Week in Review: A Harmonious Affair
“I would not like to live in more of a panopticon than we already do."
Week in Review
City Council, Monday, May 5
County Commissioners Update
Commissioner Ingles, on the Board of Commissioners’ descent into madness as they consider jeopardizing Hillsdale by issuing a bond on behalf of LifeWays expansion: “At our last meeting. . . we had discussion and a motion to engage Bond Counsel regarding a Hillsdale County bond issuance for LifeWays. . . Anyone who has comments or opinion, please do outreach Commissioners. We have on our website emails, phone numbers, and regular mailing address. I do expect this will be brought up at our next meeting on May 13th. . . There are Commissioners that are in favor; there are Commissioners that are not in favor of Hillsdale County providing a bond.”
Councilman Bentley: “Could you say a few words about the previous meeting you had before the Bond Counsel—about the public comment and the emails that the Commissioners received?”
Inges: “I personally received 75 emails. All were opposed to Hillsdale County issuing a bond on behalf of LifeWays. . . All who spoke—except for one person—were opposed. The one person was a LifeWays employee.” Did Ingles forget that the LifeWays employee was a Staunch Conservative?
Consider venting your spleen at our intrepid Commissioners at their meeting next week, wherein cut-and-paste Wiley and Lil’ Bert Leininger will try to strong-arm newcomer Kevin Collins into herding your children one step further into psychopharmaceutical LGBT debt slavery.1
CBDG Grant Closeout Public Hearing
Some things were said about a grant that was already received and work that was already completed.
Economic Development Czar Sam Fry, on the folks: “As part of this grant process, we just have to hold a public hearing, offer folks an opportunity on the project once it’s finished.”
The folks did not hear, and were not heard.
Ordinance Amendments
Zoning Administrator Alan Beeker, wounded in both flesh and spirit, explained Missy DesJardin’s code violations at “Camp Hope” homeless camp.
Beeker: “Transitional housing is permitted within the ordinance. However, it would require architectural and engineering drawings. . . and it would have to pass state requirements for a structure. So, yes: it’s possible to do it.”
City Manager Mackie: “Missy was issued notice of civil infraction. . . In two weeks, if the violation isn’t corrected, it becomes a District Court ticket.”
Councilman Gerg, ever more enervated: “I know this is a hot issue. . . I’m just questioning if we should maybe look at extending this.” On his tiered justice system: “I wonder if I could make a motion to avoid this ordinance, to allow Camp Hope to exist, and at the same time, ask our police department to enforce outside of Camp Hope.” On concentrating the homeless into a consolidated camp: “Missy has centralized the homeless issue. . . I think the issue is, we need to have a place for the homeless. If it is a tent, it’s a tent. . . Missy has a lot of programs.”
Business Bob: “I have talked to a number of business owners throughout the downtown area. . . Some of the downtown business owners are behind her effort.”
Councilman Jogger, on the value of ignoring laws: “Missy has found a place that they could camp. I think that’s valuable.”
Councilman Socha, initially opposed: “While I appreciate what Missy’s done, two years is a long time. . . We already have on our trail again encampments that have had to be broken up by the police, some pretty substantial. . . I’ve had residents from the apartment structure above the parking lot complain. . . I, for one, take great offense. . . at finding used needles on public property.” On his hardworkin’ lifestyle: “You know what, life takes hard work sometimes. Life takes sacrifice. We’ve all worked hard to attain our lifestyles.”
DPS Director Jason Blake, on the trashed state of Hillsdale: “[DPS picked up] roughly 4,000 pounds of trash. . . We’re still not complete. . . This is the most trash on my time that I’ve seen.”2
Missy DesJardin, bursting violently onto the scene: “Now that I see where everybody stands, I wish I was able to speak first, because I was asking to come with a solution. But now I’m seriously thinking about if this City actually deserves it.”3
On the growing industry: “We have located a building downtown that we will move our thrift store to. . . Our current main location. . . will become the transitional facility. It will offer a structured program using our local agencies and nonprofits. . . with an on-site social worker full time.”
Socha, wilting: “Why didn’t you include that language in the packet for us to read before?. . . There’s nothing in the packet that told me that you had a plan.”
DesJardin: “I’m sorry that you weren’t prepared, but neither was I.”
City Attorney Toby, on having and enforcing laws: “We could theoretically enter into a consent judgment that would provide that if they’re going to have this transitional facility, when’s the date by which that’s going to be done, and they just have to hit that target. . . then you actually have an enforcement mechanism in place if they don’t comply.”
Gerg, on the Bright and Beautiful Future: “I’d like to extend it more than four months. . . We’re still waiting for the Keefer to open, aren’t we? And we’re still fighting for that.”
Bentley: “I only took this seat in November, and this is one of the first things we addressed then, and it seemed to have already been a long-term issue. So I’m open to the merciful call, but there has to be some built-in accountability, and we seem to struggle with that. . . It doesn’t seem to me that there’s a binary choice that we either hand it to the attorney, or we call him off; we let him go forward, and we direct him every step of the way.”
Councilman Bruns: “I’m with Councilman Bentley. . . I do think we need something in place with real penalties.”
After some further discussion, Council unanimously agreed to send the matter to the Public Safety Committee for discussion regarding the parameters of the consent judgment.
Capital Improvement Plan
The Capital Improvement Plan anticipates large expenditures in advance.
Beeker: “There has to be a financial way to pay for said Master Plan, and that is the Capital Improvement Plan.”
Bentley, waging spiritual warfare on bike lanes: “To go forward with the MDOT plan it’s going to have to be a 5-3 affirmative vote?” The answer: yes. “I just want to make sure we’re all on the same page.”
Mayor Pro Tem Paladino: “I’m going to vote for this. Not necessarily every piece, but as an outline.”
The plan passed, 7-1; Bruns opposed.
Domestic Harmony Contract
The City of Hillsdale gives money annually to the Domestic Harmony NGO while failing to achieve its basic tasks.4
Hannah Jordan, Domestic Harmony Executive Director: “Since 1981, the City of Hillsdale has entered into a contract for purchasing our services for the City of Hillsdale.”
Flynn: “Do any of the other municipalities. . . give as well?” Flynn has thrice used the word bitchin’ in the past few months to describe a kind of nagging or complaining in a shrill manner. We don’t mind, but we wonder what Domestic Harmony might think of his verbiage.
Gerg, signalling his virtue: “To show the Compassion this Council has. . . I think we should take this up another $1,500 dollars, to $7,500.”5
Socha: “I’ve supported this. I think it’s a worthy endeavor.”
Paladino: “We need a more formal procedure for who gets the funds.”
Bentley: “What other NGOs do we as a Council allocate monies to?”
Councilman Morrisey: “We’ve supported it ever since I was on the Council.”
Council approved the increased $7,500 annual donation, 5-3, with Gerg, Jogger, Flynn, Morrisey, Socha for; Bentley, Paladino, Bruns opposed.
Board Appointments
Dr. Douglas Dobrozsi was nominated for the BPU Board—a board traditionally made up of Hillsdale County’s “Staunch Conservatives,” that is, managerial elites under whose watch the County government has become what it is—a mass conglomeration of social work programs, corporate/nonprofit welfare, and lax law enforcement and courts. Making matters more laughable, all five members of the BPU board were—and now four out of five are—governors of the City of Hillsdale’s largest asset while not even living within the City of Hillsdale.
Morrisey: “On this matter of fluoridation, my impression is that his position is not to eliminate fluoride from the drinking water, but rather to see to it that it’s at a certain level.”
Paladino: “He’s following the advancements and monitoring what the Department of Health and Human Services is doing. They’re updating all the research on that right now. . . I just wanted to distance Dr. Dobrozsi from the idea that he is a political activist. He is a chemist.”
Flynn, opposing Dobrozsi’s appointment on the part of Staunch Conservatism: “Do we have an opening on the BPU Board?. . . Whoever’s being replaced didn’t have the option to stay on?”
Mackie: “They did apply, but they were told up front that. . . they wanted to get more City residents on the Board.”
Socha: “Not to disparage the CDC or the NIH, but a simple Google search on countries banning fluoride will pull up a plethora of examples in Europe alone.”
All in favor minus Bitchin’ Bob.
Public Comment
Scott Sessions, on the studies he reads in his spare time: “I am against the appointment of Douglas Dobrozsi as. . . he disagrees with the Department of Environmental Great Lakes and Energy that when fluoride is added to the drinking water can prevent tooth decay and can provide other benefits. . . He also disagrees with the Centers for Disease Control, which calls water fluoridation one of the most important accomplishments of the 20th century.”
Mark Nichols: “I want to commend Council for the spirit of cooperation and compassion with which you dealt with the issue regarding Camp Hope tonight.”
Lance Lashaway: “I’ve been coming to these things for about a decade now, and I’ve never witnessed that level of civil discussion on this board. You’ve taken a lot of hate Josh—a lot—but what you’ve been doing here, definitely starting to show. And it’s a shame that you’re not running for Mayor.”
DesJardin, on creating a surveillance state: “A solution for the littering that is on the Baw Beese trails: I have seen on the internet that other cities have installed. . . trail cams.”
Council enthusiastically supported DesJardin’s proposal in Council Comment:
Morrisey: “Perhaps we could refer that trail cam business to Public Safety.”
Bentley: “I would not like to live in more of a panopticon than we already do. So maybe I’ll sit in on that meeting. I don’t think we need any more ‘cams.’”
Jason Blake, not impressed: “We do have five cameras that we use in house. . . We already have them. They don’t deter a lot. We’ve actually caught more of our residents that are housed in there doing things.”6
Socha: “It’s worth a discussion.”
Flynn, Morrisey, Socha, Stuchell, Wolfram for; Bentley, Paladino, Bruns opposed.
Other Council comment:
Socha: “I just had a question about Councilman Bruns. Why the No vote on the [fence permit ordinance tweak, not covered above]. You didn’t mention anything, or I missed it if you did.”
Bruns: “I didn’t say anything, no. . . I oppose fence permits.”
Socha: “For the future: I appreciate fuller understanding, because it might persuade me. I’ve been persuaded in the past.”7
A tantalizing preview of next meeting:
Paladino: “I will not be here for the May 19th meeting. We don’t have a provision for who calls the meeting to order, except that you elect the acting Mayor as the first order of business.”
Toby: “You would present a motion for someone to act as presiding Mayor for the meeting.”
External Links
“Desjardin said she’s working to move Hillsdale Community Thrift to downtown Hillsdale, in order to allow for the building itself on M-99 to be renovated into a permanent transitional housing facility.” HDN.
“With the note set to expire April 15, 2025, we request TIFA deem it satisfied. If TIFA disagrees, we seek an extension to September 30, 2025.” CL Real Estate Development.
“This Substack intends to offer an account of the actions and reactions of the city council and staff that compelled me to run for Mayor of Council.” Matt Bentley.8
“The Justice Department . . . filed lawsuits against the states of Hawaii and Michigan to prevent each state from suing fossil fuel companies in state court to seek damages for alleged climate change harms.” DOJ.
“Both factions want more American babies, but they have different visions of who would have those babies, and how.” City Journal.
“For America to become less ‘Family Unfriendly,’ its transportation policies certainly do need to be reformed. What should be first on the list? Cheaper minivans.” Ivana Greco.
We hear Mark Wiley loves to receive a large volume of angry emails! You can reach the Commissioners at: d.ingles@co.hillsdale.mi.us; k.collins@co.hillsdale.mi.us; m.wiley@co.hillsdale.mi.us; b.benzing@co.hillsdale.mi.us; b.leininger@co.hillsdale.mi.us.
At least we have the fluoride?
Was this a threat to the City?
A cursory perusal of Domestic Harmony’s website yields links to LGBTQ and #MeToo materials as well as Hillsdale County’s sprawling nonprofit “service” sector, all with reference to only one (First Presbyterian) of Hillsdale’s many churches. Board members include Hodshires, LaRues, and LifeWays employees. If you care for more details, see the “LGBTQQA” link on this page, which includes the following Power and Control Wheel for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans Relationships—
We hope that Gerg will donate the additional $1,500 to demonstrate true Compassion. It’s about a year’s worth of wages for a councilman—even a hardworkin’ one.
Well, there’s a clue to their only effective use!
We find a rare point of agreement with Socha here—unity!
Lawyer Thompson doesn’t cover himself with glory here . . . unless . . . that was part of the plan!
Damn right it was a "treat". There are more marbles in a bag at the dollar store than a few seats on council have in their heads... But it's clear... They don't see it as in their harbor... They don't shop at Kroger, or the craft store.... They don't work for Caldwell realty or Kroger... They go down for happy hour on Fridays but from there you can't see the "trail of tears" to "Camp Hope". Then "Mr. Law and Order" suggests they ignore any infractions at "Camp Hope" but crack down one everyone else.... I wish I could build a good enough fence.... but then I'd just have the lawyer sicked on me....
How about we fix the roads before we hand out the candy?
The candy only satisfies a few; the roads satisfy the many.