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Adam
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http://www.mlive.com/news/fljournal/index.ssf?/base/news-37/1152805851154770.xml&coll=5
From what our attorney said I agree with the council's decision but I wonder if the city could have sued the mayor for acting innapropriately? So much for a "free" mayor. I guess you get what you pay for. The mayor has also cost another settlement or two or three.
How they voted
The City Council voted 5-2 Wednesday to approve paying a Flint Journal newspaper carrier $150,000 to settle a lawsuit against Mayor Don Williamson. The vote breakdown:
YES: Donna Poplar, Kerry Nelson, Sandy Hill, Ehren Gonzales, Darryl Buchanan
NO: Carolyn Sims and Jim Ananich
ABSENT: Sheldon Neeley and Scott Kincaid
FLINT - Faced with paying $150,000 now to settle a lawsuit involving the mayor and a Flint Journal newspaper carrier or perhaps paying more after an August trial, Flint City Council members decided to pay now.
But that doesn't mean they were happy about it.
A conflicted council Wednesday approved the settlement that ends a controversial constitutional case stemming from a squabble between Mayor Don Williamson and Thomas D. Hansen of Burton. Hansen was arrested at the mayor's urging in September 2004 while delivering newspapers to City Hall subscribers.
Hansen sued, and the federal judge assigned to the case ruled last month that police did not have probable cause to arrest him. The ruling left the city liable for the mayor's official actions, which are protected by an obscure city ordinance insulating public officials from civil judgments.
The settlement, which several people said should have been paid by the millionaire mayor, was painful to approve, some council members said.
"I'm not happy with any of this," Councilwoman Jackie Poplar said. "It's a Catch-22. It's an atrocity."
Williamson could not be reached for comment by The Flint Journal.
The mayor believed Hansen needed a peddler's license to deliver newspapers, which a federal judge later ruled was incorrect.
City Attorney Trachelle Young said the city likely was going to pay if the case went to trial, and the settlement is less than what Hansen's lawyers could be awarded in attorney fees. If council members rejected the settlement, they risked exposing the city to higher costs, Young said.
"It's going to be taken care of, now or later. If it's later, that's more of your money," Councilman Kerry Nelson said, addressing a crowd of about 40 people during an occasionally heated meeting. |
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Fri Jul 14, 2006 7:06 pm |
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rapunzel
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The Mayor needs a peddler's license, five votes bought and paid for!
Comments like this one belong on Mlive!
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Tue Jul 18, 2006 12:59 am |
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Biggie9
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quote:
rapunzel schreef:
The Mayor needs a peddler's license, five votes bought and paid for!
Hahahaha...great one Rap.
This is where the "donald" operates on the margin of good leadership. Yes people are enamored with his "get things done" performance around basic civil services. He is very committed to provididng city services to the citizens of the city of Flint. On the other hand, in so doing, he isn't afraid to bully, steamroll, ignore or break laws/ordinances/statutes. At some point, his disregard to civility and the law will outweigh his benefits and the good people of Flint will tire of him and turn him out just like the people of Great Britain did to Winston Churchill after the crisis of WWII passed.
Once Flint's "crisis" is past, watch for the people to vote the bully out.
People are sensitive to arrogance and rudeness in their leaders, and the donald is flush with those.
The only question is when will the scales tip... maybe he should slow down on those road repairs...keep people wanting more.
The key though is for the council to see what, if anything, they can do [not much] to prevent the donald from creating more such paydays as he bullies other parties..somehow someone has to dope slap Chief Hagler to get him to stop allowing the police to be used as the donald's private gestapo. Let the donald call in a complaint like any other citizen, but allow the police, without interference to investigate and charge. I really doubt they would have charged Mr Hansen if the mayor hadn't insisted.
I see Scott Kincaid, the donald's arch-nemesis was MIA. |
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Tue Jul 18, 2006 7:50 am |
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