Week in Review: a Bright and Beautiful Future
"It’s going to be magnificent and visionary.”
Week in Review
City Council, Monday, December 16
War on Leaves Update
In May of 2021, 744 of the 5,323 eligible citizens of the City of Hillsdale voted in a special election. That ballot contained two items: (1) a newly-proposed leaf and road millage, the two items duplicitously lumped together under the moniker “street improvement;” and (2) a Hillsdale Community Schools Operating fund tax raise. The election, as you can see, had a dismal 15-percent turnout. Of those 744 voters, 405 (54-percent of those who turned out) went for the new leaf and street tax. Thus it was that 7.6 percent of Hillsdale citizens declared a War on Leaves on behalf of the entire City.1
Shortly thereafter, preparing for its first offensive thrust against this newfound enemy, the City used its increased revenue to purchase a $198,234 luxury leaf collection machine—a machine which is, by all accounts, of limited use value. This acquisition was to be the first major step in resolving what has been dubbed our “Love-Hate Relationship with Fall Leaves.”2 Yet even with hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of machinery and nine full-time unionized employees working, leaf pickup still takes the City’s entire Department of Public Services approximately two-and-a-half months per year, costing six figures annually. The old method, though it admittedly expected citizens to tend to their own properties, cost approximately $20,000 per year. See the Council’s discussion below:
Councilman Socha, on the leaf machine acquisition: “The challenge that I’m having. . . is that we spent $174,000 and change on this machine, and we bought it, it was sold to Council as the end-all-be-all in the history of leaf collection. . . Now you’re telling me that it’s less expensive to do the old way?” Nervous about public opinion regarding the old method: “That didn’t go over well with the community at all. That’s why we passed the millage.”
City Manager David Mackie: “It’s not that the [leaf machine] doesn’t have its uses, but by using it in combination with other equipment. . . we’ve been able to save more money. . . It is not a waste of money.”
Mayor Pro Tem Paladino to Jason Blake, Department of Public Services Director: “Can you remind me how many weeks the DPS crew is dedicated to leaves and brush throughout the whole year?
Blake: “It’s safe to say that two-and-a-half to three months per year is nothing but brush and leaves.” Blake also told Council that all nine DPS employees, skilled and unionized laborers working at $32/hour, are needed for leaf pickup for the duration of that time.
Paladino: “We’re using employees who are meant to be fixing serious infrastructures issues. . . to collect leaves. I don’t see how we can continue on with this with our other budgetary priorities. . . We have to find a way to go back.”
Councilman Matthew Bentley, inquiring about the city’s luxury machine: “How many men did you say it takes to run the [machine]?” The answer: five.
Airport Hangar Lease Update
City Attorney Toby, Airport Director Ginger Moore, Mr. Mackie, and the Council majority nearly violated Federal Aviation Administration regulations by giving a favored party a special hangar deal last month. The agreement has been called off.
Mackie: “Our option on leasing the hangar didn’t quite work out the way we had hoped, so we’re looking at coming forward with numbers to actually fix the hangar ourselves. . . and increase the rent.”
Keefer House OPRA Renewal
In 2019, Council gave CL Real Estate an Obsolete Property Rehabilitation Act (OPRA) certificate for the Keefer House Hotel, which freezes the taxable value of a property at the time of the agreement, to continue until the end of the agreed upon period—in this instance, until 2032. The initial agreement was such that CL was to complete building reconstruction and begin hotel operation in 2021. But the Developers have failed to meet at least four deadlines so far, citing COVID, lack of labor, high supply costs, unpredictable problems, etc., as reasons for the already-three-year delay. In a recent letter, CL alerted Council that it would fail to meet the December 31 deadline, and requested another extension.
According to City Development Czar Sam Fry, “they want the certainty to know that they have the additional time.” Staff presented two options to Council:
Extend the OPRA certificate through 9/30/2025.
Delay the extension of the certificate and discuss at a later date.
Council debated as follows:
Paladino: “The estimated annual taxes over twelve years without the OPRA would be approximately $614,000. . . The estimated taxes over twelve years, with an OPRA, would be $260,000. . . Our cost was set at about $350,000 in 2019; whether they take longer or not, that won’t change our dollar amount. Now, if it were revoked, they would be reassessed at the current taxable value.”
Bentley, not yet educated into the majority’s Developmental Mind, which is in the business of handing out deals without negotiating on behalf of the City.
“I don’t know why we’re handcuffing ourselves.”
“They’re coming and asking for yet another extension. . . Intuitively it seems to me that someone owes us, not that we should hand out more tax rebates.”
“If we’re losing potential money, then that’s costing us.”
“We’re five years into a two year project.”
“I’m going to vote No today. . . I hope there might be a thought about a third way.”
“This infinite patience for a beautiful renaissance in Hillsdale—I can’t necessarily buy into that. . . It’s our responsibility to hold ourselves and others accountable; and there doesn’t seem to be any accountability in any of this.”
“I’m hearing that I’m going to bring the fire down from Heaven if I vote No. I’ll be voting No.”
“We are giving up whatever leverage we have right now.”
Councilman Bruns: “I would be for the amended extension if we could be sure that it’s the final extension. And that might mean something like a provision added to the contract where the abated taxes are paid back to the City if it’s not completed by the final date.”
Councilman Flynn, saying one thing and doing another: “There’s got to be a finite time where CL RED and the construction crew says, ‘If we’re not done, then it’s got to be out of our pocket.’”
Councilman Jogger: “We’re the only city in the country that the whole downtown is a National Historic District.”3
Councilman Stuchell: “This is a shining tool. . . If we wrinkle this up, it could derail things and push things out and cause people to scratch their heads go, ‘Wait a minute—this Council is anti-business, anti-Development? Really?’. . . We cannot say No—a No vote. . . is a power play.”
Socha, trembling before CL and its mighty throne of cash: “I’ve been part of this project from the beginning. . . These men are committed to the project. . . If we say No to this extension, we’re putting doubt into the minds of CL Enterprises that we’re willing to continue to have them complete the project. . . If I have to extend it ten more times, I’ll extend it ten more times. . . We’re on the precipice of a launch into a bright and beautiful future. . . It’s going to be magnificent and visionary.”
Toby being Toby: “I don’t see a way that you could do anything.”
According to City Tax Assessor Kim Thomas, “OPRAs don’t have contracts.” This means that, in 2019, the City entered into an official agreement granting a lengthy tax abatement to a Developer without any recourse for further action on behalf of the City’s own interest, even if said Developer failed to hold up its end of the bargain. Our Council’s motto is, apparently, “Believe all Developers.”4
Motion to adopt the resolution by Flynn, who initially spoke against the extension; seconded by Socha. Bruns and Bentley opposed; all else for.
Dial-a-Ride Fare Increase
Council briefly discussed raising rates to try to cover the six-figure shortfall between Dial-a-Ride revenues and expenses. The proposal was unanimously sent to the Dial-a-Ride Committee for further consideration.
Public Comment
Sam Knecht, on behalf of the experts: “I hope that as any discussion of [Fluoride in the city’s water] comes before City Council, all consideration will be made to gathering reports and official statements from the American Dental Association and other Health Professionals.”
Shannon Gainer, on the budget surplus: “If any of this [Capital Improvement Fund] money goes to the Airport doors, I’m going to be really angry.”
Brandon Traxler, Barry Street resident: “I wouldn’t have even found out about the Special Assessment had it not been for our good neighbor, Tim.”
Jack McClain, fed up with Christmas: “You’re worried about the money spent for leaf pickup, but I haven’t heard one word said about the Christmas decorations. . . Part of the people in this town probably don’t even believe in Christmas—not all religions believe in Christmas.”
Upcoming Events
County Commissioners, Monday, December 23
Nota bene: the men of HCR have scheduled their annual corporate summit and beach calendar photoshoot next week, so do not expect a Review in your inbox on 12/28. Coverage of the 12/23 County Commissioner meeting will be included in the following issue. We leave your weekly political news in the intrepid hands of Corey Murray.
External Links
“I did it! I made it to Broadway.” Ketanji Brown Jackson.
“The median homeowner in America has a net worth of $400,000 as of 2022, the most recent data available, while the median renter’s net worth is just $10,400, according to the report.” CNN.
“I’ve been complaining for years that Democrats are outsourcing too much of their thinking to ‘the groups.’” Matthew Yglesias.
“Presidents always have gatekeepers. But in Biden’s case, the walls around him were higher and the controls greater, according to Democratic lawmakers, donors and aides who worked for Biden and other administrations. There were limits over who Biden spoke with, limits on what they said to him and limits around the sources of information he consumed.” Wall Street Journal.
“During the Trump years, Obama used the tools of the digital age to craft an entirely new type of power center for himself, one that revolved around his unique position as the titular, though pointedly never-named, head of a Democratic Party.” David Samuels.
“The two worst things that can happen to a community is to have a Walmart enter or a Walmart leave.” Marc Andreesen.
“Trump, who was raised as a Presbyterian but now considers himself non-denominational, has nominated at least a dozen Catholics to top positions in his administration.” Politico.
“He found that when he took Adderall, he could keep working for hours, and was able to actually be interested in some of the mundane tasks required of a young investment banker, such as aligning corporate logos on a PowerPoint or formatting cells in Microsoft Excel.” Wall Street Journal.
“Gyms may fulfil needs that churches don’t. While you can just show your face at a Sunday service, a gruelling shared workout demands your full participation, and along with it a higher level of intimacy and honesty . . . gyms are places where people can be unusually open about spiritual matters. Through suffering side-by-side, you break down barriers and clear the way for deeper conversations.” UnHerd.
“President Santa J. Ono will establish an Institute for Civil Discourse at the University of Michigan to strengthen debate and dialogue across the vast spectrum of ideologies and political perspectives on campus and beyond.” The University Record.
May elections rarely exceed 20-percent turnout. Furthermore, the City appears to have advertised for the millage.
“‘We have discovered happiness’—say the last men, and blink.”
For Jogger, history only happens where the state says it happens.
Or perhaps they recognize no difference between the good of the City and the good of any particular Developer.