Beaver Island Michigan

One attorney representing both townships is definately a concern for the townships but greater fault lies with the attorney. The attorney should have never taken on both townships as clients. Doing such would not only be inappropriate but highly unethical. One attorney or one firm could represent multiple townships but never where any have an interconnected relationship with another, that is where the conflict arises. It would be tantamount to the same attorney or firm representing both the township and county.
Having one attorney representing both townships is simple bad practice, bad law and a bad decision.

BR

At the time it was done it had more to do with the cost of having two separate law firms representing one island. Now, if you all want to do something merge these townships. If we were one and if the population was something over 700 in total (as I recall in checking into this years ago) we could qualify as an unincorporated township or some such thing and qualify for more state pork! As to Rose's question of why there is two, there used to be 3!! Originally when laid out townships were 36 square miles. I would presume that was intended to keep units of government "equal" and over time townships have been annexed into cities and so on. Townships also have merged and become larger. There is NO real reason to have two, it has been defended more for salaries over many long years with ridiculous excuses and that just doesn't get it anymore!

The silly thing is that under the guise of "saving money" one attorney will be used but if you read the agreement you will see that any time there is a legal conflict between the townships each will be required to hire additional attorneys. that will be a total of three attorneys----hardly a way to save money. There are indeed, massive conflicts of interest and the law firm should have had the moxie to admit it----and both board should have had the brains to examine the issue and get some outside advice if necessary. As usual, "this is the way we have always done it" carries the argument.

Since I am not able to vote on the island (my primary residence is Grand Haven) I cannot start a ballot initiative. But if I could, I would start one in both townships to have them merge.....it is as simple as a petition to get it on the ballot....then a 50% majority and viola....the two townships are one. You can even define the terms of merger and timeline in the ballot initiative.

I am sure some enterprising person from this forum could get it done by next November....perhaps it could even serve as an example to Obama about reducing the size of government instead of increasing it.

I vote for you posting your real name!!

I would be more worried about better government than who the Pirate might be, that's the bigger issue here.

BR

Kenneth is correct that in Michigan the township supervisor is the assessor but may choose to hire or appoint an assessor. Regardless of how the job is administered the township supervisor is the person ultimately responsible for all township assessments. I say this only regard to going back to determine why this problem was allowed to happen in order to correct it moving forward.
This will definately impact all tax payers one way or another. It could be as much as $100 per parcel to correct the assessments and also could require a millage increase for everyone and increased taxes for a number of others.

BR

Please let me apologize; my e-mail started buzzing right after posting my last post. I realize that the township supervisor is new to the job and I did not mean to imply he was the one to blame for the assessment failure. It obviously goes back to previous administrations. A review of what happened would still be appropriate to prevent such failures going forward.

BR

Gee whiz, I have to look at the Forum more often. I just returned from cold Florida where I was visiting my sisters. They can talk to me all they want but Florida is not for me, nice to visit.
Where to start? Thank you for the explanation on the two, actually three, townships which probably made sense when the other islands were populated. I agree with Richard that it is time to seriously discuss merging two townships into one. It is now one island with common needs and resources in which case repetition in government only adds to the cost, confussion, disagreements and ineffectiveness. It is hard to believe that duplicity of "salaries" and not service is what drives the rationale for two townships.
I read Mr. Gallagher's letter with refreshing optimism. He appears to be leading Peaine Township with a clear vission, soliciting participation and openness in all of the township's business. It was very well done and insightful.
I continue to have a grave concern about the Airport Committee. The concern stems not from what they do but how they do it. I am hopeful that they will become more forthright with communications to the public and open with information in the future. The public has a right to know and can most likely be more helpful in the decision making process when armed with the facts. Rose

I understand that this letter has been mailed to several other Islanders as well, so it should be public information. I just have the ability to get it out sooner.

Joe Moore
Beaver Island News on the 'Net

I would like to thank Kevin White for taking the time to write such a letter. I for one appreciate the work that is and has been done by our public officials and i sure wouldn't want any of their jobs. I am glad that Kevin was able to tell his side of the story, especially since we have had so much hearsay from all on this subject. We were very happy that we received one of his letters and would like to thank him for that. It definitely is not an easy place to be when you feel that everyone is against you and of course everyone has a view on what should have been done, but until you can stand in that person's shoes i think we all should be more willing to listen and less willing to lecture. Thanks Kevin!

I'm confused, but then again at my age confusion could be listed on my address as the state in which I am usually found.
I agree with the earlier reply, Mr. White's letter is very enlightening. If Mr. White reported to the township supervisor and made him aware of the assessment issue, to which he took no corrective action, then why is the former supervisor not coming forward with an explanation? Why is Mr. White being terminated when the township supervisor and board are ultimately responsible for this failure? Were not the board and supervisor culpable and therefore should be held to account for the problem at some level? If this is the case, should not the public deserve an explanation directly from the supervisor along with the board? Is it not the messenger, Mr. White, who is being shot here?
It would appear that everyone is left hanging out to dry with the cost and responsibility of fixing this failure except those who caused it. Tax payers deserve more accountability for their taxes than they seem to be receiving. Rose

Can someone please post Kevin's letter here for those that do not subscribe to News on the Net? I think it would reach more people that way and help "flesh out" this particular topic.

I have no problems sharing this letter. Kevin White asked me to post it, so he didn't have to retype the whole thing.

"An open message to the people of Beaver Island.

There has been a lot of information and misinformation lately regarding the state of property assessments on Beaver Island.

I have so far chosen to not speak publicly about this issue because I didn't want to get into finger pointing and lately it seems that any public exchange is decided by whoever
can talk the loudest. I had also hoped that the one individual who knows best why we are where we are would come forward. To my disappointment this has not happened, and it
has become far too stressful for me now to not speak.

The State of Michigan is presently requiring Peaine and St. James Townships to do a total reappraisal of all properties on Beaver Island, to be completed in a year's time. The
reason for this is that the current assessment computer database does not have certain information entered into it. I believe the current assessed and taxable values to be
accurate, but the specific information used to back that up is still on hard cards and handwritten form. This is unacceptable to the State in the age of computers.

Several years ago the Townships upgraded the assessment computer software from the existing DOS based system to a new Windows based system that the Equalization
Department in Charlevoix had switched to. After this changeover occurred in December of 2004, I learned to my dismay that none of the land or building information
automatically converted. I had previously worked five years in the old system to bring that information up to date, only to find myself having to start over.

In checking into it I learned that I was not alone in this and that entering all this information by hand could be a two-year (per township) undertaking, above and beyond
the scope of my regular duties. The work would involve detailed data entry and also a site visit to every property on Beaver Island. This would also include taking digital
photographs of every building on the island since the new program allowed for only digital pictures.

I brought this to the attention of both township supervisors. Agreeing with the need, they then brought this to their respective township boards. Neither township board was happy
with the situation, but they agreed that I would be paid to begin this work. The pay granted amounted to compensation for seven weeks work. They, and myself grossly
underestimated the amount of time this task would take and the time allotted wasn't nearly enough to get the work done. This was 2006. When I discussed this with both
supervisors I was told that it would be difficult to get any more compensation from the Townships Boards.

Knowing the need, I continued to press and a couple of years ago the St. James Township Supervisor took over the project telling me that it would be easier to concentrate on St.
James first and then use that success to persuade Peaine. I wanted at that time to write a letter regarding the urgency of the matter and send a copy to each member of both
Township Boards, but was told by the St. James Supervisor to not write a letter because they "most often don't help and can be misread." At that point I put my trust in him and
he took it upon himself to carry the ball.

To my disappointment, in 2007 and 2008, even with my pleading, nothing was done. At the Supervisor's last Township Board meeting he brought the issue before the St. James
Township Board, where the Township Treasurer immediately shot it down. The Supervisor then resigned, and the issue died. I found myself at that time back at square
one. In fact it was worse than square one because now I suddenly had two new Supervisors in office that knew nothing of what had transpired over the past 3 years.
Their Boards were also in the dark.

Now the State has come in and said this information must be entered by March 2011, and they don't care why it hasn't been done.

This data entry was going to cost taxpayers money regardless of whether I had been allowed to do the work three years ago or outside people are hired now. The difference is
that now taxpayers will pay much more than I would have charged to get the same job done.

I know that this letter will most likely incite a whole new round of denials and counter accusations. I, however, have nothing to lose, since I recently learned that my
employment with St. James Township would be terminated as of March 31, 2010.

Sincerely,

Kevin White"

Some totally non-political questions. My background is as a tech dept administrator. Maybe this is ground that has been gone over already, but I thought I should ask.

1) Photos - what is the format of the non-digital photos? Has anyone looked int having them scanned into digital.

2) The data that did not transfer. Is there a reason if it were formated properly that it could not be imported into the new system? Have the technical support people for the new system been consulted?

I'm sorry if I am opening new wounds but just thought I should examine if we have other options.

Jim