The Armchair Quarterbacks pick the Hartford Indians to Election preview win their playoff game stories * Friday night Halloween at home... 0 on pages it 4 Happenings see Page 11 for FALL BACK...Don't forget 1 all their picks 7,14, * to set your clocks back one Page 12 * and the Press Box hour at 2:00 a.m. Sunday! & 15 * local sports reports The Hometown Newspaper for Coloma - - Watervliet 12/31/2020 481 MIXED DET-1 HOAG L SOl lS TRI-CITY R SPRINGPORT. Ml 49284 128th Year Issue #43 October 28, 2010 Seventy-five Cents "That's outrageous," Mayor says Watervliet City Commission ignores legal opinion; votes 3-2 to interview one of its own for Treasurer BR yv AnnettA nnotten Christifhrictieo ethic/itWiosc buKut t rather irreconcilablirr^r-rvn^i e differHiffipr- - cialisrialictt foforr ththep Citr'ityv onff WatervlieWatprvliptf frofri m In an effort lo find a Treasurer with ences. 2008-2009; this was not on the origi- previous municipal experience, Wa- She also applied for the Clerk posi- nal resume that the Commission had. tervliet City Commission held three tion but said during the interview that. She defines her duties while in that A llttPt Ai J*i\ more interviews at a special meeting if she had to choose, she would pick role as "Maintaining accounting func- . /Hi , *m ' ! 12 I'l' 1 LB r i*m,.]f •I l/l Wednesday, October 20. During the the Treasurer position because that's tions during staff vacancy, reporting meeting, the Commission also dis- what she enjoys doing. directly to City Manager Michael Hart cussed the legality of allowing a sit- Kathy Laseur of Hopkins was the sec- and the Finance Committee." ting Commissioner to be interviewed, ond interview of the evening. Laseur Following the interviews, the i & *&! I y an interview that was all ready set up is a former Finance Clerk for the City Commission members asked for time for that evening. of Wayland. She left that position in to review their notes and the resumes. Following the discussion, the City October 2009. Each candidate was asked a series of Commission voted against a legal Laseur said in her letter of interest questions, the same questions for all. opinion to interview fellow Commis- that she really enjoyed governmental It is expected that they will make a sioner Pam Loyd for the City Trea- accounting. She holds two bachelor's decision this Wednesday, October 27, surer position. degrees and is currently working on at 6:00 p.m., when the interviews are Prior to the vote, the letter authored her master's degree in accounting. being held for the Clerk position. FAMILY-FRIENDLY GRAVEYARD...Watervliet Recreation Council vol- by attorney Laurie Schmidt was dis- At the beginning of Loyd's interview, Previously, the Commission had unteer Tina Tucker puts the final touches on one of the many scenes In the cussed. In the letter, Schmidt cites she passed out a new resume to the interviewed two other candidates for first "'Haunted House" on Main Street. The Haunted House is located in several laws that should direct the Commission. The new resume includ- the Treasurer position and two for the the 5/3 Bank building and is a fundraiser for the Rec. Council. Admission Commission to not allow a Commis- ed being a contract accounting spe- Clerk position. is $1 for kids; adult chaperones are free. Tina advises that no one will be sioner to even apply for a City posi- turned away and assures parents that the entertainment is "kid friendly.^ tion let alone be interviewed for it. The Haunted House is open from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29, with The Incompatible Public Office Act Says Commission vote is breach of public trust the possibility of more open times if the public demand is there. Tucker prohibits the same person from simul- said. (Karl Bayer photo) taneously holding two or more incom- See Page 8 for listings of many more local Halloween events. patible public offices. Watervliet Mayor resigns Schmidt stated, "Clearly, the office of By Annette Christie presented to the Commission, some a Watervliet City Commissioner and Lori Julian, City of Watervliet residents will face wanted more. appointed position of Watervliet City convicted of more turnover as Mayor Karl Bayer Prior to the Commission receiving Police Treasurer fit the criteria of public those two candidates, County Trea- one count of offices." has now resigned, effective Monday, surer Bret Witkowski and County wire fraud, The position of City Treasurer is sub- October 25. Clerk M. Louise Stine reviewed the & Fire must repay ordinate to and ultimately supervised Bayer addressed a letter to the City applications for their respective areas. more than by the City Commission, which sets Commission, stating: "The actions of They whittled the number of 16 Trea- S7 million. the Treasurer's salary, determines the a majority of the City commissioners surer applications and 79 Clerk appli- Reports scope of duties, determines working to ignore state law concerning con- cations down to six each who would Compiled by Annette Christie hours, etc. flicts of interest, to disregard the pro- be interviewed by them, the Mayor, through October 2009, Julian defraud- Recently, Loyd, as Chairman of the fessional judgment of the County and the City Manager. Following two ed her employer by misappropriating Personnel Committee, was heavily in- Treasurer and the City Manager and Watervliet grad days of interviews, the committee pre- funds from her employer's bank ac- volved in developing the job descrip- then to ignore legal counsel by the sented the top two candidates for each counts. She used her employer's ac- tion for not only the Treasurer but the City Attorney leave me as Mayor in headed to prison position. counts to execute online payments to Clerk's position as well. the position of tacitly condoning those Following the Commission inter- satisfy her own outstanding credit In her letter, Schmidt states that al- ae,ions by presiding over further pro- for embezzlement views, commissioners asked to see all card bills. She also wrote forged lowing Loyd to even apply for an ceedings of the City Commission. A Watervliet High School graduate of the candidates who had municipal checks written to herself and others open position is a conflict of interest This I will not do." from the Class of 1980 will spend experience. from her employer's accounts. prohibited by the Michigan Constitu- Bayer is referring to the actions of the over four years in prison and have to Wednesday night, Oct. 27, the other The press release, dated October 19, tion. City Commission as the process for repay over $7 million to the employer Clerk candidates were to be inter- states that the credit card bills and Discussion amongst the Commission, filling the vacant Clerk and Treasurer she stole from. viewed by the full Commission forged checks funded her lifestyle and though, leaned toward that of if she positions continues. The Department of Justice announced At last Wednesday's meeting, Oct. 20, Desp,,e de,ounng from the process 13 f her ob were hired. a„s TreasureUC.U.Cr. shM.eC woulWUU,dU 1 laslast t weeweekk thathat t LoLonn (Locking(Lockman) ) JulianJulian" . f ' ° - resign as Commissioner and, there- * '"ter from City Attorney Laune that was approved, Clay will urge the 48, of Casselberry, Florida, will spend --d P-sonal property through ,ra- " ' ' Commission to make a decision at {ouI years and mne months federal ditional credit card purchases but she fore, it was not a conflict nor was it least on the Treasurer position on : c i \ „„u a'so obtained cash and, by extension, incompatible. that Commissioner Pam Loyd should prison for an embezzlement scheme Wednesday night. real property through credit card- Commissioner Melanie Marvin put a not be interviewed by the City Com- involving wire fraud. In addition to "We need to get this filled, Clay issued convenience checks. The em- motion on the floor that would spark a mission for the position of Treasurer the prison time, U.S. District Judge said. bezzled funds were used to purchase vote as to whether a sitting Commis- due to a conflict of interest. John Antoon ordered Julian to forfeit Mayor pro tem Terry Litaker stated personal and real property. sioner could be interviewed for a City In a 3-2 vote, the Commission agreed three Lexus automobiles, a 24' Mas- Tuesday night, "This is unfortunate. Julian used $250,000 to make a down position. to allow her to be interviewed despite terCraft boat, six jet skis and 63 Louis We are losing a good Mayor." payment on a residence located in Commissioner and Finance Commit- that legal opinion. Vuitton purses, which are traceable to He went on to say he had no disre- Winter Park. Florida; home furnish- tee Chairman Dave Brinker supported proceeds of the offense. The court also spect for Bayer resigning and if he felt ings and a home theater system; 10 the motion that then put it to a vote. In his letter, Bayer said he believes entered a money judgment in the he needed to do that, M1 uphold him for floor-level season tickets for NBA With two "Yes" votes and two "No" that the actions of the Commission amount of $7,345,050.13, which rep- that," Litaker said. team Orlando Magic, including play- votes, the final vote was to Commis- leaves the City in legal jeopardy for resents the value of the proceeds from Litaker, who will run the meeting off tickets; more than $500,000 worth sioner Richard Wicks who voted in unfair employment practices and calls the embezzlement scheme.