Week in Review: City of Exception
“I am here to speak for the tree!”
Week in Review
City Council, Tuesday, September 3
Public Comment
In order to address the extended commentary of certain regular public comment offenders, Mayor Stockford procured a timer that beeps when the speaker’s three minutes have ended.
Jack McClain, ranting about numerous things: “Those churchgoers who park behind the courthouse. . . all jaywalk across the road to the church.”
Public Hearing: the Vacation of E. Galloway Dr. and part of Summit St.
An anxious public was heard with respect to the City’s vacation of Galloway Dr. for the purposes of the College hotel expansion project.
Mackie: “This is the second step of the [College hotel] project for the City.” On altering the southernmost part of Summit “A comment on the cul-de-sac: that’s a responsibility to paid for by the College. . . They will also pay for all the utility relocation for this project.”
Kevin Pauken: “The College should pay the taxpayers of this community; there should be some financial gain out of this.”
Megan Angell, on a ancient oak tree behind the College’s chapel, which may or may not be in the path of hotel construction: “I am here to speak for the tree!” Abruptly cut off by the beeping of the public comment timer.
The Jogger, defending the oak tree from the perspective of the tourist:1 “I would very much like to see them preserve that oak. . . perhaps people would enjoy seeing it if they were staying at that hotel.”
Sandy Beach Admission Fee
The park at Baw Beese Lake was reportedly given to the City with the caveat that residents would never be charged to use it. Past Councils got around this by charging parking fees for those going to Sandy Beach. Council raised parking fees from $5 to $10 last month, but is now reconsidering that decision.
Mayor Stockford, bringing his objections to the table: “One of the most consistent complaints I get from the citizens of Hillsdale is that the taxes keep going up and they’re not getting much. . . When that land was given to the City, part of the stipulation was that the public would never be charged to get into Sandy Beach, hence the reason why we charge parking. . . to not violate the deed. . . It would be nice to do something that doesn’t cost the residents of Hillsdale more money. . . Maybe we keep it $10 for non-residents, free for City residents.”
The City Lawyer, pulling a Flenderson: “Just so you’re aware, there may be a legal roadblock to making a distinction between residents and non-residents for charging for the use of the park.”2
The matter was sent to the Public Services Committee for further evaluation.
Driveway Wars
Russell Miller, a longtime Hillsdale resident,3 was upset that one exit/entrance to his circle driveway has been nullified by the City, on account of it being too close to a stop sign per State statute. Miller reportedly built the driveway over fifteen years ago. Nothing was said about the driveway until City Staff learned about the statute and promptly built a curb over the end of the drive that was too close to the sign. Miller attended Monday’s Council meeting once again to express his frustration.
“Usually I get up here and get all emotional, but today, it’s more of anger and hate. Mr. Paladino, I appreciate your help. Mr. Socha, I feel like you threw me under the bus. I got a permit for this driveway. It was inspected by the City.”4
Earlier in the meeting, Councilman Socha had addressed the situation with the Millers, citing a desire to comply with State regulations as a reason for the City to actively ruin Miller’s property:
“We wanted to see if we could make an exception, but we learned that if we did so, the City could be liable should any accident happen there. . . So we decided it was not in the City’s best interest to do that. . . I think we’ve gone above and beyond to make amends, even though it is a bit of a discomfort to them, and they’re going to have to make adjustments to how they park. . . It’s important to not make exceptions on a whim.”
But, you may be asking, does Council not make exceptions on a whim as a matter of principle? Is this not how the majority conceives of its very job? See below a quite partial list of exceptions supported by this Council majority in the past year and a half:
Exempting Hillsdale Mobile Home Park from its legally accrued penalties.
Voting for the EcoSmart Energy Choice Program, subsidizing “green energy” users, i.e., giving these residents preferred energy rates.
On two or more occasions going for the “workforce” housing PILOT tax exemption at Three Meadows—bleak looking homes which cost $2,000/month to rent.
Voting for every Special Assessment.
Voting for Neighborhood Enterprise Zone housing tax breaks.
Supporting Corecoyle Composites on several occasions before finally ending the City’s relation to it earlier this year, and invariably extending the Keefer House deadline.
Underlying these exceptions are two discernible patterns. First, the Council is perfectly happy to grant exceptions to wealthy residents, developers, and corporations—even of the most predatory kind—particularly if it will boost tourism and/or local “GDP.” Meanwhile the taxpaying residents drive on bad roads and are charged with SADs to get them fixed. Before the Council there are no people, only taxable entities.
Second, the Council is possessed by a zeal for compliance, such as the voluntarily spending tens of thousands of dollars remaking sidewalks or install upgraded City Hall doors in order to comply with the ADA. In each case it was decided on a whim to scrupulously follow a previously unknown law that nobody was concerned about to begin with.
Upcoming Events
County Commissioners, Tuesday, September 10
External Links
“Stockford said the city’s $3 million budget surplus (what could be $5 million with Hillsdale College’s pledged $2 million endowment) means the city can afford to take a look at the beach parking fees and, as he proposed, eliminate charging city residents to use the beach outright while maintaining a $10 parking fee for non-city residents.” Corey Murray.
“Safetyism isn’t about having a rightful concern about making smart decisions, it’s about taking decisions off the table. It’s about eliminating any chance of living because living brings risk. It’s about sacrificing all other kinds of joy and freedom for the sake of knowing no one will ever possibly be hurt.” Michigan Enjoyer.
“Certain immigrants and green card holders now have access to Medicaid in Michigan, thanks to $6.4 million Democrats set aside for the change in last year’s budget.” The Midwesterner.5
“The cost of electricity has increased from $0.14 per kilowatt hour in 2019 to $0.18 per kilowatt hour in 2024 — a change of more than 28.5%. The average American is now paying nearly $300 a month just in utilities.” CBS.
“Regulators around the world should threaten Musk with arrest if he doesn’t stop disseminating lies and hate on X.” Robert Reich.6
“The Presidential Election of 2024 is not an ‘issues’ election, but a ‘regime’ election.” Ben Crenshaw responds to pro-life concerns regarding Trump.
“Raw milk is disgusting. We live in a first world civilized society and people are actively choosing to consume milk riddled with E. coli and listeria. Pasteurization is not some evil sorcery. It just kills the dangerous bacteria you morons.” Matt Walsh does his best Boomer impression.
We, for one, are flummoxed by Councilman Wolfram’s comment. What he believes about this ancient oak tree, he—and many others involved in City government—appear to also believe about the City at large: that is, it should keep the things that the tourists might like to see from their hotel windows, liquidate the rest, and transform that extra capital into things that will attract more tourists.
The City has no trouble making this allegedly difficult distinction when it comes to leveraging residents for Revenue and Development, or distinguishing even among its residents between those who are preferred (tourists and builders of million dollar homes) and those who are not (ordinary taxpayers and permanent middle class residents of Hillsdale).
That’s right, we made the distinction—it turns out that residents are eligible only for exclusive punishment from the city, but not exclusive benefits.
The City denies this claim.
Maybe Wiley and the Commissioners could start a similar program here in Hillsdale County, to further subsidize the “certain immigrants.”
Our own local elites have a similar opinion of Fauxglin’s subversive and divisive writing.