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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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18
Stacy Erwin Oakes, Saginaw's first female state rep, reflects on her time in office
Jeff Schrier | jschrier1@mlive.com
Print Mark Tower | mtower@mlive.com By Mark Tower | mtower@mlive.com
on January 02, 2015 at 6:30 AM, updated January 02, 2015 at 8:58 AM
SAGINAW, MI — After serving a little more than four years as Saginaw's state representative, Democrat Stacy Erwin Oakes passed the torch onto the 95th District's second-ever female state lawmaker at the end of 2014.
Oakes has the distinction of being not only the first black woman to serve the area in the Michigan Legislature, but the first woman. She is succeeded by fellow Democrat Vanessa Guerra, D-Bridgeport Township, who was elected Nov. 4.
Related: Democrat Vanessa Guerra sworn in as Saginaw's next state representative
Oakes, 41, said she knows her service has set a positive example for young people in the 95th District.
"It's a paradigm shift," she said. "I'm very proud of that."
Perhaps it is appropriate that Oakes' elected service opens doors for students from the Saginaw area, since it was a student who helped inspire her go to law school, a path that led her to politics in the first place.
She said, while she was working as a teacher and basketball coach in Saginaw, a student called her career choices into question.
"A student raised his hand and said, 'What did you want to be when you were a child, when you were our age? Did you always want to be a teacher?'" Oakes said. "I said I always enjoyed teaching, but I kind of wanted to be a lawyer.
"He ultimately said, 'So you're not following your dreams.' And that stung."
Oakes has worked many different jobs since graduating from Saginaw High School in 1991.
In addition to her time as a coach and teacher, she worked as a corrections officer at Saginaw Correctional Facility, as a policy analyst in Lansing and as an assistant attorney general for the Michigan Attorney General's office. Oakes also owns Erwin Properties LLC, which built and manages the Erwin Senior Estates development in Buena Vista Township.
The state lawmaker compared her decision to take a chance on herself by going to law school to her decision to run for the Michigan Senate seat in 2014. Republican Ken Horn defeated her on Nov. 4.
Related: Horn trumps Oakes to become state senator of Saginaw, Genesee county communities
"I looked at running for the 32nd District in the same fashion," she said. "If you don't jump, you're never going to know if the parachute is going to open."
Oakes said she knew defeat was a possibility when she gave up her seat in the state House to run for the seat that state Sen. Roger Kahn gave up because of term limits. She said her hope was to "continue the advocacy" for area residents in the Michigan Senate that she began during her tenure in the House.
"At the end of the day with term limits, the end will come," Oakes said. "Had I not run, in two years I would have been in the same position."
As someone who grew up at the intersection of Ninth and Tuscola on Saginaw's East Side, Oakes said the thought of being elected to any state office was not something she considered an option at an early age.
But she said she knows elementary and high school students visiting her office in Lansing have walked away thinking they too could someday serve their community from the floor of the Michigan House or Senate.
"They know me," Oakes said. "They know my name. They now aspire to be a state representative."
She said bringing the community's young people to her office in Lansing and, hopefully, opening doors for their future, has been "a real point of pride" during her political career.
'Who do you work for?'
Oakes said she will never forget an interaction she had with a woman on the elevator in the Michigan House of Representatives who greeted her with, "Hello, who do you work for?"
"I said, 'I work for the state of Michigan,'" Oakes said. "And she responded with, 'Well, we all do. Which state representative?' And I said, 'Representative Oakes.' Then she said, 'I have yet to meet him.' And I said, 'You just have.'"
She said the woman then jumped to the conclusion that Oakes represented a district in Southeast Michigan's Wayne County, an area from which many of Michigan's black state lawmakers have hailed over the years.
"The reality is that no one had seen a woman and particularly an African American woman representing an area north of Flint," Oakes said. "Every time I tell that story, I have to laugh."
Stereotypes based on her gender and race were not the only hurdles Oakes encountered during her elected service.
During her farewell address delivered Dec. 9 on the floor of the Michigan House of Representatives, Oakes talked about her brief experience being part of a Democratic majority when she was elected to finish out the final weeks of Andrew Coulouris' term in the House's December 2010 lame duck session.
"That was an awesome two weeks," she said.
Related: Saginaw Rep. Stacy Erwin Oakes gives farewell address on House floor
In 2011, Republicans took the majority, and Oakes learned what a different experience it would be serving in the minority party for the next four years.
"The majority dictates it all," Oakes said. "I tell people Lansing has all the money they need to get everything they need done. It's a matter of priorities. And those in the majority set the priorities."
Accomplishments
Despite the disadvantage of being in the minority as a Democrat, Oakes said she was proud to stack up a series of accomplishments during her tenure.
She counts the following as some of the most important:
A package of bills aimed at increasing criminal penalties relating to arson. The package, House Bills 5692-5695, were signed into law in December 2012 and are now Public Acts 531-534 of 2012.
Introducing bills aimed at increasing the penalties for those convicted of shooting a gun from inside a vehicle. A different version of the legislation was signed into law in June 2014.
A bill that would expand the opportunity for some convicts to expunge certain crimes from their records. The bill was approved by the House and Senate in December during the 2014 lame duck session and is on Gov. Rick Snyder's desk, awaiting his signature to be enrolled as state law.
Oakes said she is particularly proud of the conviction expunging bill awaiting the governor's signature. If signed, it will expand the options for those seeking to have isolated misdemeanor and felony convictions expunged from their criminal record.
"I believe in second chances," she said. "To have a unanimous vote by both chambers on that bill, that is immensely rewarding."
'A louder voice'
Oakes acknowledged that passing the bill would have been quicker and easier had she been in the majority. But she said state Sen. Roger Kahn, R-Saginaw Township, and others added to her years of efforts on the legislation by supporting its passage the 11th hour of her final term.
"If I was in the majority, expungement probably would have been completed four years ago," Oakes said. "Although in the minority, I still had to work toward getting that done. When Sen. Kahn and others knew that it was my passion, it made it easier to get it done, having put in the work."
She said there is something simple individuals can do to help empower their state lawmakers.
"You'll have a voice in Lansing, but in the majority you'll have a louder voice," she said. "Participating in this political duty, which is your civic duty, at the ballot is important if you want to make sure that your voice is not only heard, but heard strongly and loudly."
Oakes said she has learned a lot about leadership and service during her 50 months in the Michigan House of Representatives and imparted the following advice to Guerra.
"The 95th District is a very diverse district, from agriculture to manufacturing, from poverty to prosperity," Oakes said. "As I'm sure she will, treat everyone as you're there to serve, and you'll be fulfilled, and they'll recognize your sincerity in trying to assist, knowing you will not be able to help everybody every time."
Clearing in the air
Oakes said there were a few misconceptions about her, often brought up by her opponents during campaign season, that she attempts to correct whenever people ask.
Over the years, rumors that Oakes was not living within the bounds of the 95th District have repeatedly surfaced.
Oakes said there is no truth to those claims, asserting that she has lived in the city of Saginaw for most of her life and consistently since she was first elected as a state representative in 2010.
"I've worked in Saginaw," she said. "I've worked in Lansing. But I chose to live where I'm living, and part of that is because it's so close to my mother."
Oakes said claims surfaced during the 2014 election season that she lied about paying taxes on time, which quoted her answer of "no" on MLive's Voter Guide to the question of "Have you ever failed to pay taxes on time?"
Her campaign manager, Justin Caffrey, explained that it was assumed the question applied to income tax.
"Stacy pays her income taxes, and she pays them on time," Caffrey said. "Stacy is a developer who has invested in, built, rebuilt, and paid taxes on many properties throughout Michigan since 1997. She has paid some property tax bills late, but has paid on time hundreds of times, has paid penalties promptly, and would not lie about that."
Oakes admitted that, as the owner of multiple properties, she has paid property taxes late over the years, adding she has always paid any penalties assessed as well.
"I'm a human," she said.
Oakes said she was hurt when she saw campaign materials that used the apparent inconsistency to call her a liar.
"My integrity means a lot to me," she said. "I would never lie about paying taxes late. I hope that what I had to endure does not discourage someone to run for office in the future, because we need good people to run for office."
During Oakes' tenure, many have looked at a series of business and civic developments in downtown Saginaw and elsewhere throughout the community, as a period of rebirth for the city.
Oakes said she views those changes with cautious optimism.
"I really do think the city of Saginaw is going through a renaissance period of change," she said. "But I also think it has to be inclusive and involve all stakeholders and that the people who live and work in this community are included as those stakeholders as well as business and people with economic development interests.
"I don't think just those with money have all the answers about how we need to move forward in the city of Saginaw."
Looking ahead in 2015, Oakes will host the annual Legacy Civic Fund Gala on Jan. 18 at the Temple Theatre. Oakes created the charity, a scholarship program open to college juniors and seniors, in 2011.
She will also be featured as the keynote speaker at this year's annual Dr. King Unity Luncheon. The event will be held at 11 a.m. on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, Jan. 19, at The Dow event center, 303 Johnson in Saginaw.
As 2014 draws to a close, Oakes said she is not ready yet to announce what might come next in her career. But she said she is excited for what the future of both herself as she "charts a whole new course" and for the community itself.
"There's a lot of rumors out there," Oakes said. "It will be good."
Mark Tower covers local government for MLive/The Saginaw News. Contact him at 989-284-4807, by email at mtower@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Google+. |
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Wed Nov 09, 2016 4:24 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Dispute shines light inside Michigan housing agency
Paul Egan , Detroit Free Press 11:22 p.m. EDT May 30, 2015
A dispute between a former state representative and MSHDA gives a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the state housing agency that made headlines last year over exorbitant expense claims.
A dispute between a former state representative and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority gives a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the agency that made headlines last year when its executive director resigned after trying to bill taxpayers for filet mignon, escargot and expensive drinks.
Former Rep. Stacy Erwin Oakes, a Saginaw Democrat who along with her husband, Michael, developed a $3.5-million, 46-unit senior housing project near Saginaw with MSHDA before she was elected to the House in 2010, says the agency turned against her after she challenged a construction contractor's report of project costs.
MSHDA then cost her close to $300,000 by unreasonably blocking a planned second phase the agency earlier encouraged her to pursue, she says.
E-mails obtained by the Free Press show that Chris LaGrand, the agency's chief housing investment officer, told other MSHDA officials in 2013 he wanted an "utter annihilation" of the Oakes deal and "a scorched earth result" if Oakes tried to get the MSHDA board to overturn a staff decision not to fund the second phase.
Though revealing, the Oakes case isn't typical. Oakes says it can't be, since the number of black women who have done deals with MSHDA can be counted on one hand, and developers who want to do more deals with MSHDA know not to rock the boat, like she did. But did Oakes' race and gender play a role?
The fact Oakes was elected to the state House while pursuing Phase II appeared to complicate issues, with LaGrand referring in a 2012 e-mail to "possible shenanigans by a state rep," and months later saying MSHDA "after much analysis determined there are no legal or ethical barriers" to Oakes pursuing a deal while a lawmaker.
Oakes, a lawyer and former corrections officer who was an assistant attorney general when she started her first deal with MSHDA in 2005, says MSHDA concerns about a possible conflict are a pretext and a joke. She points to the fact Scott Woosley — MSHDA executive director from October 2012 until he resigned in August 2014 after the Free Press published details of his lavish expense claims — headed MSHDA while it oversaw a state grant to his own private company.
Andrew Martin, a MSHDA manager, told the Free Press the Oakes Estates Phase II project in Saginaw County's Buena Vista Township was handled by the book — just like any other.
While Oakes says the LaGrand e-mails are evidence of personal bias against her, MSHDA spokeswoman Katie Bach says the e-mails merely show LaGrand's "exasperation" at Oakes' persistence in trying to overturn a decision of the loan committee.
Oakes, who opted not to seek re-election to the House in 2014 and instead made an unsuccessful bid for a state Senate seat, appealed MSHDA's decision, but Administrative Law Judge Robert Meade ruled in September that MSHDA did not abuse its discretion and the inflammatory e-mails were written months after MSHDA's loan committee rejected applications from Oakes.
The former lawmaker is now considering court action, but the law firm that handled her administrative appeal, Loomis Law in Lansing, won't take the case to court, citing a conflict of interest. Ted Rozeboom, who as a MSHDA official was involved in the Oakes Estates Phase I project and who Oakes says encouraged her to pursue a Phase II, is now a shareholder attorney at Loomis, which handles scores of MSHDA deals and counts former MSHDA acting director Richard Pennings among its attorneys.
Loomis handled Oakes' appeal to an administrative law judge, but when Oakes asked for an affidavit from Rozeboom backing up her account of their conversation when he worked at MSHDA, the firm cited a conflict and said it couldn't proceed, she said.
Rozeboom, who left MSHDA for Loomis in 2006, did not respond to a phone message.
Jon Stuckey, MSHDA's staff attorney, told the Free Press it's not uncommon for MSHDA officials to take jobs with companies that do business with the agency — a phenomenon described as the "revolving door" between government and the private sector. "It happens," Stuckey said. "There are probably four or five (instances) that I can name off the top of my head."
MSHDA's conflict-of-interest guidelines bar employees who jump to the private sector from further involvement for six months with deals they were involved in while at MSHDA, "unless permitted by state or federal law."
Oakes said she was careful to partner with lawyers, consultants and contractors with extensive MSHDA experience, and who, in some cases, she says were recommended by the agency.
She hired Oakwood Construction of Okemos, a regular MSHDA builder whom Oakes challenged for significantly understating the Phase I savings when the firm submitted its certified costs in August 2008. Cost savings were to be split between Oakes and the contractor.
Oakes said the savings were $96,201. Oakwood pegged them at only $32,958. After a dispute, during which MSHDA said neither party could do more deals until it was resolved, they agreed to split the difference, Oakes said in a 2014 affidavit.
Craig Moulton, president and CEO of Oakwood Construction, said he was not aware of the ongoing dispute between Oakes and MSHDA, feels the agency treats everyone fairly, and wishes Oakes the best.
Bach confirmed that cost savings on MSHDA housing projects are sometimes split between the developer and the contractor. Martin denied the dispute played a role in the denial of funding for Phase II.
Oakes also planned to partner with Medallion Management, a developer that manages housing properties, and the Great Lakes Capital Fund, a nonprofit private equity fund established by MSHDA in 1992, which markets to investors the tax credits MSHDA issues as part of the housing deals. Martin confirmed that Medallion and Great Lakes are "very good partners," and "we've had extensive experience with them."
Here's how LaGrand described the Oakes team in an April 25, 2013, e-mail: "Bad team," LaGrand wrote. "The Oakes team is not a strong development team — they have recruited Pennings (of Loomis), GLCF (and) Medallion to make them look stronger than they are — but they themselves are weak."
Oakes said all of this was unknown to her until MSHDA was required to release e-mails as part of her appeal. "I was pretty mortified," Oakes said. "I was hurt," but growing up, "we were always taught that weakness was to remain silent in the face of injustice."
When Oakes was developing Phase I, MSHDA required her to buy the neighboring property and demolish a vacant bowling alley to allow for a pathway for seniors to walk to a Kroger store around the corner.
Oakes said her concerns about the cost of the acquisition and demolition were reduced when Rozeboom told her she should view the costs as an investment toward a Phase II development on the former site of the bowling alley. All she has in writing is a Sept. 26, 2005, Rozeboom letter, setting out MSHDA's requirement for the bowling alley demolition, which references "concerns evolving around the market demand for additional elderly housing in the area."
Phase II has never been built. Nor has the pathway to Kroger across the now vacant lot Oakes owns next door.
Oakes initially planned more housing for seniors for Phase II, and said in her affidavit she got a favorable preliminary MSHDA staff recommendation in February 2010 and a favorable market analysis in August 2010 before switching her plan to housing for low-income veterans, at the urging of MSHDA, in 2011.
After that, she couldn't get MSHDA to approve loans, despite securing a 2013 memorandum of understanding with the Saginaw Veterans Affairs hospital to refer potential tenants and coordinate services, and despite securing an alternative nearby site when MSHDA expressed concerns about the site of the former bowling alley.
MSHDA records say the agency's loan committee denied a 2012 loan application because the Oakes project wasn't eligible for the type of loan Oakes was seeking.
In February 2013, the loan committee again denied a loan for the project, saying having the veterans project next door to a seniors project was not "a good fit"; MSHDA preferred a single building for veterans, rather than the cottage-style homes with garages Oakes proposed; a proposed single driveway serving both developments was "not acceptable," and the size of the loan sought — $1.3 million — exceeded MSHDA's $1-million cap.
Loomis attorney Kevin Roragen, representing Oakes, said in a July 2014 letter to MSHDA that the agency misled Oakes about needing a new market study when she switched to housing for veterans, leading Oakes to believe she could simply update the market study already completed for seniors. Also, it was a MSHDA official who recommended upping the loan request to $1.3 million from $999,000, Roragen said.
Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @paulegan4. |
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Wed Nov 09, 2016 4:32 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Stacy Erwin OakesOakes Official Portrait.jpg
Member of the Michigan House of Representatives
from the 95th district
In office
November 10, 2010 – December 31, 2014
Personal details
Born May 19, 1973
Saginaw, Michigan
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Michael Oakes
Alma mater Michigan State University College of Law, Ferris State University
Profession Real Estate Developer, Attorney
Committees Agriculture, Judiciary, Transportation, Michigan Legislative Council
Signature
Website repstacyerwinoakes.com/Stacy_Erwin_Oakes (Campaign Website)
House of Representatives Website
Stacy Erwin Oakes (born May 19, 1973) is a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan. She has been a Democratic Party member of the Michigan House of Representatives and Minority Whip[1] representing Michigan's 95th District (map), located in Saginaw County, which includes the cities of Saginaw and Zilwaukee, in addition to the following townships: Bridgeport Township, Buena Vista Township, Carrollton Township, James Township, Kochville Township, Spaulding Township, and Zilwaukee Township.[2]
Educational background
A product of the Saginaw Public School District, Oakes attended Houghton Elementary, Arthur Eddy Junior High, and Saginaw High School where she graduated from in 1991. She obtained a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Ferris State University and later earned her teaching certification while working as a corrections officer at the Saginaw Correctional Facility.[3]
Oakes earned her law degree from Detroit College of Law at Michigan State University while working for the Michigan Department of Civil Rights. While at MSU, she was an instructor for the Rental Housing Clinic.[4]
Professional background[edit]
After obtaining her teaching certificate, she accepted a position with the Saginaw Public School system and taught at Central Middle and Saginaw High schools while coaching girls' basketball.
Upon her graduation from law school, Oakes accepted a position with the Michigan House of Representatives as a policy analyst. She was later appointed to the Michigan Attorney General's office, serving under both Jennifer Granholm and Mike Cox. As an assistant attorney general, she prosecuted and defended cases throughout the state of Michigan.[3] In February 2010, Oakes was appointed to the MSU College of Law Board of Trustees.[5] Currently, Oakes serves as lead developer of Erwin Properties, LLC, which developed Erwin Senior Estates in Buena Vista Township.[6]
Political career
Oakes was elected as State Representative for the 95th District in a November 2010 special election to fill the remainder of the term for the seat vacated by Andy Coulouris. Under Michigan's legislative term limits, Coulouris was eligible for one additional term as a State Representative. As opposed to running for reelection in 2010, Coulouris instead announced that he would not seek a third term.[7]
With the departure of Oakes' predecessor and her subsequent election to the Michigan House of Representatives, she served in the legislature for the lame duck session of 2010. In that election, she won a full term of her own which began in January 2011.[8]
In December 2011, Oakes appeared as a guest on Off the Record (WKAR TV series), a weekly, political talk program broadcast statewide on PBS member stations throughout Michigan. Off The Record is hosted by Michigan's senior capitol correspondent, Tim Skubick. The topic of discussion included Michigan's Medical Marijuana law and Oakes' future political ambitions.[9]
Oakes sits on the House Agricultural Committee and the House Judiciary Committee. In addition, she also sits on the Michigan Legislative Council. She ran for a second term as State Representative for the 95th district in the November 2012 general election. In August 2012, Oakes was appointed to fill a vacancy on the House Transportation Committee.[10]
In February 2012, it was announced that Rep. Oakes would be a member of Obama for America's Truth Team. The Truth Team intends to secure grassroots and online supporters to promote President Barack Obama’s presidential achievements while holding Republicans accountable.[11]
On November 6, 2012, Rep. Oakes was reelected to a second term, defeating her opponent with 77.53% of the vote.[12]
Personal life
Representative Oakes is the daughter of James and Maggie Erwin. She is the youngest girl of six sisters and six brothers. Oakes and her husband, attorney Michael Oakes, have two children, Michael II and Kingston. They worship at New Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in Saginaw. |
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Wed Nov 09, 2016 4:42 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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What is missing from all of these stories is how long was she an attorney. Even her twitter account does not list attorney.
She is primarily referred to as a politician. |
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Wed Nov 09, 2016 4:44 pm |
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BillPayer
F L I N T O I D
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Searching for cases she was involved in could give better ideas of her actual experience.. But it looks like she was licensed in 2002
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https://www.michbar.org/memberdirectory/detail/id=61482
Stacy L. Erwin Oakes—P61482 (active and in good standing)
ADDRESS
Chief Legal Officer
City of Flint
1101 S Saginaw St
Flint, MI 48502-1420
Map It
CONTACT DETAILS
Phone: (810) 766-7146
Fax: (810) 232-2114
e-Mail: StacyLEOakes@cityofflint.com
Web: http://Cityofflint.com/legal
vCard Electronic Business Card
Sections: Labor & Employment Law, Administrative & Regulatory Law
Michigan Licensed: 2/6/2002
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Wed Nov 09, 2016 9:51 pm |
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BillPayer
F L I N T O I D
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Michigan court of appeals case where her bar ID was on the attorney list:
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http://courts.mi.gov/opinions_orders/case_search/Pages/default.aspx?SearchType=3&BarNumber=61482&AttorneyName=&CourtType_Attorney=3&AttyOpenOnly=0
P61482OAKES STACY ERWIN
COA#
MSC#
Case Name
Party Name
Date Filed
COA Status
MSC Status
Trial Court
335093
BEATRICE BOLER ET AL V D-15 DAYNE WALLING ET AL
WALLING DAYNE
10/05/2016
OPEN
16-000126- COURT OF CLAIMS
334798
ASHLEY JEAN BUSH V MICHAEL GLASGOW
CITY OF FLINT
09/16/2016
OPEN
2016-000186- COURT OF CLAIMS
334797
CHRISTOPHER STRYLER V MICHAEL GLASGOW
CITY OF FLINT
09/16/2016
OPEN
2016-000174- COURT OF CLAIMS
334796
EBONY MILLER MARSHALL V MICHAEL GLASGOW
CITY OF FLINT
09/16/2016
OPEN
2016-000146- COURT OF CLAIMS
334795
QUALIMETRA TEAT V MICHAEL GLASGOW
CITY OF FLINT
09/16/2016
OPEN
2016-000145- COURT OF CLAIMS
334794
FAYLENA MORRIS V MICHAEL GLASGOW
CITY OF FLINT
09/16/2016
OPEN
2016-000144- COURT OF CLAIMS
334793
ERMA LEE VALE V CITY OF FLINT
CITY OF FLINT
09/16/2016
OPEN
2016-000116- COURT OF CLAIMS
334792
DORIS COLLINS V CITY OF FLINT
CITY OF FLINT
09/16/2016
OPEN
2016-000115- COURT OF CLAIMS
334615
FLINT CITY COUNCIL V CITY OF FLINT
CITY OF FLINT CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER
09/02/2016
Case Concluded; File Open
16--107434- GENESEE CIRCUIT COURT
286846
JAMES R SANDERS JR V DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION
TRANSPORTATION DEPT OF
07/30/2008
Case Concluded; File Archived
08-000001- COURT OF CLAIMS
262506
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION V P & S TRANSPORTATION INC
TRANSPORTATION DEPT OF
05/09/2005
Case Concluded; File Archived
04-000981- INGHAM CIRCUIT COURT
262317
DAVID DARITY V CITY OF FLAT ROCK
TRANSPORTATION DEPT OF
04/29/2005
Case Concluded; File Archived
03-317616- WAYNE CIRCUIT COURT
245653
LOU ANN MARTIN V COLOMA COMM SCHLS
CONSUMER & INDUSTRY SERVICES DEPT OF
12/23/2002
Case Concluded; File Archived
2002-003800- BERRIEN CIRCUIT COURT
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Things I noticed of note here are:
* She has had 13 court of appeals cases
* 9 of those cases involve Flint and come on or after 9/16/2016
* 7 Flint cases are all related
* The other 5 cases appear to be when she worked at the AG office between(?) 2002 and 2008
* large gap between
All in all, I would have expected more COA cases from an active attorney. But that's just my uneducated gut feeling regarding this. |
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Wed Nov 09, 2016 10:01 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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The City had a policy during Stanley administration of aggressively and expensively battling every lawsuit against the city. Neithercutt cut the billing of Keller Thoma during a Tom Pabst case. City bragged whenever they bested Pabst and/or Lenhoff.
According to her bio much of her law experience was with the State House for policy.
If she spend time recently n Appeals Court, she should have been aware of the court ruling on her participation in court cases involving multiple branches of our city. I did not see it but, I am told she took lead chair in the recent Farah case. Since the court ruled some of Farah's issues down, I was told he was very sharp with her.
She and her husband do development with MSHDA and she was called a novice by professionals in her dispute with MSHDA. Flint works with both HUD and MSHA on low income, senior, section 8and vterans. She has attempted to create all of the above. |
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Thu Nov 10, 2016 3:54 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Oakes earned her law degree from Detroit College of Law at Michigan State University while working for the Michigan Department of Civil Rights. While at MSU, she was an instructor for the Rental Housing Clinic.[4]
Professional background[edit]
After obtaining her teaching certificate, she accepted a position with the Saginaw Public School system and taught at Central Middle and Saginaw High schools while coaching girls' basketball.
Upon her graduation from law school, Oakes accepted a position with the Michigan House of Representatives as a policy analyst. She was later appointed to the Michigan Attorney General's office, serving under both Jennifer Granholm and Mike Cox. As an assistant attorney general, she prosecuted and defended cases throughout the state of Michigan.[3] In February 2010, Oakes was appointed to the MSU College of Law Board of Trustees.[5] Currently, Oakes serves as lead developer of Erwin Properties, LLC, which developed Erwin Senior Estates in Buena Vista Township.[6] |
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Thu Nov 10, 2016 3:56 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Notice she does not include a time line for her service. She appears to have more political experience than anything else.334615
FLINT CITY COUNCIL V CITY OF FLINT
CITY OF FLINT CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER
09/02/2016
Case Concluded; File Open
16--107434- GENESEE CIRCUIT COURT
she did ask to intervene for a limited purpose. She was a defendant.
She hired outside legal counsel Mike Gildner from Simen Figura for the City of Flint and she did not represent herself.
Notice she went to work for the State House after graduation. By 2010 she was a State Representative. She ran for Senate in 2014 and lost. Never discussed her law career. |
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Thu Nov 10, 2016 3:59 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Bankole: Protecting Flint is lawyer's priority - Detroit News
www.detroitnews.com/story/opinion/2016/04/27/thompson...flint.../83630182/
Apr 28, 2016 - Oakes is a seasoned lawyer and former two-term legislator who ... Stacy Erwin Oakes, the newly appointed chief legal counsel for Flint, says ... Saginaw Valley State University; juris doctor degree, Michigan State University.
She is President of the housing organization she built. Her husband is also an attorney. I was surprised at the proposed increase from $3 million to $6 million in the law department and her proposed increase in staffing. We still have a deficit in the water fund. |
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Thu Nov 10, 2016 4:27 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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State still mum on Flint's request for millions in water crisis legal fees
Print Email Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com By Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com
on November 10, 2016 at 6:30 AM, updated November 10, 2016 at 10:08 AM
FLINT, MI -- The state of Michigan is taking its time before telling the city whether it's willing to foot the bill for millions in expected settlements and attorney fees tied to the Flint water crisis and emergency managers who worked here.
Seven weeks after City Attorney Stacy Erwin Oakes detailed the city's request for litigation-related expenses, including settlement authority of more than $30 million for various lawsuits, there was been no response from state Treasurer Nick Khouri.
Danelle Gittus, a spokeswoman for Khouri, told MLive-The Flint Journal that the matter remained under review as of Monday, Nov. 7.
"We are reviewing the city's request. No decision has been made and no response has been sent," Gittus said in an email to The Journal.
Erwin Oakes' Sept. 20 letter says the city has been overwhelmed by legal bills associated with the Flint Water crisis, including the cost of defending the city, current and former emergency managers and employees in criminal and civil matters.
"To maintain our path to successful defense of the city ... will be costly," the letter says. "To the end, I must vigorously put forth the city's request for continued as well as additional, monetary support from the state on all water and/or emergency manager decision-making related litigation and obligations."
Among the points in Erwin Oakes letter to Khouri:
The city wants to be paid for initial legal billings for former mayor Dayne Walling and four other current and former employees -- an expense of $34,758. The city has suspended payment of any further water-related invoices for Walling, utility employees Daugherty Johnson, Mike Glasgow and Robert Bincsik, and mayoral assistant Maxine Murray.
Flint officials want up to $16 million for separate lawsuits filed against the city over water rates by Councilman Scott Kincaid and residents Larry Shears and Margaret Fralick.
The state has paid about two-thirds of accrued costs defending the city against a lawsuit filed by former city administrator Natasha Henderson, but Erwin Oakes is seeking settlement authority up to $1.5 million. Henderson claims she was wrongfully discharged from her position by Mayor Karen Weaver.
The estimate for defending former emergency manager Darnell Earley against civil and criminal lawsuits and investigations is more $750,000. The request to the state is for 100 percent of those costs. Hourly charges for Earley's attorneys range from $360 to $450 per hour.
The Journal could not immediately reach Kristin Moore, a spokeswoman for the city of Flint, for further comment on the Erwin Oakes' letter.
The city attorney told Khouri in that communication that the city's law department has typically handled 95 percent of litigation matters in-house -- something that's no longer possible because of fallout from the water crisis and state management of the city.
"Unfortunately, with the water crisis litigation, coupled with criminal and civil investigations, came a multitude of environmental and health issues that complicated our ability to defend the city, its elected and appointed officials, as well as its employees," the letter says.
"Therefore, to protect the city's interests, we had to go to outside counsel that had both the required expertise and manpower to handle some of the litigation arising out of the water crisis ... to maintain our path to successful defense of the city ... will be costly." |
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Thu Nov 10, 2016 4:55 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Five of the seven Court of Claims cases have been sent back to Circuit Court. Flint may need an Emergency Manager to control our Chief legal Officer.
As to the story above I am going to swipe a line from Wendy Braun-"I am without speech!" |
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Thu Nov 10, 2016 4:59 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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This Mays saga never ends!
Money paid to Flint councilman may have violated state order, colleague says
l Jiquanda Johnson | jjohns16@mlive.com By Jiquanda Johnson | jjohns16@mlive.com
on November 15, 2016 at 6:30 AM, updated November 15, 2016 at 6:31 AM
Stay connected to MLive.com ×
FLINT, MI – A Flint City Council members say a damage claim paid to a fellow councilman after he was removed by police from a meeting may have violated an emergency manager's order still in place.
Councilman Scott Kincaid says he is filing a formal complaint with the Michigan Department of Treasury this week claiming City Attorney Stacy Erwin Oakes may be in violation of the order when she signed off on paying out a $4,500 settlement to Councilman Eric Mays.
"If we are going back to home rule, the city attorney is being ridiculous for not wanting to bring damage claims to the council," said Kincaid. "I think if you look at the charter and the past practices of the city, the city council has always approved damage claims. Is this an attempt to circumvent the city council to approve things that would not otherwise been approved?"
City pays councilman $4,500 after he was taken out of meeting in handcuffs
City pays councilman $4,500 after he was taken out of meeting in handcuffs
A Flint city council member received a $4,500 payment from the city after he was removed by police from a council meeting during a discussion over the city's contentious garbage contract.
The order, put in place in April 2015 by former Emergency Manager Gerald Ambrose, says the city's state-appointed Receivership Transition Advisory Board must approve any litigation settlement.
Kincaid argues paid claims are settlements and they should go before council.
A spokesperson for the state's Department of Treasury, which oversees the RTAB, said they could not comment on the issue since it never came before the Receivership Transition Advisory Board.
Erwin Oakes and city spokeswoman Kristin Moore could not be reached for comment on the issue.
The city paid Mays $4,500 after he claimed he was unlawfully arrested Aug. 1 when police escorted him from a contentious meeting over the garbage contract.
Mays was handcuffed, led from the council meeting, taken down to the first floor in an elevator and released.
The officer who handcuffed and removed Mays from the meeting later told council members during a committee meeting that Mays told him he would have to handcuff him before escorting him from council chambers.
Mays filed the damage claim against the city a week after his removal and outlined a number of cash settlement possibilities, including a $3,000 payment and public apology from City Council President Kerry Nelson and the officer that escorted him from the meeting, $5,000 and a public apology from Nelson or $100,000 with no apology at all.
He eventually signed an agreement Sept. 9 to settle the claim for the $4,500 payment. He received the payment, minus $534.02 he owed to the city for property taxes and a water and sewer debt of $654.47.
Mays says he has filed another damage claim against the city for being escorted out of an Oct. 13 meeting where garbage was again being discussed.
In the claim, Mays said he had a minority opinion among his colleagues.
Under the new claim dated Nov. 14, 2016, Mays is asking for $3,000 and a public apology from Nelson and the Flint police officer who escorted him from the meeting or $6,000 and an apology from just Nelson or $9,000 with no apology.
"If they do not pay, I will be taking this to court," said Mays.
Mays was the only councilmember to side with Flint Mayor Karen Weaver's attempts to give the garbage contract to Rizzo Environmental Services.
A one-year contract was ultimately given to Republic Services after it was revealed Rizzo was at the center of a federal bribery and corruption investigation.
Nelson, who said he is sending his concerns to Attorney General Bill Schuette's office, said Mays had been warned numerous times before being removed from both meetings.
"I am going to forward everything I have to the Attorney General because I feel the rules go for me, for all my colleagues and the people of this community," Nelson said. "I have given Mr. Mays numerous times to get himself together. He will not keep filing damage claims on the tax payer's money. That is just unlawful ... Now we have another one. I want to see if there's any criminal charges. We cannot tolerate Mr. Mays getting his bills paid on the tax payer's dime."
Erwin Oakes previously said following the August damage claim that Nelson was wrong in how he handled Mays.
"The City Council President conducts City Council meetings," Erwin Oakes said. "Contrary to popular opinion, the meetings are governed by Council's Rules, which supersede Robert's Rules of Order, that work as a guide with due regard for every member's opinion. Rules must be applied accurately and consistently to yield the desired result." |
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Tue Nov 15, 2016 7:30 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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The Stanley Leadership PAC churned donations to the Demoratic Party and other Democratic candidates.
WOODROW STANLEY LEADERSHIP PAC
514738-IND
DIRECT CTE STACY ERWIN OAKES
3309 CARTER STREET
SAGINAW, MI 48601-0000
DI-CONTRIBUTION 06/10/10 $250.00 STACY ERWIN OAKES
for STATE REPRESENTATIVE 95TH DISTRICT
WOODROW STANLEY LEADERSHIP PAC
514738-IND
DIRECT CM TO ELECT STACEY ERWIN OAKES
115 HOMESTEAD LN
SAGINAW, MI 48601-0000
DI-CONTRIBUTION 10/06/11 $100.00 |
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Tue Nov 15, 2016 7:42 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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WOODROW STANLEY LEADERSHIP PAC
514738-IND
DIRECT FRS OF KAREN WEAVER FOR MAYOR
1311 WOODLAWN PARK DR
FLINT, MI 48503-0000
DI-CONTRIBUTION 03/21/15 $250.00
WOODROW STANLEY LEADERSHIP PAC
514738-IND
DIRECT FRS OF KAREN WEAVER FOR MAYOR
1311 WOODLAWN PARK DR
FLINT, MI 48503-0000
DI-CONTRIBUTION 07/11/15 $50.00
WOODROW STANLEY LEADERSHIP PAC
514738-IND
DIRECT FRS OF KAREN WEAVER FOR MAYOR
1311 WOODLAWN PARK DR
FLINT, MI 48503-0000
DI-CONTRIBUTION 05/02/15 $25.00 |
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Tue Nov 15, 2016 8:02 am |
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