Gary Allen, aka Taylor Allen, former Stockbridge Township Supervisor who recently sat at the defendants table of an assault trial, breathed a huge sigh of relief when the jury couldn't reach a consensus and he got to walk out of the courtroom sans handcuffs.
Our sources tell us that the prosecuting attorney is going to re-try the case.
We will keep you posted, dear readers.
We find it mildly amusing that the only thing hung in that courtroom was the jury.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Hot Topic
Water and Sewer Rates.
And the raising thereof.
That's a hot topic for the residents of the Village, most of whom feel that raising those rates in times like these was, well, unbelievable.
We did find that according to the Village Ordinances, the council did NOT need to hold a public meeting to raise those rates - they just needed to pass a resolution for same.
Most of the council members had the good grace to squirm in their seats when it was put to a vote. One in particular voiced strenuous objections to raising rates without a special meeting - only to be told, like the rest of us - that it's not necessary or mandatory.
Perhaps not, but holding a meeting about this issue to explain the 'whys' and 'wherefores' would have gone a long way toward engendering some trust between the residents and their elected officials.
Well, here's your forum.
Tell us what you're thinking.
And the raising thereof.
That's a hot topic for the residents of the Village, most of whom feel that raising those rates in times like these was, well, unbelievable.
We did find that according to the Village Ordinances, the council did NOT need to hold a public meeting to raise those rates - they just needed to pass a resolution for same.
Most of the council members had the good grace to squirm in their seats when it was put to a vote. One in particular voiced strenuous objections to raising rates without a special meeting - only to be told, like the rest of us - that it's not necessary or mandatory.
Perhaps not, but holding a meeting about this issue to explain the 'whys' and 'wherefores' would have gone a long way toward engendering some trust between the residents and their elected officials.
Well, here's your forum.
Tell us what you're thinking.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
The Right Thing
Most of us have had that defining moment when we made a choice to do the right thing. For some of us it annealed our character and made us stronger and we puffed out our chests and felt pretty self righteous.
For others it was a quiet, simple knowing. A moment of reflection that made us hesitate at the proverbial fork in the road. And in that moment, we chose the honorable road, and went quietly about our business.
The hard part is choosing to do the right thing when absolutely no one but you and your God are looking.
And harder still, choosing to do the right thing when everyone is watching and hoping you won't.
Case in point:
Back when the sidewalk project began, it was necessary to get easements from various people and businesses.
One such easement was for the Runciman property.
The then DDA was assured by your then Village Manager that all easements had been procured and that the project could move ahead.
Now we know that that wasn't exactly true.
There was a backdoor handshake deal between the Village Manager and Mr. Runciman. Mr. Runciman was made certain promises. Promises that not surprisingly, were never kept.
Now you may say, well, Mr. Runciman should have gotten those promises in writing.
Maybe he should have - but hindsight is always 20/20, and we have all trusted people who didn't deserve that trust, often to our own detriment.
Either way, the end result is that Mr. Runciman lost his driveway and his property is landlocked.
We know that we drive by and look at that abandoned service station and groan. It looks horrible, and we all wish someone would just do something with it.
But lets be realistic - would any potential buyer plunk down his money for a property that has no access to the road? We think not.
The DDA, in a continuing effort to clean up messes and put out fires created by former Village employees and council members, has decided to the right thing - with everyone looking and in the plain harsh light of day.
They are giving Mr. Runciman back his driveway at their cost.
We can hear that chorus of "why's" from the gallery; we can almost see the shaking of fists. Self righteous indignation at the thought of righting a past wrong that the wronged party may have played a part in.
Guess what?
Sometimes it is necessary to do the right thing simply because it is the right thing to do.
What we are watching here is a government body stepping up to the plate and taking responsibility for something they could just as easily ignore. They could claim, and rightly so, that they had nothing to do with the current Runciman situation, and he can go on ahead and take his chances in court.
But they won't.
They aren't.
And that's because this is one of those character-defining moments that happen to all of us.
Some of us pass this test - others fail - and normally not with an audience.
We are proud to say that this test was passed, and with flying colors, by the DDA.
You aced it.
Puff your collective chests out a little - you deserve it.
For others it was a quiet, simple knowing. A moment of reflection that made us hesitate at the proverbial fork in the road. And in that moment, we chose the honorable road, and went quietly about our business.
The hard part is choosing to do the right thing when absolutely no one but you and your God are looking.
And harder still, choosing to do the right thing when everyone is watching and hoping you won't.
Case in point:
Back when the sidewalk project began, it was necessary to get easements from various people and businesses.
One such easement was for the Runciman property.
The then DDA was assured by your then Village Manager that all easements had been procured and that the project could move ahead.
Now we know that that wasn't exactly true.
There was a backdoor handshake deal between the Village Manager and Mr. Runciman. Mr. Runciman was made certain promises. Promises that not surprisingly, were never kept.
Now you may say, well, Mr. Runciman should have gotten those promises in writing.
Maybe he should have - but hindsight is always 20/20, and we have all trusted people who didn't deserve that trust, often to our own detriment.
Either way, the end result is that Mr. Runciman lost his driveway and his property is landlocked.
We know that we drive by and look at that abandoned service station and groan. It looks horrible, and we all wish someone would just do something with it.
But lets be realistic - would any potential buyer plunk down his money for a property that has no access to the road? We think not.
The DDA, in a continuing effort to clean up messes and put out fires created by former Village employees and council members, has decided to the right thing - with everyone looking and in the plain harsh light of day.
They are giving Mr. Runciman back his driveway at their cost.
We can hear that chorus of "why's" from the gallery; we can almost see the shaking of fists. Self righteous indignation at the thought of righting a past wrong that the wronged party may have played a part in.
Guess what?
Sometimes it is necessary to do the right thing simply because it is the right thing to do.
What we are watching here is a government body stepping up to the plate and taking responsibility for something they could just as easily ignore. They could claim, and rightly so, that they had nothing to do with the current Runciman situation, and he can go on ahead and take his chances in court.
But they won't.
They aren't.
And that's because this is one of those character-defining moments that happen to all of us.
Some of us pass this test - others fail - and normally not with an audience.
We are proud to say that this test was passed, and with flying colors, by the DDA.
You aced it.
Puff your collective chests out a little - you deserve it.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Harvest Festival 2011
The Citizen-Herald would like to report the following:
The 1st Annual Stockbridge Harvest Festival will be taking place October 7, 8, & 9.
A schedule of events is available at the Village web site: http://www.vil.stockbridge.mi.us/
Also available at the web site are Vendor Registration Forms and a map of available sites. And for a charge of ZERO DOLLARS for anyone living in the Stockbridge School District, we think it's a steal. How much do vendor spaces cost for those outside the district? A WHOPPING $10.00 for the entire 3 days.
On the aforementioned web site you will also find registration forms for camping. Yep, you read that right. Camping. In Stockbridge. In the Village. And also at the bargain basement price of $25.00 for the entire weekend. You are also encouraged to ride in on the Lakelands Trail. Horses not only allowed but encouraged! (Or bike in. Or hike in. Aw, hell, just show up.)
According to the schedule there will be plenty to do this particular weekend in the Village.
You can take your honey to the Dollar Dance Saturday night, the Car Show on Sunday afternoon, the Beer Tent on Friday at the Back Street, the Gold Wing Road Riders show on Saturday afternoon with a light show that night provided by same, or the whole dang family to the free movie at Veterans Memorial Park Sunday at dark. There's an Antique Tractor Show all weekend and a Cemetery Tour Sunday starting at 3 for those of you that enjoy a bit of history. If you happen to be camping and enjoy having the pants scared clean off of you, there will be a shuttle service (a hayride) to take you to the Bone Yard (and bring you back, if you can find your way out of the corn maze).
There really is something for everyone.
We therefore encourage you, dear reader, to tell all your friends, acquaintances and in-laws about the Harvest Festival.
We look forward to seeing old and new faces, greeting old friends and making new ones.
We are definitely excited.
Definitely.
The 1st Annual Stockbridge Harvest Festival will be taking place October 7, 8, & 9.
A schedule of events is available at the Village web site: http://www.vil.stockbridge.mi.us/
Also available at the web site are Vendor Registration Forms and a map of available sites. And for a charge of ZERO DOLLARS for anyone living in the Stockbridge School District, we think it's a steal. How much do vendor spaces cost for those outside the district? A WHOPPING $10.00 for the entire 3 days.
On the aforementioned web site you will also find registration forms for camping. Yep, you read that right. Camping. In Stockbridge. In the Village. And also at the bargain basement price of $25.00 for the entire weekend. You are also encouraged to ride in on the Lakelands Trail. Horses not only allowed but encouraged! (Or bike in. Or hike in. Aw, hell, just show up.)
According to the schedule there will be plenty to do this particular weekend in the Village.
You can take your honey to the Dollar Dance Saturday night, the Car Show on Sunday afternoon, the Beer Tent on Friday at the Back Street, the Gold Wing Road Riders show on Saturday afternoon with a light show that night provided by same, or the whole dang family to the free movie at Veterans Memorial Park Sunday at dark. There's an Antique Tractor Show all weekend and a Cemetery Tour Sunday starting at 3 for those of you that enjoy a bit of history. If you happen to be camping and enjoy having the pants scared clean off of you, there will be a shuttle service (a hayride) to take you to the Bone Yard (and bring you back, if you can find your way out of the corn maze).
There really is something for everyone.
We therefore encourage you, dear reader, to tell all your friends, acquaintances and in-laws about the Harvest Festival.
We look forward to seeing old and new faces, greeting old friends and making new ones.
We are definitely excited.
Definitely.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Letter to the Editor
Thank you Stockbridge Citizen-Herald for acknowledging my appointment to Chief of Police. I look forward to working with all the members of this community to make Stockbridge a safer place to live and work.
I am committed to continuing to provide quality police service.
I hope everyone is having a safe and fun-filled summer thus far.
Thanks again.
Johnnie Torres
Chief, Stockbridge Police
I am committed to continuing to provide quality police service.
I hope everyone is having a safe and fun-filled summer thus far.
Thanks again.
Johnnie Torres
Chief, Stockbridge Police
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Letter to the Editor
To Whom It May Concern:
In order to stimulate the local economy and promote Stockbridge as a destination, the Stockbridge Downtown Development Authority has created the Harvest Festival.
The Harvest Festival will take place October 7, 8 and 9, featuring over night camping, vendors on the Township Square, children's games and activities, an Antique Tractor show, a Classic Car show, a dance in the Township Hall, and a family movie in Veterans Memorial Park.
Utilizing the Lakelands Trail Linear State Park will be a big part of the festivities. A horse drawn Hay Ride will take visitors from the Gregory Trail Head to the Stockbridge Trail Head. Local Equestrian groups will be invited to utilize the trail and camp overnight with their horses. Hikers and bicyclists will be encouraged to attend as well; the timing of the Festival will showcase the beautiful fall colors of the trail at that time of year.
Shuttle service - hay wagons pulled along by tractors - will take campers to the BoneYard, a local Halloween attraction. The Genealogical Society is involved as well; cemetery tours will be available Sunday evening at twilight.
Residents of the Village will be asked to participate in the festivities by decorating their homes in fall and Halloween themes and competing for prizes. The charm of the Victorian homes in the Village will be a draw in itself. The Village is a beautiful and charming place.
Local Farmers are asked to bring their fall produce to the Festival. Vendor space on the Township Square is free to residents of Stockbridge, Unadilla and Waterloo Townships. Since this is a Harvest Festival, we would like to showcase the local agricultural community.
This is a community event. We encourage residents and businesses alike to volunteer their time and talent.
The DDA is committed to promoting the Village as a great place to live, work, and do business.
We are hoping to accomplish that with the first annual Harvest Festival.
A complete itinerary of events will be available soon.
Thank You.
Sincerely,
Annabell Howard
SDDA Chair
In order to stimulate the local economy and promote Stockbridge as a destination, the Stockbridge Downtown Development Authority has created the Harvest Festival.
The Harvest Festival will take place October 7, 8 and 9, featuring over night camping, vendors on the Township Square, children's games and activities, an Antique Tractor show, a Classic Car show, a dance in the Township Hall, and a family movie in Veterans Memorial Park.
Utilizing the Lakelands Trail Linear State Park will be a big part of the festivities. A horse drawn Hay Ride will take visitors from the Gregory Trail Head to the Stockbridge Trail Head. Local Equestrian groups will be invited to utilize the trail and camp overnight with their horses. Hikers and bicyclists will be encouraged to attend as well; the timing of the Festival will showcase the beautiful fall colors of the trail at that time of year.
Shuttle service - hay wagons pulled along by tractors - will take campers to the BoneYard, a local Halloween attraction. The Genealogical Society is involved as well; cemetery tours will be available Sunday evening at twilight.
Residents of the Village will be asked to participate in the festivities by decorating their homes in fall and Halloween themes and competing for prizes. The charm of the Victorian homes in the Village will be a draw in itself. The Village is a beautiful and charming place.
Local Farmers are asked to bring their fall produce to the Festival. Vendor space on the Township Square is free to residents of Stockbridge, Unadilla and Waterloo Townships. Since this is a Harvest Festival, we would like to showcase the local agricultural community.
This is a community event. We encourage residents and businesses alike to volunteer their time and talent.
The DDA is committed to promoting the Village as a great place to live, work, and do business.
We are hoping to accomplish that with the first annual Harvest Festival.
A complete itinerary of events will be available soon.
Thank You.
Sincerely,
Annabell Howard
SDDA Chair
Monday, August 1, 2011
Policing
Serious business, public safety.
For the record we have commented on policing before.
But you're right - we've pretty much left the idea of a Law Enforcement Authority alone.
But since you asked...
The people of this Village and residents of this Township long ago drew lines in the sand, carefully marking out where one ends and the other begins.
The old Village Council erected it's own Berlin Wall between Township and Village government, complete with barbed wire and armed guards.
Your former Police Chief made no bones about where his jurisdiction started and where it ended, and had an extremely antagonistic relationship with the Ingham County Sheriff's Office, as did most of his officers.
This attitude of insularity permeated all aspects of life in the Village.
When the Ingham County Commissioners announced that budget cuts would eliminate road patrol for the out counties, Stockbridge Township Supervisor Paul Risner had a dialogue with your then Village Manager Dan Dancer about expanding Village coverage to include the Township. Risner wanted to ensure the safety of Township residents, and was investigating all avenues. The Village Manager promised that he would have someone contact the township. Needless to say, it never happened.
The Township extended it's hand; the Village slapped it away.
Fast forward to 2011.
Road Patrol is shaved to 2 deputies to cover 444 square miles.
It goes without saying that the math doesn't work in that equation.
Michigan State Police began picking up some of the slack, but again, with MSP facing cuts of its own, they were hard pressed to respond to any but the most serious calls.
Result? Don't call 911 unless you're bleeding - profusely - cuz there will be a wait.
A new and hopeful era dawned here in the Village with the resignations of the manager and the chief; new council members were elected; bridges began to be built between the Township and the Village. It was a brand new day.
But long memories and bad feelings began to sabotage what should have been a beautiful partnership. "We're the Village - we don't give a hairy hoot what happens in the Township," said some. "Let them solve their own problems," said others. And many more, after much disingenuous posturing and misinformation in the local paper, based their opinions on an expanded police force on that twisted information. Many in the Village balked at the idea of an expanded police force based on money alone. How much should the Township pay? Certainly the Village shouldn't bear the brunt of the costs to police 'them.' Who would be 'in charge' of the police, and who would decide what would get patrolled and when? Such questions dangled there in the air, and no one was providing good answers. For some Village residents, the answer was simple - let the township fend for itself.
This road of long memories and bad feelings runs both ways. For some Township residents, the last thing they wanted or felt they needed was the Village Police Department poking its nose into Township business. Hell, most Township residents weren't all that worried about the loss of the road patrol. They felt they could 'take care of themselves' and 'look after their own.' The rallying cry seemed to be the sound of 'hillbilly burglar alarms' - the sound of a 12 gage shot gun being racked.
While we feel that a Law Enforcement Authority would certainly solve a couple of problems, we also feel it would pose some.
And can residents who have a hard time seeing eye to eye on the time of day, really come together to form the Authority?
We have no idea.
Cost is certainly an issue. Risner refused to assess taxes on Township residents to fund law enforcement without putting it to a vote - and Township residents promptly voted it down.
Who would sit on the Authority Board? Are there people that would be trusted by both the Village and the Township?
And would residents of the Township see this as just a money-making opportunity for the cash strapped Village to balance the budget with Township dollars; or would they view it as a necessity for having some police protection?
A vast majority of Township residents are over 65 and living alone. A vulnerable population that does require protection, and would certainly benefit from police coverage.
The Village is currently plagued by a rash of vandalism and thefts; more police patrol hours would go a long way toward curbing that behavior.
Pros and cons; cons and pros.
What to do?
We here at the Citizen-Herald support policing as a right of every American to be safe in their homes.
The biggest hurdles will be those long memories, that insular attitude, and those 'we don't need you' thinkers on BOTH sides of the issue.
For the record we have commented on policing before.
But you're right - we've pretty much left the idea of a Law Enforcement Authority alone.
But since you asked...
The people of this Village and residents of this Township long ago drew lines in the sand, carefully marking out where one ends and the other begins.
The old Village Council erected it's own Berlin Wall between Township and Village government, complete with barbed wire and armed guards.
Your former Police Chief made no bones about where his jurisdiction started and where it ended, and had an extremely antagonistic relationship with the Ingham County Sheriff's Office, as did most of his officers.
This attitude of insularity permeated all aspects of life in the Village.
When the Ingham County Commissioners announced that budget cuts would eliminate road patrol for the out counties, Stockbridge Township Supervisor Paul Risner had a dialogue with your then Village Manager Dan Dancer about expanding Village coverage to include the Township. Risner wanted to ensure the safety of Township residents, and was investigating all avenues. The Village Manager promised that he would have someone contact the township. Needless to say, it never happened.
The Township extended it's hand; the Village slapped it away.
Fast forward to 2011.
Road Patrol is shaved to 2 deputies to cover 444 square miles.
It goes without saying that the math doesn't work in that equation.
Michigan State Police began picking up some of the slack, but again, with MSP facing cuts of its own, they were hard pressed to respond to any but the most serious calls.
Result? Don't call 911 unless you're bleeding - profusely - cuz there will be a wait.
A new and hopeful era dawned here in the Village with the resignations of the manager and the chief; new council members were elected; bridges began to be built between the Township and the Village. It was a brand new day.
But long memories and bad feelings began to sabotage what should have been a beautiful partnership. "We're the Village - we don't give a hairy hoot what happens in the Township," said some. "Let them solve their own problems," said others. And many more, after much disingenuous posturing and misinformation in the local paper, based their opinions on an expanded police force on that twisted information. Many in the Village balked at the idea of an expanded police force based on money alone. How much should the Township pay? Certainly the Village shouldn't bear the brunt of the costs to police 'them.' Who would be 'in charge' of the police, and who would decide what would get patrolled and when? Such questions dangled there in the air, and no one was providing good answers. For some Village residents, the answer was simple - let the township fend for itself.
This road of long memories and bad feelings runs both ways. For some Township residents, the last thing they wanted or felt they needed was the Village Police Department poking its nose into Township business. Hell, most Township residents weren't all that worried about the loss of the road patrol. They felt they could 'take care of themselves' and 'look after their own.' The rallying cry seemed to be the sound of 'hillbilly burglar alarms' - the sound of a 12 gage shot gun being racked.
While we feel that a Law Enforcement Authority would certainly solve a couple of problems, we also feel it would pose some.
And can residents who have a hard time seeing eye to eye on the time of day, really come together to form the Authority?
We have no idea.
Cost is certainly an issue. Risner refused to assess taxes on Township residents to fund law enforcement without putting it to a vote - and Township residents promptly voted it down.
Who would sit on the Authority Board? Are there people that would be trusted by both the Village and the Township?
And would residents of the Township see this as just a money-making opportunity for the cash strapped Village to balance the budget with Township dollars; or would they view it as a necessity for having some police protection?
A vast majority of Township residents are over 65 and living alone. A vulnerable population that does require protection, and would certainly benefit from police coverage.
The Village is currently plagued by a rash of vandalism and thefts; more police patrol hours would go a long way toward curbing that behavior.
Pros and cons; cons and pros.
What to do?
We here at the Citizen-Herald support policing as a right of every American to be safe in their homes.
The biggest hurdles will be those long memories, that insular attitude, and those 'we don't need you' thinkers on BOTH sides of the issue.
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