Bill Matt on the Issues

T-Mobile files suit against Lansing

2008-03-26T17:18:00.004-04:00

Remember that cell phone tower that was proposed back in the fall for Grand View Manor?

Yep, that's the one, and in case your forgot (LINKY).

In September I wrote this: Cell Tower Issue Grandhaven Manor has proposed a t-mobile cell tower in the woods near Lewton Rich and Averill neighborhoods, near Lewton Elementary School. Again, neighborhood activism has produced organized opposition. What a great democratic nation we live in! I don't support the tower there, and I think that at least 4 Council Members will oppose it...I...would support setting up a master plan for tower placement in the city.

This week, Council Committee of the Whole will be discussing the suit, in closed session, Thursday.

So apparently the reasons for denying the permit by Development and Planning Committee Chair Brian Jeffries has exposed the city to a suit. Most large companies would not pursue the matter if there was not a legal basis for it, so I'm going to go out on a limb and say if this goes to court, the city will lose. We may end up with the tower after all, and maybe some monetary damages as well. I sure hope Brian didn't goof any other matters up (cough)hunters ridge(cough)!

On top of this suit, I thought we came out of the Lewton Rich meeting last year resolved to develop a master plan for cell towers in the city. At the time, I was furious for Carol Wood throwing the Planning Department under the bus for having a plan that was ten years old, this despite the fact that since serving on council for eight years, Carol never did a single thing about moving a new plan forward or suggesting changes. It was typical 20/20 hindsight Carol. Now, dear readers, I ask you, who will hold the present council power brokers responsible for their inaction in moving forward with a new cell tower plan. It's been 4 months, and counting. Until we have something on the books, T-Mobile and every other cell provider will be planting cell towers in our city and we won't ba able to stop them.

City Pulse scoops LSJ, again.

2008-03-12T11:38:00.003-04:00

Props to the Lansing City Pulse for again doing investigative work and informing readers of a big story right here in our back yard.

The Our Savior Lutheran post following this one hit the Pulse today. It is not up online yet, but should be later today at: City Pulse Online Link.

While the story soft shoed neighbor concerns and the complete lack of neighbor notification, it did add some important notes. First, our Council member A'lynne Robinson is at least aware of the project and heard from her neighbors "they were concerned about what the center's presence would say about southwest Lansing".

No, frankly that is one of the least of our neighbors concerns. What we are concerned about is that increased troubled youths might bring with them a whole host of problems such as criminal activity, illegal drug use, and disruptive behavior that will spill over into our neighborhoods making our kids less safe and have a negative impact on our neighborhoods and homes. I'm less worried about the image it will portray to other Lansing residents.

Robinson continued she "was surprised to learn that 40% of the teens targeted for the school actually live in the vicinity of the Holmes Road location."

I'm not surprised, and neither are the neighbors on the South side.

Anyhoo... The article goes on to say that the Ingham juvenile system had a consultant indicate the system was doing poorly on numerous fronts, including the use of overly punitive measures.

The article shares that the plan will need Lansing City Council approval for rezoning before it can become a reality. That's good, because Lansing residents will now have more of an opportunity to express their concerns if they have any.

County Facility for "Deliquent & Disturbed Youth" at OSL

2008-03-07T21:29:00.006-05:00

Recently I was notified, via email last Wednesday, of a meeting that same night at Our Savior Lutheran Church & School on Holmes Street. The meeting was to inform neighbors and concerned citizens of a planned Ingham County facility for the church property, after the church moves to Delta Township this summer. I was not able to attend this meeting due to the short notice, so I can't say what the proceedings were or the what the support or opposition from the neighbors was. Nor have I seen anything reported in the LSJ or local TV news about the plan.

My curiosity was stoked again earlier this week when I received another email regarding the Lewton Rich Neighborhood Association planned for Thursday, March 27 that would feature a Lansing Police representative to discuss the proposed county facility. Attached to this meeting notice was the notification letter from the county regarding the meeting from the previous week. This was the first and only official notice I saw, and it was after the fact. Since I live on the first block of Boston, off Pleasant Grove approximately 1/2 mile from the facility on Holmes, and just a block away from a portion of "Victor Woods", the green space with trails that runs between MLK, Holmes, and adjacent to our neighborhood Colonial Village, I think that our neighborhood would be brought into the planning loop by the County for this facility. In fact, the tenor of the Lewton Rich email notice, a neighborhood further North and West of Colonial Village, was of alarm, and claimed that neighbors should attend and speak out as the facility is in our neighborhood.

So I wanted to find a little background info on the facility proposal. In a resolution adopted December 11, 2007 (LINK) the county authorized "THE PURCHASE OF OUR SAVIOR LUTHERAN CHURCH AND SCHOOL FOR THE PURPOSE OF HOUSING THE CONTINUUM OF CARE FACILITY". Now, some may claim that the title of this post is alarmist or sensational, but I took it directly from the first Whereas: "WHEREAS, the Circuit Court has previously proposed that the County consider a Juvenile Assessment Center and a Continuum of Care Facility that would house and treat delinquent and disturbed youth in Ingham County".

Additionally, in the next few sentences I found "this facility is proposed to house a full scope of services (e.g., prevention, intervention, aftercare, and sanctions) and include a variety of programs and services: Alternative Day School and After School Program, Family Assessment and Treatment Center, Substance Abuse Services, Mental Health Services, among others".

Now, back to the letter that was sent to some people. The letter begins "We are writing to share some exciting news for our community..." Yes, I can feel the excitement. In fact it is so exciting, that there are last minute, little noticed meetings, and no media coverage, that it literally screams excitement!

Not that there is anything neighbors or apparently the City can or will do even if there is 100% resident and neighbor opposition. I get the feeling this is a done deal. The letter states that our help and feedback is sought as they "implement a plan". That doesn't sound like there are any decisions still to be made. Nor does the original linked resolution seem vague about the purpose. To authorize 1.975 million dollars for the purchase of the property, and to: "begin operating the Continuum of Care Facility by the start of the 2008 - 2009 fall school year."

So this thing looks like a done deal, and I don't want to disparage the plan or idea, but I do feel a bit, no strike that, I feel totally left out of the communications loop by the County, and that is unfortunate. I am a pretty astute observer of local happenings, so I can imagine how other neighbors will feel when they hear about this plan.

I think if done right, this is an asset for Lansing. To get this type of investment in our community to help at risk and under performing youth is admirable. In fact, a lot of what I heard from neighbors last year on the campaign trail was that delinquent and sometimes violent or belligerent kids were running amok in the neighborhoods causing all kind of havoc. How are we best able to address some of these kids behavior problems without investing in programs and facilities. I think it is an ideal location, right in the heart of the South Side of Lansing. In addition, I would much rather have a structured program run by Ingham County, one of the better run local municipalities, than to have an abandoned and empty property.

I should add a disclaimer here as well. Both of my two older boys attend Our Savior School and we are members of the church. We expect to continue sending them to OSL at the new Delta facility in the fall. I have spend literally hundreds of hours inside and around that facility. It needs some work, but it is a wonderful property.

So a good and needed program, and a nice local site. What's my problem?

My problem is the remarkable lack of notice. Like I said, it's not like I don't know our County Commissioners, I know just about all 16 on a first name basis and serve with them on various commissions and boards. I live just blocks away. I sent an email earlier today to Dale Copedge, our District 6 Commissioner who lives a couple street over from me. I asked Dale if there were any more public forums being scheduled. If Dale doesn't know that Lewton Rich and Colonial Village, two of the largest and most powerful associations in Lansing were not fully noticed and are sending alarming emails, then he just didn't do a good job communicating with us. I haven't heard back from Dale, but I will let you know if I do. For those neighbors opposed to the program, I suggest you contact your Commissioners and City Councilmembers. Especially Dale and A'lynne Robinson.

The Hardest Thing About Losing

2008-03-06T13:40:00.005-05:00

I've had a lot of time to decompress and do some soul searching after the election loss in November. I feel like I did not campaign hard enough, and in retrospect know a few things I should have done differently during the campaign.

I hit City Hall like a raging bull. I wasn't thoughtful enough, and I spoke too freely, making enemies of some strong political people. I spoke my mind, and as most successful politicians do, didn't hold my tongue when I should have. I also got dragged into some tough political fights that were not even mine. The camera issue, one I really supported not because Virg proposed it but because I have seen the power of technology and it really works, I supported. I would have supported it if Carol Wood had proposed it because it made good sense to me. The electorate was pretty evenly split on it, but Wood used it as a political football, and hung Virg around my neck like an anchor. The Wood Bernero split was one I couldn't straddle. Derrick Quinney did a masterful job of supporting both but siding with neither. In this election, where Wood had no real opponent, I was running against the most popular incumbent and my challenger.

I also got wind of a couple issues early, and much to my chagrin, and evidence of my naivety, I talked to Brian Jeffries about them. Both issues came up, but he preempted my early knowledge, and guided my opponent to score political points on both the Hunters Ridge development, and the Lewton/Averill Cell Tower issues. Though I knew of them early and supported the residents in both cases, both Jeffries and Robinson scored points and made contacts from them as well.

And on and on and on. A few other simple slips on the campaign front and I was finished.

I really felt it slipping away about a week before the election so I wasn't at all surprised. I had a very aggressive opponent, one that was politically savvy and didn't take stands on issues that could hurt her; I had the Wood-Jeffries cabal actively working against me and for my opponent; I had lost the support of my own neighborhood association president since Wood was whispering in her ear; I had the immediate past Council member Randy Williams campaigning against me; both the FOP and LSJ endorsed my opponent. So as I said, I wasn't surprised and in retrospect I haven't been terribly disappointed either. I have really enjoyed and appreciate the time I have with my young family even more. The job was a grind, really a major time drain. I can sit on boards I have more of an interest in, and the politics are not so serious.

The hardest thing about losing was not even that I lost.

The hardest thing was the toll it took, however temporarily, on my oldest son Nicholas. Nick is 9 years old. He was and is very politically astute and aware. He spend a few days going door to door with me. He saved pictures of my campaign literature because he was so proud. Nick was old enough to understand losing, whereas my other two boys only knew that suddenly, dad was around all the time, and that was great! Nick felt like the loss was a personal rejection of his dad, and that in turn was hard on me. He said things like "A'lynne Robinson ran us out of town". Parents know how bad it feels to disappoint your kids. He said little about the loss, but I could see him run through the stages of a loss. Shock, disbelief, denial, anger, and finally acceptance. I did my best to console him, and made a point of going out in public right away with him, despite the fact that I felt like staying home. I had nothing to be ashamed of and neither did he. So now his dad is a former council member, and he understands now that that is better than being a council member.

Northrup Street & Golf

2008-03-04T11:18:00.004-05:00

Funny combination, but a couple of things facing the city in recent weeks and coming up during the budget talks this month.

Northrup Street is currently the Battle Front Central between the Mayor's office and City Council. Last nights meeting brought out residents from Northrup, along with a large group of people supporting bike lanes and sidewalks.

Northrup is a fairly busy road that runs East-West, primarily between MLK, Washington, and Cedar. It is between Jolly and Miller. Due to the streets, and traffic volume, it has street lights at both Washington and Cedar. Trouble is, Northrup is an old style road, with no curb and gutter, and no sidewalks, between Washington and Cedar.

The Public Service Department has determined that repairing this street is necessary, and desires to increase the safety and life of the improvement by installing said curb, gutter, and sidewalks. Many residents support the idea, many do not. Herein lies the conflict.

The city has the absolute right to do this project as outlined in the codified ordinance:

1020.02. Powers of city re improvements; assessments.

(a) The City may:

(1) Cause bridges, wells, pumps and reservoirs to be built in any part of the City;

(2) Improve, maintain or construct any right-of-way, or any part thereof, by grading, ditching, curbing, graveling, paving, draining or repairing, and by covering the same or any part thereof with a suitable paving material; and

(3) Provide for the construction and maintenance of sidewalks.

In fact, Act 51 from the State will be providing over a million dollars to help fund this project. It is generally accepted that curb, gutter, and sidewalks improve property values, hence the assessment that usually goes along with such improvements.

I have no doubt that some residents feel that such an improvement will NOT improve their neighborhood. I have heard that they like the rural feel of the street. This project has become a political football now between doing what residents want, and what public administrators feel is in the best interest of the city.

I have to applaud both sides for fighting for what feels right for them. Councilmember Sandy Allen, for listening and trying to respond to her residents in the 2nd Ward, and the Mayor, for doing the hard work and potentially politically damaging work of pushing hard for long term investment by the state and lasting improvements for the city.

This is one decision I'm happy to not be a part of.

******

Golf is beginning to warm up again just like Spring. Today, the LSJ had a letter from Claude Beavers pleading for support of Council and the Mayor:

Support golf

Yet again, Lansing's administration is targeting our golf courses, saying they lose money. Are the losses from "administrative charges"? Are all other city activities self-supporting without these charges? Why must golf be?

Why not target Groesbeck and Sycamore, rather than Waverly and Red Cedar? Who decides?

The LSJ reports city officials have brainstormed options for the courses. That's a start. But, it's time to involve others, especially those working at the courses and the golfers themselves.

Bill Triola's opinion (Forum, Feb. 10) offers ideas to consider. Let's have a thoughtful discussion over several months, not just days.

Let's open the courses, maintain them properly and then start developing a plan to preserve these valuable assets. It doesn't have to be a choice between plowed streets or golf courses.

We need the administration's talents and the City Council's support to keep these courses, not destroy them.

Claude R. Beavers
Lansing

Well said Claude. Claude and his wife Anita live a few doors away from me. Anita is President of the Colonial Village Neighborhood Association.

We need to think outside the box once in a while as a city. That is why I wrote a response to Claude and other posters at the LSJ Opinion Blog:

Make Golf Free, for seniors and kids at Red Cedar and Waverly. Limit the free play to 9 holes a day, but encourage the use of these facilities.

How much is golf subsidized? Not very much in the overall city budget.

Condo communities seek potential owners by offering adjacent low cost golfing as an incentive to live there. Lets start making Lansing attractive for people to stay here by offering unique, and low cost, incentives. We subsidize trails, riverwalk, concerts, arts, basketball, soccer, swimming, ice skating, and community centers. Every recreation in Lansing is subsidized. Lets not put a target on golf.

Growing up in Lansing, it was great to walk 9 at Sycamore. Courses on the out skirts of town are not accessible or affordable. That is not an alternative to most Lansing golfers, especially seniors and kids.

Does my suggestion have a chance to become reality? No. Neither Council or the Mayor are willing to take bold new steps and work together for a brighter and different Lansing.

Bike Lanes AND Sidewalks

2008-03-03T11:26:00.003-05:00

As most of you know, I'm a big fan of bike lanes, sidewalks and trails. Today I got this urgent email:

Speak Up For Bike Lanes AND Sidewalks - in person or by phone, TODAY!

Last Thursday, several Lansing City Council members stated that they would not approve both bicycle lanes AND sidewalks on Northrup Street in South Lansing. Even if you don't care much about Northrup Street, it is one of the east-west connectors in the bike lane network plan that will be presented for public comment this month, and is part of the major road sidewalk completion network. Refusing bike lanes OR sidewalks on this street sets a bad precedent for completing other major roads in Lansing. Whether you live in the city or not, you can still come and tell how complete streets help make a healthy, livable, attractive community!

WE NEED SUPPORTERS OF "COMPLETE STREETS" to come to City Hall this evening to let council members know why complete streets are a MUST-- for public safety, for personal and public health, for accessibility by all users, for environmental protection, and for attracting residents and businesses to Lansing. COME IN PERSON if you can -- 124 W. Michigan (corner of Michigan and Washington), 10th floor. The sign-in sheet for public comment is set out at 6:30 pm.-- come sign in early so you don't have to wait so long to speak. There are no public hearings this evening, so public comment will start around 7:30, after special ceremonies. If you cannot arrive by 7pm to sign-in, please send me your name and address so I can sign you in. Even if you don't wish to speak, your presence will help send the message that you care about this issue. Please, to help make Lansing a walkable, bikeable city, please come and share your thoughts and stories.

If you absolutely cannot make the meeting but you care about this issue, please make calls to Council Members Allen (H: 394-5776, W: 483-4178), Hewitt (H:487-9593, W: 483-4181), Jeffries (H: 482-4416, W: 353-3716), Robinson (W: 483-4191), and Wood (H: 482-0213, W: 483-4188). These are the five standing in the way of creating a complete street on Northrup, and we need to convince them that there is overwhelming support for sidewalks AND bike lanes.

(Ed. Note: Wood, Jeffries, Robinson & Hewitt; of course)

In February of 2006, there weren't enough votes on council to move forward with the Michigan Avenue rain garden project, but your stories, bodies, phone calls, information, and personal appeals led our council to make a well-informed decision in the end. Lansing will soon boast the largest municipal rain garden system in the nation, and will be featured in the World Summit on the Environment in Hawaii later this year. Efforts to offer rain gardens in Lansing neighborhoods are also underway, to be unveiled this spring.

Please, come to this evening's meeting, and bring a few friends along with you too.

Thank you.

Jessica Yorko
Mid-Michigan Environmental Action Council
www.midmeac.org
517-214-5684

No Jessica, Thank You!

On Issues:

2008-03-03T09:35:00.003-05:00

The Lansing Boat Club issue is being raised again by the City and the Club. It turns out that the City has offered a 1-year lease with a terminal clause and a higher rent. If the lease is not signed this week, then the Club faces eviction. In the space, the Mayor has proposed a Public Marina, though no details have been offered whatsoever.

My initial response was hardline, but I have softened my response somewhat. While I still believe that the Club should not have eminent domain over this city property at ridiculous low rental rates, I don't see what the rush is. The deadline for eviction is this week. No plans have been put forward by the Mayor or Council, so short of enforcing the deadline for the sake of enforcing the deadline, I would extend the eviction notice 3 months as an act of good faith to allow for further negotiating of the contract.

I still favor a Public Marina, and perhaps the Boat Club could be a part of this endeavor. I have serious problems with virtually rent free riverfront property provided to one exclusive club. When the time is right, I would suggest the city offer the property use proposals up for bid, and review all the proposals. Critics of this administration talk about the unwillingness to offer RFP's, and this is a chance to do just that. This riverfront park property should be use for the good of all Lansing residents, and we should make the most of it.

******

What ever happened to the housing development project Faith Gardens? If nothing else, A'Lynne Robinson should make good on her campaign promise to push this project though for a full hearing. Typical do-nothing Council inaction led by the Woods-Jeffries cabal.

******

Snow and Potholes. Critics may be lambasting the Mayor for the snow removal services and the ever growing pothole problems we are facing. I don't much like hitting potholes either! Critics of the Mayor may want to keep in mind that we just passed through February with a record snowfall. City planners can budget for the average and a little more, but not for the worst series of storms in the history of Lansing. That is just not something you can plan for.

******

Uh Oh! Sound familiar Lansing? (LINK)

VALLEJO, Calif. (AP) — A last-minute deal between city leaders and labor unions could allow this cash-strapped Bay Area suburb to avoid becoming the first city in the state to declare bankruptcy over a budget shortfall.

A bankruptcy declaration last Thursday was staved off by a last minute set of concessions by the unions including 6.5% pay cuts and closing of two fire stations.

Cities spend about 75 percent of their general funds on personnel, while the rest goes to libraries, parks, recreation and other services.
Vallejo, a mostly blue-collar city of 120,000 about 30 miles northeast of San Francisco, has been hit especially hard by the mortgage crisis and has one of the nation's highest foreclosure rates.

Ok, I've Decided

2008-02-06T16:10:00.000-05:00

After Super Tuesday yesterday, not deciding anything for the Democratic Presidential Candidate, I find it strange that I have now, all of a sudden, settled on a candidate. With my track record of supporting John Kerry, and John Edwards, I can't say I'm exactly doing well prognosticating, but it's fun nonetheless!

I will be supporting Barack Obama.

It's not the "Yes We Can" video, which was truly inspiring (and now leads the viral video charts with over 4 million views!), but more of a decision not to run with Hillary Clinton.

Bill Clinton was my favorite President. After him would be Jimmy Carter, then Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Richard Nixon, the George W. Bush. Those are all of the presidents of my lifetime. As I said, I liked "The Big Dog", but I never really, really liked Hillary.

I felt sorry for her. I mean, she has her own hateful gear, and websites premised on hating her. After Edwards dropped out, I was leaning towards Clinton, but mostly because I was sick, and I mean stomach flu sick, of Obama Supporters. They were dismissive, arrogant, and obnoxious, and frankly probably still are. They used cute little nicknames like "Barack the Vote", and "Obamania", they not only disagreed with Hillary Clinton, they made shit up about her and worst of all, they threatened to sit out the General Election in November if she won. I hated these people! If we can't put partisan differences past us after the Primary and all work together to get the Democratic Nominee elected, then there isn't much point in fighting is there?

However, I see that Obama raised 30 million dollars in January alone compared to Clinton having to loan herself 5 million dollars and John McCain running in debt. I see tens of thousands of people showing up to an Obama rally while Mitt Romney campaigns at car dealerships. I see Obama winning 13 states yesterday, and a favorable primary schedule coming up. These things get me excited to support our nominee. I also see a depressed Republican Party. The last thing I want them to have is an opponent that fires them up and drives them to vote like their candidate was running against the Anti-Christ, like Hillary would.

The differences between Obama and Clinton are minor. She has a slightly better Health Care plan, while I like his record on Iraq better. I can support either, no problem. Obama has the momentum, money, and scares right wingers to death, so I am getting behind him and finally backing a winner!

News Roundup - Super Tuesday Edition!

2008-02-05T08:18:00.000-05:00

Since leaving Lansing City Council on January 1, I have been keeping busy and of course, following politics. Today is a big day across the country as people vote to choose who they want to represent their party in the Presidential Election in November. Don't look for winners to be decided today though, as the race will likely continue with fairly close voting.

My guy, John Edwards, has suspended his campaign. What that means, rather than withdrawing, is hard to tell. He can still collect delegates and maybe hopes to swing his endorsement and delegates to either Clinton or Obama after today. I now can't decide between Clinton or Obama, though it looks like Clinton is still the favorite but Obama is gaining momentum. Since Michigan already voted in our "primary", I don't have a say beyond supporting the eventual nominee in November. Obama does have a very cool video commercial you should check out here, Yes We Can! with over a million views. The youth movement behind Obama is very inspiring, and interestingly enough, both my parents like Hillary.

The Republican Primary is another very exciting race with John McCain, Mitt Romney, and Mike Huckabee. Conservatives have been trashing McCain ever since he rocketed to front runner status calling him "dangerous and wrong, flawed...he goes against the Republicans".

******

So personally I have been keeping busy working on a variety of Boards and Commissions. I have also been approached about helping the Capital Area District Library
in their effort to pass a millage to "construct new buildings in Lansing, Meridian Township, Williamston, Mason and Delhi Township. Furthermore, libraries in Stockbridge, Leslie, Dansville, Haslett, Webberville, Aurelius Township, south Lansing and eastside Lansing would be enlarged and renovated". The effort might partner the Main Downtown Lansing Branch with Impression 5 Science Center in a new location near the State Capital. Libraries and Museums are great! An important aspect of any millage effort is to really, really inform the voters. It is an ambitious endeavor, but if the voters hear how many upgrades and improvements they will see, I'm optimistic that they will support it. I missed this, but Delhi Township was approached about being included and getting a new library, but rejected the offer as they are apparently getting squeezed by the state for shared revenue for essential services.

If I have time, I may still attend my neighborhood association meetings, and I'll be the Chair of our School carnival this year.

Just a story...

2007-11-20T16:00:00.000-05:00

Here is a holiday feel good story circulating on the internet. I saw it last year, and enjoyed it just as much this time around.

“Big Wheel”

In September 1960, I woke up one morning with six hungry babies and just 75 cents in my pocket. Their father was gone. The boys ranged from three months to seven years;
their sister was two. Their Dad had never been much more than a presence they feared. Whenever they heard his tires crunch on the gravel driveway they would scramble to hide under their beds. He did manage to leave $15 a week to buy groceries. Now that he had decided to leave, there would be no more beatings, but no food either. If there was a welfare system in effect in southern Indiana at that time, I certainly knew nothing about it.

I scrubbed the kids until they looked brand new and then put on my best homemade dress, loaded them into the rusty old 51 Chevy and drove off to find a job. The seven of us went to every factory, store and restaurant in our small town. No luck. The kids stayed crammed into the car and tried to be quiet while I tried to convince whomever would listen that I was willing to learn or do anything. I had to have a job. Still no luck. The last place we went to, just a few miles out of town, was an old Root Beer Barrel drive-in that had been converted to a truck stop. It was called the Big Wheel.

An old lady named Granny owned the place and she peeked out of the window from time to time at all those kids. She needed someone on the graveyard shift, 11 at night until seven in the morning. She paid 65 cents an hour, and I could start that night. I raced home and called the teenager down the street that baby-sat for people. I bargained with her to come and sleep on my sofa for a dollar a night. She could arrive with her pajamas on and the kids would already be asleep. This seemed like a good arrangement to her, so we made a deal.

That night when the little ones and I knelt to say our prayers, we all thanked God for finding Mommy a job. And so I started at the Big Wheel. When I got home in the mornings I woke the baby-sitter up and sent her home with one dollar of my tip money-- fully half of what I averaged every night.

As the weeks went by, heating bills added a strain to my meager wage. The tires on the old Chevy had the consistency of penny balloons and began to leak. I had to fill them with air on the way to work and again every morning before I could go home. One bleak fall morning, I dragged myself to the car to go home and found four tires in the back seat. New tires! There was no note, no nothing, just those beautiful brand new tires.

Had angels taken up residence in Indiana ? I wondered. I made a deal with the local service station. In exchange for his mounting the new tires, I would clean up his office. I remember it took me a lot longer to scrub his floor than it did for him to do the tires. I was now working six nights instead of five and it still wasn't enough.

Christmas was coming and I knew there would be no money for toys for the kids. I found a can of red paint and started repairing and painting some old toys. Then hid them in the basement so there would be something for Santa to deliver on Christmas morning. Clothes were a worry too. I was sewing patches on top of patches on the boys pants and soon they would be too far gone to repair. On Christmas Eve the usual customers were drinking ! coffee in the Big Wheel. There were the truckers, Les, Frank, and Jim, and a state trooper named Joe. A few musicians were hanging around after a gig at the Legion and were dropping nickels in the pinball machine. The regulars all just sat around and talked through the wee hours of the morning and then left to get home before the sun came up.

When it was time for me to go home at seven o'clock on Christmas morning, to my amazement, my old battered Chevy was filled full to the top with boxes of all shapes and sizes. I quickly opened the driver's side door, crawled inside and kneeled in the front facing the back seat. Reaching back, I pulled off the lid of the top box. Inside was whole case of little blue jeans, sizes 2-10! I looked inside another box: It was full of shirts to go with the jeans. Then I peeked inside some of the other boxes. There was candy and nuts and bananas and bags of groceries. There was an enormous ham for baking, and canned vegetables and potatoes. There was pudding and Jell-O and cookies, pie filling and flour. There was hole bag of laundry supplies and cleaning items. And there were five toy trucks and one beautiful little doll.

As I drove back through empty streets as the sun slowly rose on the most amazing Christmas Day of my life, I was sobbing with gratitude. And I will never forget the joy on the faces of my little ones that precious morning. Yes, there were angels in Indiana that long-ago December. And they all hung out at the Big Wheel truck stop....

Camera Demonstration

2007-11-20T11:03:00.000-05:00

Last night at Public Safety and the City Council Meetings Police Chief Mark Alley gave us an update on the proposed camera system. There are policies and procedures now posted on the Lansing Police Department Website (LINK).

The demonstration showed the pan, tilt, and zoom capabilities of the camera mounted and functional at the Arbaugh Building in downtown Lansing at 401 S. Washington Square. It is in the proximity of the liquor store where frequent loitering is a concern.

The chief also mentioned that the camera views would be available via the internet for anyone to look at. The stated purpose for this was so that more eyes could see potential criminal activity taking place, but what I think was the real catalyst for this idea was that by having open and accessible camera viewing, people can be reassured that the cameras are only being used for legitimate police and security purposes. We the people can and will watch the watchers.

Chief Alley also provided us with a map of the locations for the next 10 cameras to be placed. The North side cameras are to be installed in February, and the South side cameras are scheduled for March. A list of the locations was printed in today's LSJ (LINK).

In addition to the public demonstration, I asked Chief Alley about the status of the South Side Communications Tower. He told us that the tower was installed and is being tested. He said both Police and Fire departments were involved in the testing and the tower was performing beyond expectations. That is really great news for our Public Safety departments. After some final tests, the channels will be programmed and we should be seeing less communication "dead spots" in the city and especially on the South side.

Lansing Crime Rates

2007-11-19T16:47:00.000-05:00

Much ado has been made about the recent crime study by the CQ Press ranking Detroit as the most dangerous city in the US. The FBI was quick to point out that the methodology is flawed, but I don't think anyone here would argue that Detroit is pretty darn dangerous, with Flint right behind ranked #3.

How does Lansing fare? (LINK)

We are ranked 109th most dangerous city out of 378 in the study. Pretty high actually, based on 2006 statistics.

It looks like bigger cities face harsher criticism as the top ten or twenty cities are all cities you have heard of, and the safest ten-twenty are smaller towns most people haven't heard much of.

Criticism (LINK): The FBI posted a statement on its website saying: "These rough rankings provide no insight into the numerous variables that mold crime in a particular town, city, county, state or region." The American Society of Criminology said the rankings were "an irresponsible misuse" of crime data.

East Lansing City Manager posts blog

2007-11-19T15:10:00.000-05:00

The City Manager from East Lansing has added a blog to the City of East Lansing website. Ted Staton has been a great supporter of both the Great Lakes Folk Festival and the MSU Museum. I will be checking out his blog (LINK) with interest!

His first post is on Property Taxes in East Lansing. Boy, they sure know how to have fun with blogs! Kidding Ted, just kidding!

One line caught my attention though: For instance, a family earning the median income for the area and living in a $200,000 home will pay more for city services in Lansing than in East Lansing.

I have always considered East Lansing to be an attractive community to live. They have a vibrant and exciting Arts scene and strong schools. I think of Okemos and Meridian Township as slightly more affluent, with schools focused more on Science and Math. Either way, the biggest draw for both of these communities is very successful school systems. When parents such as Michelle and me consider moving to a city because of outstanding schools, then the city is very attractive indeed! How can Lansing mimic that success?

I also like this line by Ted: Finally, I would like acknowledge that the City of East Lansing is not attempting to provide the least amount of service for the lowest cost.

Sometimes I think Lansing tries to do the minimum for the cheapest, and it shows.

All the world's a stage.

2007-11-14T20:28:00.000-05:00

Yes, a play on words as Mayor Bernero unveiled his plans for a new permanent stage on the South end of Adado Riverfront Park. (LSJ LINK) It has certainly drawn some attention as almost 40 comments are posted to this story! The plan was to go to the Parks Board tonight at 7:00 PM (Another LINK).

Having worked for LEPFA, the managing authority of the Lansing Center, Oldsmobile Park, and Common Ground, for 3 years, and as Director of the Great Lakes Folk Festival, I may have a unique perspective on this foray.

I am definitely a pro-cultural/entertainment events-minded person that believes these tools are a magnet to the Creative Class and a major economic tool. I generally support these types of concepts. There was some talk a couple years ago about East Lansing installing a permanent stage in Valley Court Park where our GLFF Main Stage is set up. We were of course thrilled with the idea, as I am sure Eric Hart at LEPFA is with this project. The less equipment we needed to rent and install on a tight timeline the better! Alas, that project as an early proposal to the Cool Cities grants was not awarded to East Lansing.

For some reason, I am still just a bit skeptical of this one though. Maybe the price tag of 1.7 million is too high. Maybe the payoff of $40,000 to rent the stage for Common Ground is not high enough to make paying this back worthwhile. 1.7m / 40k = 42.5 years. I have concerns that the stage will have too many holes in the schedule and will sit empty half the summer.

I do know that there will be many other users of this venue such as the Arts Council and summer theatre groups, and once installed a summer concert series is not only viable but necessary. LEPFA will need to step it up and really book and promote some top national acts. LEPFA food and beverage can corner the market for sales and make some money on that angle. The promoters will need to cover some diverse groups and include rock, hip hop, oldies, country and even dare I say, world music.

As yet another tool in downtown revitalization, I really applaud the effort. This has been one great year of major development announcement after another. Soon....well, maybe in ten years, downtown will be packed with a vibrant and youthful nightlife, and full during the day of sophisticted cultural tourists. I'm looking forward to it!

More work to do

2007-11-14T11:27:00.000-05:00

Well, since I have this blog, and I will be on council voting on stuff until January, I guess I might as well keep writing about it.

Today we are having a city pre-meeting on the Lansing Township sewer and water line proposal that has been referred to a liaison committee. The Liaison committee will have two township representatives and Jerry Ambrose and myself from the city meet this Friday. Paramount to me is protecting Lansing's best interests. Regionalism is great for shared services such as police and fire, but when we are talking about regional competition for housing or convention business using our city infrastructure, that raises some concerns.

Tomorrow we have a regular council meeting where we will consider the Renaissance Sub-Zone regarding the City Club Tower development. The meeting is Thursday and starts at 1:30 since Veteran's Day was Monday. Stop by if you want to voice your opinion! There is bound to be some excitement and gloating during public comment since this will be the first meeting after the election. Oh boy.

What's Next?

2007-11-08T10:15:00.000-05:00

As you likely know by now, I lost the election Tuesday. Disappointment and lots of second guessing comes into play of course, but really one of the burning questions is what to do with myself next? One of the first questions I heard was will I ever run again?

After swallowing the bitter pill of defeat, my first instinct is to say "screw this". I will have given almost a year to the city and 4 years before that to the county of my life to the cause of serving the community, and then to be rejected by that same community. I have plenty of things going on in my life, namely raising and caring for my three boys. The monumental time away from them trying to help others in the city with their problems will end, and that is a great thing for our family.

I am thankful for the opportunity that I was given and appreciate all of the great people I met along the way. Especially members of the community like Patty, Monica, Anita, Kathy, Yolanda, Cynthia, Wes, Ann, Liz and Brian. They all contribute to their community out of the goodness of their hearts and definitely deserve our appreciation.

I suspect I will eventually find another opportunity to satisfy my passion for service.

Whew.

2007-11-06T18:58:00.000-05:00

One thing is certain. Win or lose, I am glad the campaign is over. I really enjoyed going through neighborhoods door to door, meeting and talking to people. That was fun for the most part, except getting the door slammed in my face a couple times. I certainly learned a lot!

Special thanks to all of the volunteers, donors, supporters and especiallt Amber Shinn who did my great design pieces, Patrick Power whose photo's were spectacular, and of course Mickey Haddick who set up this here website and blog. Many, many others helped, and I would like to specifically mention Michelle, my wife. I have been an absentee husband and father this summer and fall, and witout her support the effort would not have even been possible.

The polls close in an hour and I'm going to the party at Corey's Lounge. Join us if you can!

-Bill

Mea culpa

2007-11-06T13:38:00.000-05:00

The Politics of Personal Destruction in todays hyper partisan world claimed an another victim this week. It was my opponent A'Lynne Robinson, and the perpertrator was me.

In the previous blog entry, I mocked mocked A'Lynne, and I am here to apologize for that.

A'Lynne, I'm sorry.

It was pointed out to me that there is a difference between calling attention to an opposing issue, and being mean-spirited and personal.

What I should have said was: A'Lynne has proposed 20 more patrol officers in Lansing, while cutting spending in the city budget, and question where the funds or cuts would come from.

Simple as that.

Instead I mocked and tried to embarass her, which is really out of character for me. I may have felt the sting of losing the FOP endorsement, or maybe it was 11th hour election jitters. No matter the reason, A'Lynne deserved better. Win or lose today, I hope that she will continue to contribute and make Lansing and the 3rd Ward a great place to live. She is a class act and has treated me fairly.

I had hoped to stay true to my values while serving the community, and I lost sight of that. Maybe I am not cut out for politics after all if I lose my own sense of self, so desperate to win.

My new rule of thumb will be using my kids as a guide. You know the old saying, if it is not something your mom would approve of then you shouldn't say it? I think that when I write, I will try and remember that if it is not something I would be proud to show my kids, then I won't write it. I don't need to entertain, and I certainly don't need to put others down to make myself look better.

Fiscally Irresponsible, thy name is Robinson

2007-11-04T21:15:00.000-05:00

Fiscal: Related to the treasury of a country, company, region or city.

Irresponsible: Lacking a sense of responsibility; incapable of or not chargeable with responsibility; unable to respond to obligation.

Today's LSJ talks about public safety in the City of Lansing. Specifically I wanted to point out this nugget: A'Lynne Robinson: "She'd like the city to reconsider how it spends its money before deciding how to finance more police officers. At the same time, she'd like to see the number of patrolling officers increase by about 20." (LINK)

Sounds good, but wait (LINK) A'Lynne again: "I would work to resolve the City of Lansing’s chronic budget deficit by cutting city spending".

The city is facing a multi-million dollar structural deficit, and my opponent proposes adding 2.2 million dollars in salaries and benefits to add 22 police officers to LPD. That is 2.2 million Every Year! To start! She added: "It would certainly assist with the amount of overtime that we also have to cover."

Yes, 2.2 million a year would cover a lot of overtime. (Rolls eyes)

But my problem isn't that this statement isn't challenged or fact checked. My problem is where would the money come from? If she proposes adding 2.2 million dollars to the police salary and benefit line, will the money come out of Fire, Parks, Arts, or programs for the homeless or kids? AND CUT SPENDING?

See, the challenge we face in the city is of making tough decisions. No one wants more taxes, but every program, and I mean every single program we offer in the city is valued by someone. Golf Courses? Cemetaries? Forestry? Leaking Fire Stations? Yes, yes, yes, and YES!

I originally thought that the FOP endorsement went for A'Lynne because of my vote on the camera issue. After all, every single labor organization supports me, except FOP. I am after all a dues paying Union member. Then I realized that Harold Leeman was endorsed by the FOP, and he voted for the cameras. So that couldn't have been the reason.

Besides, Ms. Anti-Camera said this in the LSJ response linked above: I would have no problem with the use of cameras to assist in the process of providing the best possible public service to the residents of Lansing.

SAY WHAT???

I guess I should have promised FOP 50 more patrol officers.

How about a little humor?

2007-11-03T23:41:00.000-04:00

To lighten your day (or night), I present you with this funny blog entry on a 1977 JC Penny Catalog. (LINK) WARNING: Some cheeky language.

And here are a few political jokes:

It was election time, again. So, a politician decided to go out to the local reservation to gather support from the Native Americans. They were all assembled in the Council Hall to hear the speech.

The politician had worked up to his finale, and the crowd was getting more and more excited. "I promise better education opportunities for Native Americans!"
The crowd went wild, shouting "Hoya! Hoya!"

The politician was a bit puzzled by the native word, but was encouraged by their enthusiasm. "I promise gambling reforms to allow a Casino on the Reservation!"
"Hoya! Hoya!" cried the crowd, stomping their feet.

"I promise more social reforms and job opportunities for Native Americans!"
The crowd reached a frenzied pitch shouting "Hoya! Hoya! Hoya!"

After the speech, the politician was touring the Reservation, and saw a tremendous herd of cattle. Since he was raised on a ranch, and knew a bit about cattle, he asked the Chief if he could get closer to take a look at the cattle.
"Sure," the Chief said, "but be careful not to step in the hoya."

Here's another:

A bus load of politicians were driving down a country road, when the bus ran off the road and crashed into a tree in an old farmer's field. The old farmer, after seeing what happened, went over to investigate. A few days later, the local sheriff came out looking for the missing politicos, saw the crashed bus, and asked the farmer where all the politicians had gone.
The farmer said, "I buried 'em all... out back."
The sheriff then asked, "Were they ALL dead?"
The old farmer replied, "Well, some of them said they weren't, but you know how them politicians lie."

And one more:

The politician lost the election and was forced to look for a job. To the personnel manager he admitted that he had both good and bad traits. "What are your good traits?" asked the interviewer. "Well, said the politician, "I can do a job better than any person in the world. A dozen of the countries' largest companies are bidding for my services. I could unquestionably double your business within a month or two if you hire me." Said the personnel manager, "That's very impressive. What about your bad traits?" Said the politician, "There's only one. I have been known to exaggerate occasionally.."

Awesome Election Coverage

2007-10-31T23:14:00.000-04:00

Today the City Pulse ran an issue on Tuesday's election that was extremely detailed and comprehensive. I urge you to check out the story (LINK) not only for excellent coverage on the City Council races, but also the Lansing School Board and Lansing Community College races as well. There was voting record analysis by the guru Mark Grebner, and a political summary of candidates strengths and weaknesses by Todd Cook. I may have missed it but I don't think they mentioned the CATA Milage though...

Also, the excerpts for the written piece came from this live radio interview. This is an awesome link that will allow you to hear a podcast/mp3 replay of the entire interview commercial free. Definitely check this interview out! We covered a whole range of issues that people really want to hear about.

Great job all around by Beryl, Kyle, and my favorite weekly!

I won't be campaigning tonight.

2007-10-31T11:31:00.000-04:00

Tonight of course is Halloween. I have three boys, ages 9, 6 and 2. My wife and I go out with them trick or treating, and it is a holiday I really enjoy. Always have. After a few blocks when the little ones get tired and or bored, my wife usually goes home to hand out candy while I continue on until 8:00 p.m.

I thought about carrying a yard sign, and introducing myself to a bunch of people in the neighborhood, but reconsidered that idea as crass and political.

It was suggested that I get GIANT candy bars and hand them out. More politics. Sigh.

I know name recognition is important, and a lot of people are hoping that I win the election next week, but I have decided that tonight, family comes first. I will carry on with our traditional Halloween activities tonight. I don't know if my opponent will campaign, and I hope that it doesn't have any bearing on on the eventual results. If I lose by a single vote, I may regret it, but I have to stick with my family values tonight and not try to take advantage of great holiday at the expense of kids enjoyment, and politicize Halloween.

Free Speech versus Offensive Speech?

2007-10-31T08:08:00.000-04:00

Monday night at the City Council meeting Darnell Oldham Sr. displayed a small hangman's noose at the conclusion of his remarks, and tossed it on to the floor when he finished. Today the LSJ picked up the story:
(LINK)

There are some interesting comments already being left on the board after the article. I would encourage you to comment here or at the LSJ.

Part of the article says that Council President Leeman "plans to meet with the city attorney so that they can draw up a letter possibly demanding that Oldham, a black man, cannot attend council sessions for a year. He also might demand that Oldham write or verbalize an apology or attend counseling at his own expense if he wishes to return to council sessions."

A most of you know, Mr. Oldham is a community activist from the Churchill Downs neighborhood. He takes his role in the community very seriously, and he is very outspoken. The protest was based on last weeks meeting when a speaker was ejected and following audience protests by Oldham and John Pollard, they were ejected from the council meeting as well. He claimed that the noose represented a lynching of his free speech rights by Leeman.

As offensive as the noose ploy was, it has certainly generated attention, which was probably the whole point.

When I took the job on City Council, I knew that insults and personal attacks came with the territory. You have to come into this position with some very thick skin. I have been publicly called "the Mayor's Boy" by Mr. Oldham, another racial taunt, and I do my best to ignore this and other insults.

Did the noose go beyond the realm of good taste and proper decorum? Any reasonable person would likely say yes. Does Mr. Oldham have the right to use props to add emphasis to his speeches. Sure. He has displayed pom-poms that glow in the dark (I don't even want to know where he bought those!) when admonishing Cmbr. Kathie Dunbar and alluding to her relationship with the Mayor in the past.

I wish he would have been more sensitive in this particular case, and what he is doing in my mind hurts his own credibility, effectively offending some people to the point that they will not listen to his arguments. He is hurting his case more by this type of heated rhetoric more than he is helping it.

Is that his right in America? Yes.

We provide a forum for people to speak to council. Some people attend every week and insult and attack Council members who they disagree with. That is the way a representative government works. If they have good points, and council doesn't listen, then the people can choose new representation at the next election.

Is banning Mr. Oldham from council for a year appropriate? No. We have more serious and important issues to deal with. If Mr. Oldham wants to embarrass himself every week, then I don't really care. Does Mr. Oldham need counseling? Not my call. I'm not a professional behavior specialist. Most weeks he is restrained. Last week he spoke very calmly and eloquently. He is clearly passionate, and that sometimes is expressed in an offensive nature.

Should we allow speaker's comments toward Jerry Ambrose, the city's finance director? I have no problem with speakers talking to other city officials present at the meeting.

So what to do about this situation? Ignore it. No harm was done. If I am asked, I will not support banning Oldham for a year, counseling, or a public apology. It is his own credibility at stake.

I may not agree with Oldham, but I will defend his right to speak his mind.

No love from the Journal

2007-10-27T23:35:00.000-04:00

Well this morning the Lansing State Journal endorsed my opponent, along with Harold Leeman, Carol Wood, and Gina Nelson. Noticably missing was Derrick Quinney and myself! (LINK)

In the explanation, the journal seemed to like Carol and Harold's experience, and Gina and my opponent's energy and ideas. All endorsements are valuable and coveted, so I wont lie to you and say that I wasn't disappointed. I wasn't surprised either. Politics are a funny business, and not in a ha ha sort of way. I really felt that I led the room during the combined interview with the ward candidates, and that my written answers were substanative and superior to my opponents answers (also available on the LSJ web). Of course I would think that, and it may be rationalization. No matter, what is done is done, and it is beyond my control at this point.

I was really shocked that Derrick was not endorsed, more so than for myself. Derrick has run a beautiful campaign and has been a solid council member. What exactly does a council member need to do to get the endorsemet besides having served for 8-12 years?

Lets also remember back to the fall of 2006 when the LSJ endorsement was not enough for Bob Johnson to overcome Kathie Dunbar. And come to think of it, in that piece last year I distinctly remember people who didn't get the nod (John Pollard) at least being mentioned in the article! Not so for me and Derrick, or Eric Hewitt or Robert Clark. Ahem. Maybe the slight was unintentional, but to not even mention my 6 months and Derricks 10 months of service on council, or any portion of our votes or issues certainly raises eyebrows.

As I said, no matter. The Journal's revelance is not what it once was. Oh, it is still read, but often more with curiosity than reverence. After the State wage fiasco this year, along with the rise of non-tradional media, and alternative news (City Pulse), the LSJ just does not posses the strength of swaying voters they way they once did, before all these competing medias were available, and they were taken more seriously.

So, on a rainy windy morning, after receiving this slap in the face by the LSJ, what does a candidate do? Lace them up and hit the doors! I made good progress in a key precinct and talked to quite a few likely voters. Many people that I saw I had met before, and they reaffirmed their desire to vote for me. Other people I had never met, but it was obvious that neither had my opponent, and they were appreciative of the attention of a council member at their door. Score. Still others indicated that they had already voted for me via absentee ballot. So I ended the day assured that the race was not lost with the LSJ endorsement.

Everytime I walk, I come home more confident than when I left. My prediction for the race is that both me and Derrick will win. I will not predict the other candidates or my preferences, but I think Derrick and I share the bonds of both being newly appointed and recently dissed. And you know what else I found from knocking on doors all day? Not a single person so much as mentioned the LSJ.

Lansing Chamber of Commerce Endorses Matt

2007-10-23T13:37:00.000-04:00

for Lansing City Council.

It's clear that labor and business can and do get along. What is good for business development is good for jobs!

The Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce announced the have endorsed me as their candidate for the 3rd Ward race. The Chamber has joined:

UAW
Teamsters
Greater Lansing Labor Council
Sierra Club
Democracy for America
Plumbers & Pipefitters
IAFF (Fire Fighters)

It should be clear that my platform cuts across partisan boundaries and is based on cooperation and common sense.