~FREEDOM ISN'T FREE~

HONORING THE MEN AND WOMEN OF OUR

ARMED FORCES

MAY GOD BLESS AND KEEP YOU

WITH THE HEARTFELT THANKS OF A GRATEFUL NATION

Math

Fact: The Village of Stockbridge is facing a "current overall budgeted operational deficit of $173,078.00 and elimination of non-mandatory services." [see Village Meeting Packet for 11/7/2011, page 55]

Fact: At last night's Village Council Meeting YOUR Village council members voted to do the following:

1. Compensate Clerk Sadwoski $550.00 for performing the duties of the treasurer for three weeks.
2. Compensate Clerk Sadowski an additional $160.00 per week for taking over the duties of payroll for Village employees. This brings Clerk Sadowski's current salary (yes, salary - he was made an exempt employee) to $800.00 per week.
3. Voted to change Village Office hours to 8:00 am - 3:00 pm due to a lack of business after 3:00 pm.
4. Voted to make a mandatory one hour lunch break (un-paid) for all Village employees.
5. Voted to hire a new part time Treasurer who will work a maximum of 20 hours per week at a pay rate starting at $12.00 per hour, but not to exceed $15.00 per hour.
6. Voted to add an additional $25.00 fee for water/sewer shut off notices.
7. Voted to charge a $100.00 transfer fee for Oaklawn cemetery plots.

Show of hands: How many people think this math makes sense?
Show of hands: How may people have had an $8320.00 raise in the past year? Past 5 years?
Show of hands: How many people received said raise after having their hours cut? *
Show of hands: How many people just want to vomit?

* Clerk Sadowski's exempt status requires him to perform 32 hours of work. The new office hours total 35; subtract the mandatory one hour lunch break, to equal 30 hours. Thus, we are paying more money for less hours.
We can't do this math. It makes our head hurt.

Poster People

We would like to welcome the (apparently) new editor in chief to the Sun Times News, Ann Thomas. Her factually incorrect and grammatically horrifying "People Post" appeared in the most recent edition of that local bird cage liner. She seems to fit right in. We see that the Sun Times has found a kindred spirit in that they both went to the same school of journalism, where classes on truth and integrity are given daily by such luminaries as the now deceased Richard Nixon (who teaches via seance), Bernard Madoff and John Barleycorn. We're glad they found each other.
The Sun Times, which seems to hesitate in covering any local news and/or events that would shed a positive light on this community, was probably jumping for joy when it received Ms. Thomas' letter (being careful of course, not to tip it's cocktail) - firstly because it didn't have to pay her, and secondly because it was a negative tirade about every governmental entity in this locale.
While we would love to address each and every issue raised by Ms. Thomas, we just don't feel that we could hold your attention that long. What we would like to say is that we are a bit miffed that so much room was given to such a grossly inaccurate submission about Stockbridge. Notice we said miffed - not surprised.
While we can somewhat excuse the errant ramblings of a misguided soul looking for a venue, we still are left to wonder: What's the Sun Times' excuse?
Oh wait - we covered that already.

**Editors Note: We heartily support every American's right to Free Speech. We just also support the idea that the free speech be correct.

TOWN HALL MEETING TONIGHT

The Stockbridge Township Board is hosting a Town Hall Meeting tonight October 18 at 7:00 pm in the Township Hall to discuss policing issues. This is YOUR OPPORTUNITY to ASK QUESTIONS, GET ANSWERS, AND BE HEARD! All residents of both the Township and the Village are encouraged to attend!

Saying Good Bye

Today, October 10, 2011, we bid a fond farewell to Stockbridge Treasurer Beth Flynn.
Flynn resigned her position effective immediately.
We will miss her friendly smile, her great attitude, her knowledge and her very real affection for the residents and employees of the Village.
We here at the Stockbridge Citizen-Herald wish her great good fortune at her new job. (which she beat out 200 other applicants for - way to go Beth!)
As another funny lady used to sing: "We're so glad we had this time together, just to have a laugh, or sing a song, seems we just get started and before you know it, comes the time we have to say so long!"
Bye, Beth.
Don't be a stranger.
We'll leave the light on for you.

Something to Consider

Policing. It's a complicated issue. Here are some things to consider if you live in the Village:

1. You do NOT pay a dedicated millage for your police department. Funding comes from your General Fund.
2. Understand that as of this moment, it's the Village that needs the Township - NOT the other way around. And it's all about cash flow.
3. You have recently lost one of your full time officers due to budget constraints. One down, three to go.

If you live in the Township you might want to think about:

1. Coverage of calls is hit-or-miss with the Ingham County Sheriff's Office. Ditto for State Police.
2. It's going to take 2 mills to fund policing for the Township. Relax - it works out to less than a dollar a day.
3. The Township has options.

We suggest you attend meetings on policing. The Township will be holding Town Hall Meetings, which they seem to do for all matters that affect their residents. The upcoming meeting will be held in the Township Hall on October 10 at 7:30.
Write down your questions and concerns. Bring them with you to the meeting. Ask. Ask again. And don't stop asking until you are satisfied you have the answers.
This is about your Township, your money and  most importantly, your safety.
And of course, Village residents are welcome to attend. Who knows? All this information might come in handy one day - if your money problems don't get resolved.
We stand by our assertions in our last post on policing. Might want to take another look at that.

Stuff ... Nonsense ... and more ... stuff ...

Relatively speaking, it's been pretty quiet on the political front, just a few minor rumblings and grumblings. If our post on water and sewer rates is anything to go by, either people don't know or don't care. Huh. Go figure.
The Old Village Offices have been sold. For an undisclosed amount. To an undisclosed buyer. President Byrd announced he had accepted an offer at September's Council meeting. Yep. That's all he said. Evidently this transaction did not require council approval before it goes to closing. Personally, the Citizen-Herald thinks that since the taxpayers of the Village actually own said property, it might have been polite to discuss the details with them. But that's just us.
The 2011 Harvest Festival being put on by the DDA is generating quite a bit of excitement. From the looks of the schedule of events, it looks like a great time should be had by all. We are optimistic. And kind of excited.
The All Clubs Day this past weekend had quite a turn out. Preliminary reports from local businesses show an upward trend in sales generated by the event. This is good news for the downtown area. We just like the motorcycles. That's how we roll.
If anyone has pics of the aforementioned event, please send them to: stockbridgecitizenherald@gmail.com and we will post same. For posterity. And cuz it would be cool.
In local news, someone took out the fire hydrant on the corner of Main and Clinton streets. Stockbridge PD was there to ticket the driver. We wanna know if the vehicle was still driveable afterwards.
In related local news, someone is running down all street signs on Milner Rd, both east and west of M-52. Again, we'd be curious about what kind of vehicle can run these down and remain driveable. We suggest local parents check vehicles, especially 4x4 trucks with grill guards, driven by teens who say they are going to the library, for damage. Just sayin'.
We would also like to congratulate the Sun Times News on their abundance of advertising. We regret to inform the paper that advertising isn't interesting to read, however pretty the pictures might be. And the actual reporting has been pretty light for a while now. Maybe a new name for the paper: The Sun Times Advertising. Just a thought.
Now for the weather: welcome to autumn in Michigan, where temps can be 80 one day, with blistering sunshine, and 50 the next with wind and rain. That's why we're shaped like a mitten - it can be an oven mit or a winter hand warmer, depending.
Well, that's all for now folks ... and yes, we hear the Looney Tunes music, too. It's hard to write a Porky Pic stutter, though.