Week in Review: Salad & Sushi
“He’s a grown man. He’s the smartest man I know.”
Week in Review
City Council, Tuesday, January 21
Public Comment
Jeff Fazekas, on the Airport: “I think the project is an actual must, because we can now make the Airport completely independent and profitable on its own. . . Looking at the numbers, it looks very viable.”
Scott Sessions, on the mayoral vacancy: “I would ask each of you on City Council to vote in favor of an election to replace the mayor of Hillsdale.”
Shelley Hebert’s Human Trafficking Report
Inspired by the report from LifeWays’ Chris Firestone at the County Commissioner meeting last week, Hebert spoke for fifteen minutes on human trafficking in America.
“According to State of Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, human trafficking continues to plague the most vulnerable among us.”
“I suggest the consideration of more extensive training and conferences, creating public awareness.”
On an Oakland County trafficking bust: “Basically everyone there that ran the massage parlors were illegals: Chinese nationals, guys from Africa, and there were some local women.”
County Commissioner Report
Commissioner Ingles on the County’s new public school Mindfulness Calming Corner program: “The amount requested and approved for this particular request was slightly over $40,000.”
Mayor Pro-Tem Paladino: “I would be curious if you could use [the opioid money] for law enforcement. . . a drug task force, or something like that.”
At Councilman Bentley’s request, Ingles returned to the podium later in the meeting—
Bentley: “If you could just say a few words about the $40,000 rooms in all the schools. . . could you make that make sense a little bit, or no?”
Ingles: “There were a lot of statistics, a lot of numbers. . . Ultimately my vote was No, reason being, I think there are other avenues that could be pursued to accomplish some of the things they want. . . Four of the commissioners thought the calming room was the best way to go.”
Mayoral Vacancy Election
After weeks of visions and revisions, City administration commanded its loyalists on Council to hold an August special election to fill the mayoral vacancy.1
Paladino: “Most small places do appointments to fill vacancies.”
Councilman Socha: “I would prefer to have a nine-person Council to an eight.”
Motion by Councilman Flynn to set a Special Election in August, seconded by Councilman Stuchell. Passed, 6-2, Councilmen Bruns and Bentley opposed.
Airport Hangar Repair
The Airport requested $105,000 from the City to renovate hangar doors. Two separate discussions took place, the first regarding raising hangar rental fees after the repairs. After an initial promise of raising the fees from $100/month to $200/month—resulting in an approximately four-year payback period—City Staff consulted with the Airport Advisory Committee (many of whom are hangar renters), which recommended a lesser price raise of $150/month (an eight-year payback period).
Socha: “Why does the City prefer option two over option one when option one would grant us increased monthly revenue?”
Mackie: “Since that time, the Airport Advisory Committee met and discussed the rents and their recommendation actually was option two.”
Paladino: “I think we need to do option one, or maybe. . . split the difference. But the eight-year payback period seems a little long for what we’re trying to accomplish.”
Socha: “It’s a very competitive market. . . Based on the Airport Advisory Board’s recommendation, I’d prefer option two.”
Paladino: “Part of the difficulty is that people who sit on the Airport Advisory Committee are using these facilities.”2
Airport Director Ginger Moore, nixing the idea of variable hangar rates based on demand: “If someone comes in they’re getting charged more for the same kind of hangar, and find out their neighbor isn’t, they’re going to get upset.”
Remaining undecided, Council will take up the rate increase discussion at a later time.
The second part of the discussion related to the completion of the hangar door renovations, and particularly from which fund the money would come. City Staff recommended that “Council approve the remaining repairs to the Airport’s hangars and existing terminal from the Capital Improvement Fund,” a fund containing much of the City’s discretionary money.
Bruns: “Is it possible to pay for the repairs out of the Airport’s funds that it has saved up right now?”
Mackie: “It is possible. . . [but] we know we have those Capital Improvement items,3 and there’s always unforeseen costs, one of them, we know we have fuel tanks that we have to remove, and fuel tanks are fairly expensive4. . . There’s about $150,000 in [the Airport Improvement Fund].”
Bruns: “It would be my preference to draw from [the Airport Improvement Fund].”
Bentley: “I agree with Councilman Bruns.”
Motion to fund the project from the Airport Improvement Fund from Bruns, seconded by Bentley. Passed 7-1, Bentley against.
New Police SUV
Police Chief Scott Hephner came to Council with a proposal to purchase a new Chevy Tahoe for $75,000. Hephner emphasized the urgency with which Council had approve purchase the vehicle, despite the purchase request not having been on the announced on the agenda.
Socha: “I ran into Sheriff Hodshire today at lunch at Underdogs and he was getting something from the salad bar, and I had sushi. It’s a great place for lunch. . . I just wanted you to know that I ran into Sheriff Hodshire today.”
Bentley: “This is all coming out of the [police and fire] millage?” Confirmed.
Paladino: “Generally I would like to not vote on a large expenditure on the day we get it.”
Despite some expressed skepticism and irritation, Council unanimously went for the Tahoe.
Board Appointments
Among other unanimously-approved appointments, a certain Adam Bentley was selected for the Cemetery Board.
Mackie, to Councilman Bentley: “You probably should disclose that this is your son.”
Bentley, endorsing the pick: “He’s a grown man. He’s the smartest man I know.”
Upcoming Events
County Commissioners, Tuesday, January 28
External Links
“F--k it: Release 'em all.” President Trump.
“The Clerk of Court is directed to terminate this case.” Dustin and Karla Adams have been pardoned.
“He is the greatest American figure of his era.” Politico.
“The necessary moral preconditions for the extra constitutional removal of the President . . . have been met.” Lenawee County Democratic Party.
“In states across the country, left-wing academics and major educational establishments are hijacking the review process for K-12 history and civics curricula.” Samuel Lair.
“We need a Great Reformulation.” Joshua Lachter.
“But we might, perhaps, benefit from a change of utopia.” Mary Harrington.
“Vivek Ramaswamy is no longer part of [DOGE].” AP.
“Bootstraps are not enough.” Josiah Lippincott.
“We’re so close to the Indiana, Ohio lines . . . everybody’s looking to save money.” Joseph Hendee.
“Democrats would be well-advised to craft an approach that ignores the left as much as possible.” Ruy Teixeira.
“The deep state, which generally lacks any coherent ideology of its own, now appears willing to experiment with a significant revision of liberal ideology.” Alexander Dugin.
“The number of children and young people in England with a diagnosis of gender dysphoria recorded by a GP has risen fiftyfold over 10 years, researchers have found.” The Guardian.
We at the HCR agree with Bentley’s comments at the January 6 meeting. “I think it’s self-evidently ambiguous. . . Can we all agree that this is our decision?”
Is it a managerial “best practice” to let renters determine the prices at which they rent? Perhaps this is a luxury reserved for drivers of the Multiplier Effect.
Airport expansion plans.
So the costs are generally not unforeseen? Or are they only unforeseen by the Council and public?