are made available to the public by the public body except
as otherwise provided in subdivision (b).
(b) If the decision involves the approval of contracts, the receipt or acceptance of bids, the making of assessments, the procedures pertaining to the issuance of bonds or other evidences of indebtedness, or the submission of a borrowing proposal to the electors, within 30 days after the approved minutes are made
available to the public pursuant to that decision.
(4) Venue for an action under this section shall be any county in which a local public body serves or, if the decision of a state public body is at issue, in Ingham county.
(5) In any case where an action has been initiated to invalidate a decision of a public body on the ground that it was not taken in conformity with the requirements of this act, the public body may, without being deemed to make any admission contrary to its interest, reenact the disputed decision in conformity with this
act. A decision reenacted in this manner shall be effective from the date of reenactment and shall not be declared invalid by reason of a deficiency in the procedure used for its initial enactment.
15.271 Civil action to compel compliance or enjoin noncompliance; commencement; venue;security not required; commencement of action for mandamus; court costs and attorney
fees.
Sec. 11. (1) If a public body is not complying with this act, the attorney general, prosecuting attorney of the county in which the public body serves, or a person may commence a civil action to compel compliance or to enjoin further noncompliance with this act.
(2) An action for injunctive relief against a local public body shall be commenced in the circuit court, and venue is proper in any county in which the public body serves. An action for an injunction against a state public body shall be commenced in the circuit court and venue is proper in any county in which the public bod has its principal office, or in Ingham county. If a person commences an action for injunctive relief, that person shall not be required to post security as a condition for obtaining a preliminary injunction or a temporary restraining order.
(3) An action for mandamus against a public body under this act shall be commenced in the court of appeals.
(4) If a public body is not complying with this act, and a person commences a civil action against the public body for injunctive relief to compel compliance or to enjoin further noncompliance with the act and succeeds in obtaining relief in the action, the person shall recover court costs and actual attorney fees for the
action.
History: 1976, Act 267, Eff. Mar. 31, 1977.
15.272 Violation as misdemeanor; penalty.
Sec. 12. (1) A public official who intentionally violates this act is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by afine of not more than $1,000.00.
(2) A public official who is convicted of intentionally violating a provision of this act for a second time within the same term shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined not more than $2,000.00, or imprisoned for not more than 1 year, or both.
History: 1976, Act 267, Eff. Mar. 31, 1977.
15.273 Violation; liability.
Sec. 13. (1) A public official who intentionally violates this act shall be personally liable in a civil action for actual and exemplary damages of not more than $500.00 total, plus court costs and actual attorney fees to a person or group of persons bringing the action.
(2) Not more than 1 action under this section shall be brought against a public official for a single meeting. An action under this section shall be commenced within 180 days after the date of the violation which givesrise to the cause of action.
(3) An action for damages under this section may be joined with an action for injunctive or exemplary
relief under section 11.
History: 1976, Act 267, Eff. Mar. 31, 1977. |
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Thu May 01, 2014 3:18 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Thu May 01, 2014 3:24 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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CLOSED SESSIONS
Meeting in closed session – a public body may meet in a closed session only for one or more of the permitted purposes specified in section 8 of the OMA.45 The limited purposes for which closed sessions are permitted include, among others46:
(1) To consider the dismissal, suspension, or disciplining of, or to hear complaints or charges brought against, or to consider a periodic personnel evaluation of, a public officer, employee, staff member, or individual agent, if the named person requests a closed hearing.47
(2) For strategy and negotiation sessions connected with the negotiation of a collective bargaining agreement if either negotiating party requests a closed hearing.48
(3) To consider the purchase or lease of real property up to the time an option to purchase or lease that real property is obtained.49
(4) To consult with its attorney regarding trial or settlement strategy in connection with specific pending litigation, but only if an open meeting would have a detrimental financial effect on the litigating or settlement position of the public body.50
(5) To review and consider the contents of an application for employment or appointment to a public office if the candidate requests that the application remain confidential. However, all interviews by a public body for employment or appointment to a public office shall be held in an open meeting pursuant to this act.51
(6) To consider material exempt from discussion or disclosure by state or federal statute.52 But note – a board is not permitted to go into closed session to discuss an attorney's oral opinion, as opposed to a written legal memorandum.53
A closed session must be conducted during the course of an open meeting – section 2(c) of the OMA defines "closed session" as "a meeting or part of a meeting of a public body that is
45 MCL 15.268. OAG, 1977-1978, No 5183, at p 37.
46 The other permissible purposes deal with public primary, secondary, and post-secondary student disciplinary hearings – section 8(b); state legislature party caucuses – section 8(g); compliance conferences conducted by the Michigan Department of Community Health – section 8(i); and public university presidential search committee discussions – section 8(j).
47 MCL 15.268(a) (Emphasis added.)
48 MCL 15.268(c) (Emphasis added.)
49 MCL 15.268(d).
50 MCL 15.268(e) (Emphasis added.)
51 MCL 15.268(f) (Emphasis added.)
52 MCL 15.268(h).
53 Booth Newspapers, Inc v Wyoming City Council, 168 Mich App 459, 467, 469-470; 425 NW2d 695 (1988).
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closed to the public."54 Section 9(1) of the OMA provides that the minutes of an open meeting must include "the purpose or purposes for which a closed session is held."55
Going into closed session – section 7(1) of the OMA56 sets out the procedure for calling a closed session:
A 2/3 roll call vote of members elected or appointed and serving is required to call a closed session, except for the closed sessions permitted under section 8(a), (b), (c), (g), (i), and (j). The roll call vote and the purpose or purposes for calling the closed session shall be entered into the minutes of the meeting at which the vote is taken.
Thus, a public body may go into closed session only upon a motion duly made, seconded, and adopted by a 2/3 roll call vote of the members appointed and serving57 during an open meeting for the purpose of (1) considering the purchase or lease of real property, (2) consulting with their attorney, (3) considering an employment application, or (4) considering material exempt from disclosure under state or federal law. A majority vote is sufficient for going into closed session for the other OMA permitted purposes.
We suggest that every motion to go into closed session should cite one or more of the permissible purposes listed in section 8 of the OMA.58 An example of a motion to go into closed session is:
I move that the Board meet in closed session under section 8(e) of the Open Meetings Act, to consult with our attorney regarding trial or settlement strategy in connection with [the name of the specific lawsuit].
Another example is the need to privately discuss with the public body's attorney a memorandum of advice as permitted under section 8(h) of the OMA – "to consider material exempt from discussion or disclosure by state or federal statute."59 The motion should cite section 8(h) of the OMA and the statutory basis for the closed session, such as section 13(1)(g) of the Freedom of Information Act, which exempts from public disclosure "[i]nformation or records subject to the attorney-client privilege."60
Leaving a closed session – the OMA is silent as to how to leave a closed session. We suggest that you recommend a motion be made to end the closed session with a majority vote needed for
54 MCL 15.262(c).
55 MCL 15.269(1).
56 MCL 15.267(1).
57 And not just those attending the meeting. OAG No 5183 at p 37.
58 MCL 15.268.
59 MCL 15.268(h). Proper discussion of a written legal opinion at a closed meeting is, with regard to the attorney-client privilege exemption to the OMA, limited to the meaning of any strictly legal advice presented in the written opinion. People v Whitney, 228 Mich App at 245-248.
60 MCL 15.243(1)(g).
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approval. Admittedly, this is a decision made in a closed session, but it certainly isn't a decision that "effectuates or formulates public policy."
When the public body has concluded its closed session, the open meeting minutes should state the time the public body reconvened in open session and, of course, any votes on matters discussed in the closed session must occur in an open meeting.
Decisions must be made during an open meeting, not the closed session – section 3(2) of the OMA requires that "[a]ll decisions of a public body shall be made at a meeting open to the public."61 Section 2(d) of the OMA defines "decision" to mean "a determination, action, vote, or disposition upon a motion, proposal, recommendation, resolution, order, ordinance, bill, or measure on which a vote by members of a public body is required and by which a public body effectuates or formulates public policy."62
Avoid using the terms "closed session" and "executive session" interchangeably – we suggest that a public body not use the term "executive session" to refer to a "closed session." The term "executive session" does not appear in the OMA, but "closed session" does. "Executive session" is more of a private sector term and is often used to describe a private session of a board of directors, which is not limited as to purpose, where actions can be taken, and no minutes are recorded.
Staff and others may join the board in a closed session – a public body may rely upon its officers and employees for assistance when considering matters in a closed session. A public body may also request private citizens to assist, as appropriate, in its considerations.63
Forcibly excluding persons from a closed session – a public body may, if necessary, exclude an unauthorized individual who intrudes upon a closed session by either (1) having the individual forcibly removed by a law enforcement officer, or (2) by recessing and removing the closed session to a new location.64
61 MCL 15.263(2). St Aubin v Ishpeming City Council, 197 Mich App at 103. See also, OAG, 1977-1978, No 5262, at p 338-339 – the OMA prohibits a voting procedure at a public meeting which prevents |
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Thu May 01, 2014 3:34 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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I was shocked this morning when Mike Killbreath started his show with a reference to Tony Brown starting a recall of Genesee County Clerk John Gleason.
When I called Gleason, he said he only knew what he heard from Killbreath. He also said he had a gag order on him because of the lawsuit against the County over the staffing of his office. Too bad some of the county commissioners don't have the same integrity as they try to publicly humiliate him at every chance.
After several calls, the skuttlebutt says there was an evening meeting hosted by Commissioner Tony Brown for the sole purpose of financing and initiating a recall of John Gleason. If it was really held in the county auditorium, they violated campaign laws about conducting campaign activities in a government building. In the past the crdit union in the county building was told to remove a campaign poster from their bulletin board, and this would be a more flagrant violation. |
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Thu May 01, 2014 7:47 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Why are they so angry with Gleason? His upgrades to the election and court divisions were long overdue. And he has even more plans to bring his offices up to the same standards as the most progressive Clerk offices in the state.Even Sagiaw has e-filing and the most recent legal filings are available on line. I can access filing online in Oakland county, pay for the documents Ii want and have them e-mailed to me the next business morning. I applaud Gleason for wanting the same kind of upgrades.
Soon I won't have to go to the county and review election filings as they will be able to be filed and accessed online. This is quite an advantage and a real cost saving measure.
It appears their anger is related to their inability to manipulate the election process. It was no secret that a number of politicians did not want Gleason, but could not come up with a candidate to beat him. Rose Bogardus sued the county over their failure to properly fund the Register of deeds office and the courts ruled the county had to pay for her legal expenses. . However, the time to completely process and return deeds continued to grow. |
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Thu May 01, 2014 8:15 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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I was in the legal section of the Clerk's office Tuesday pulling and reading some lawsuits. I was surprised to see Gleason and a contingent of his staff reviewing the functions and procedures of the office. They were personally consulting with the staff and the staff felt secure enough to point out flaws in some of the proposals.
I understand that Gleason is even asking title companies and other companies to make recommendations as to how the Register of Deeds can be improved. This is needed as I have spoken to attorneys and real estate people express anger at the issues in the office.
One professional told me today that the efficiency expert hired by Bogardus was actually a gardener, hopefully a master gardener. The county commissioners have allegedly placed obstacles on Gleason prohibiting the efficient revision of the office. Even a county executive can't control the offices of an elected official. |
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Thu May 01, 2014 8:50 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Is someone intimidating anyone who challenges the Chamber of Commerce Power Grab!
I saw Terry Bankert and he was adamant he was staying out of politics. Then certain politicians seem to be backing away from doing the right thing. They then want to recall Gleason because he stands his ground.
Where is the FBI public integrity Unit? |
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Sat May 03, 2014 6:27 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Last Thursday Gleason was interviewed on the Mike Killbreath Show. killbreath's vague reference to Tony Brown and the recall effort led to an awkward response from Gleason. When asked, Gleason said he first heard about the recall allegations from Killbreath.
During the interview Gleason praised his staff and their energy and innovation in assisting in upgrading the office. He also thanked the state for their assistance in helping modernize the office.
There was about $62,000 in outstanding fines and fees on the books, some from the 80's, when Gleason took office. it is always contentious when politicians owe money, said Gleason. But at least the books are now clear and fines will be dealt with expeditiously.
One new innovation is the move to place campaign finance records on line. These computerized advances will be available soon. |
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Sat May 03, 2014 3:35 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Killbreath asked about the problems with City of flint elections. Gleason said he has a responsibility to report problems and the state now has control over the situation. The city is having more training of elections staff.
When complaints regarding election irregularities are made to his office, Gleason said he must pass them on. That also meant the ten or so complaints about the Burton election were also reported. Sometimes people are accustomed to doing the business their way, said Gleason.
When Gleason said he was requiring competitive bids for all functions of his office, Killbreath brought up the no-bid contract given to Shaltz. After Gleason mentioned that when he worked in Lansing he was told Flint was a very corrupt county, Killbreath was besieged with messages asking who told Gleason that. Gleason refused to reveal a source. However this is not the first time this assertion has been made. Even Alex Harris made this claim to the City Council and said it came from Lansing sources. |
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Sat May 03, 2014 3:58 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| Killbreath brought up how County Commissioner Jamie Curtis publicly blasted Gleason over inaccuracies in the County Directory and then stated Gleason had been vindicated. Gleason said he refused to take the situation personally as he worked for the citizens who elected him . These are difficult ties for the county, but Gleason said he will continue to follow the law. The project was bid out although the cost fell below the bid threshold. Gleason said he has a 3 inch folder of previous inaccurate directories. I agree with that statement as I have many old directories with corrected information marked in them. |
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Sat May 03, 2014 4:08 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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When questioned about his lawsuit with the county, Gleason stressed he was attempting to discuss the budget process with County Commission Chairman Curtis. Gleason stressed he has no personal fight with the county commissioners, however the two offices (Clerk and register of deeds) are in disarray and have issues going back years.
Gleason waxed Philosophical when asked by Killbreath about Commissioner Tony brown and the $100,000 no-bid contract. Politicians are like bankers, both need to be changed periodically said Gleason. Gleason continued to emphasize that he doesn't attack his opponents. |
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Sat May 03, 2014 4:29 pm |
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