Changes may be requested by e-mailing the details to pmarkham@manistique.org
06/28/08
For those unaware, the rural City of Manistique, with a population of less than 4,000, sits at the mouth of the Manistique River, on the north shore of Lake Michigan, over bedrock of "water-logged" fractured limestone, in the 1,178.11 square miles of Schoolcraft County, with a total population of less than 9,000, with more sources of potable water than most communities, domestic or foreign.
On 06/17/08, as a consequence of local gossip, I became aware of a special Manistique city council meeting, on 06/19/08, regarding the requirement for, and bonding of water treatment plant upgrades.
The following is a list of questions, and comments, that I wanted to address to council, along with answers to those questions that I got to ask, in the context of my understanding of issues considered at that meeting, of which I had no prior knowledge:
Q. When were the public notice requirements of the meeting made?
A. 06/16/08.
Observation: I did not take notes of who was present at that meeting, but my casual impression was no member of the established news media or general public, other than me. Could it be that everyone else considered their presence a waste of life, or did everyone else have no reason to believe that they were about to be handed a $4.6 m/l million bill, for a project that had no guarantees to meet future EPA and DEQ requirements?
Q. Why the last minute rush consideration of that which I knew almost nothing about, beyond a casual reference that I heard at a past city council meeting?
A. Chuck Lawson, of Wilcox and Associates, preempted my question by stating that the federal "Farm Bill", that helps to fund rural water projects, became effective, in May of 2008, and the draft of the "study, for which Wilcox Engineering was responsible, was completed at the end of May, 2008. The grant/funding application, and prior necessary actions, "had to be completed" by 21 July, 2008, to take advantage of the available federal money, and terms, that would be unavailable, later.
No member of Manistique city council, or administration, asked if a request could be made of the U.S.D.A. to keep the city's various options open past July 21, to allow other qualified engineering businesses to do their homework and bid on the project. I concluded that "circumstances beyond our control" included the USDA's deliberate choice to force Manistique into a sole source contract.
Observation: Council-person Rantanen asked a similar question, in a justified and offended manner, and was assured by Mayor Peterson, City Manager Aldrich, and several representatives of Wilcox Engineering, that nothing was amiss, beyond "uncontrollable circumstances".
Observation: The timing of the "study" completion, and the apparent loss of three weeks of formal city council and administration consideration, and necessary action, makes Wilcox Engineering the likely guaranteed recipient of a "no bid" pending multi-million dollar drinking water infrastructure improvement contract. There is little to no chance that any other business could do the required homework in time, to make a well considered bid, regarding information that Wilcox Engineering had full and prior knowledge of, and planned upon, already.
It was far easier for Mayor Peterson to suggest raising the limit for sole source "no bid" professional services, than it was to insure some form of competitive bidding.
My memory recalled, immediately, similar questionable circumstances surrounding Wilcox and Associates personnel's attempt to shut out competitive bidding for the closure of the M- 94 landfill. Click here, for part of my personal perspective regarding Wilcox personnel involvement in predatory public business and policy, regarding the Schoolcraft County's M-94 landfill closure.
From my perspective, history is repeating itself among those that choose not to learn, and have no problem pissing away other peoples' money. It is as if Wilcox Engineering folk's involvement to bypass, or rig, the M-94 landfill closure bidding, and its involvement with the cost overruns and surrounding deception concerning the "Arbutus Ave." project, never took place.
Q. Has all past bond debt, for the water treatment plant, been paid?
A. No, there is almost $2,000,000 + interest, of long term loans, still outstanding.
Q. What, in terms of infrastructure and costs is required, and why?
A. According to Wilcox Engineering personnel, primarily, new EPA and DEQ requirements regarding unfiltered solids and chemical treatment by-products, and general upgrading of the facilities to insure another 30 years of useful life.
Q. What alternatives have been considered beyond more of the same that insures spiraling water rates and fixed expenses rates, twice that of Gladstone?
A. My question was preempted by Wilcox engineer, Dave ?, who referred to unspecified considerations of drawing water from Lake Michigan, or drilled wells. Both alternatives were rejected, primarily, because of water quality concerns, regarding wells, and "ancient" sawdust concerns, regarding lake water.
Q. Has anyone considered drilling wells, possibly adjacent to the water tower? Wells, adjacent to the water tower, or treatment plant, or elsewhere, with automated pumps and treatment processes, might be a viable and far more economical long term alternative to more of the same.
A. I did not ask this question, and a related question concerning Lake Michigan water, because it was "dealt with", in a vague and preemptive manner, by Wilcox Engineering representatives. See above.
Q. Beyond job security, and increased wages and benefits for city employees, what does the planned upgrade or refurbishment or replacement of the water treatment facilities do for the majority of city residents that must pay the bills as their vulnerable future, and property, is threatened by city management's predatory policies?
A. Never got to ask the question, due to the Council's arbitrary three minute public comment time rule.
Q. To rephrase my concerns, where is the bonding money to come from, and out of whose pockets will it be taken, and whose best value for money is being considered?
A. Never got to ask the question, due to the Council's arbitrary three minute public comment time rule.
On 06/19/08, in city council chambers, Wilcox Engineering associate engineer, Dave ..., expressed his pride in the existing water plant and his association with its continued development. As one who shares the bills for that pride, I find it onerous to bear the cost of both Manistique's fixed infrastructure costs, and associated water rates, approximately double that of Gladstone residents. It is an insult, to me, that he is proud of his work, and, therefore, the consequences of that work.
As one who lives in poverty, without the motivation, or desire, to prey on my neighbors, I resent the fact that I will pay, when the most recent rate increase takes effect, $360 a year, for zero gallons used at a downtown property. That $360 is, in fact, to a great degree, little more than forced fire insurance premiums, paid to the city, that insure nothing, and from which I stand to gain no value at all if my building burns.
By a claimed "city ordinance", if I want the water shut off to my property, I must dig up the water line on my property, cut and terminate the line to some unspecified standard to be inspected by a city worker, and then bury the line, again, to preclude frost damage, a public safety hazard, and likely a blight offense. Local plumbing businesses get the water turned off and on, at the city water shutoff valve or "curbstop", for free, and I have to hire a contractor to dig up my property, sever and terminate the water line, and fill in the hole, when there is a working shutoff valve a few feet away!
As one who lives on a sub poverty income, without the motivation, or desire, to prey on my neighbors, I resent the fact that I pay, today, $26.33 for 2,000 gallons of water per month, delivered to the house in which I live. Once again, I am subsidizing others' water rates, and paying, to a lesser degree, fire insurance premiums to the city, that insure nothing, and from which I stand to gain no value at all if my house burns down.
As one who lives within limited means, without the motivation, necessity, or desire, to prey on my neighbors, I resent the fact that the city's water rates, and infrastructure development and maintenance costs, penalizes those of seriously limited means, and the desire or necessity to conserve, in favor of those that don't give a damn about either.
As one who lives with limited means, without the motivation, or desire, to prey on my neighbors, I resent the fact that I am, to often, little more than the means to ensure the continued well being of public employees, public business contractors, and other "movers and shakers" in the community.
It has been apparent, to me, for almost two decades, that the world wide economy, and international politics, reflects the consequences of others, around the world, learning that they do not have to be little more than "plantation niggers" to democratic and capitalist ideals corrupted by unbridled personal self interest.
I share, and identify with that offshore sentiment, as I watch local officials trying to maintain a similar form of involuntary servitude in my own community, of which the city's water and sewer system represents a substantial part.
Why do I consider that individual drilled wells and pumps, or neighborhood drilled wells and pumps, shared between neighbors, are an attractive alternative to supporting the cost of the City's spiraling water delivery infrastructure? Why do I look at the water rates of many surrounding and downstate communities and conclude that the Manistique city infrastructure is at the mercy of children supervising children, and elected and hired officials filling public employment slots, too often, with ignorant, unskilled, malingering, shirking, and lazy relatives and friends, with zero, or close zero talent, skills, knowledge, motivation, experience, and professional credentials?
Why did I conclude, almost two decades ago, that incompetent city administration officials curry favor with those businesses that bill me for their privilege of leading ignorant public officials and employees to whatever conclusion is in the best interest of the businesses, and their employees' paychecks and stockholders' dividends?
For those that have yet to figure it out, corporations have no civic, moral, legal, or ethical responsibility, beyond maximizing profits and minimizing expenses, at customers' expense, to whatever degree that they can circumvent the law. Individuals, generally speaking, work within the same guidelines; to maximize their incomes, and minimize their expenses, to whatever degree that they can circumvent moral, ethical and legal concerns.
And, for those that give a damn, there has been a too cozy, long term business relationship between City Attorney Filoramo, and the main engineer, Randy Scott, of the Wilcox Associates office, in Escanaba. As far as I know, the two of them have been involved in a major real estate venture, under the most recent name of Sunrize Inc., in Escanaba, and, more recently, another venture in Menominee. During that time Manistique City Attorney Filoramo was writing and reviewing contracts representing City of Manistique public business with the Wilcox Associates office headed by his private business buddy, Randy.
It is the responsibility of the electorate, and those individuals who are elected, or hired, to represent the best interests of the general public, and to be aware of, and act consistently with the knowledge that humans are intelligent predators, ready willing and able to enslave there neighbors in whatever creative manner they can devise.
Me, today, bitching; you, and your kids, tomorrow, crying, because you asked for more of the same.
06/24/07
I attended the Manistique City Council meeting, last night, during which Wilcox Associates engineers reviewed the business discussed the previous Friday, this time in front of the cable tv cameras, during a regularly scheduled council meeting.
I learned, later, that the broadcast audio was, for the most part, unintelligible to viewers. S.O.S.; someone's unskilled, no-nothing child at the wheel, again. I also got to appreciate, from the front audience row, the squeaking of the vcr tape transport that has entertained me for well over a year, during various public meetings. Oh well, S.O.S, as I said.
During this meeting I learned the following:
1. The City of Manistique was put on notice in 2005, by the Michigan DEQ, that new drinking water standards were due. The new EPA mandatory water quality standards were made public in January of 2006, so now, 2 1/2 years later, the City of Manistique is squoze for time because it waited for a Wilcox Associate's incomplete draft "study" and now risks loosing most favorable USDA rural development funding if the completed application is not submitted by 07/21/08.
2. As I heard, Friday, seeking bids from competing engineering businesses is highly unlikely, given the short period of time remaining for favorable funding, and the inside track that Wilcox Associates has as author of a 1000 page draft engineering study.
3. No details were given regarding why ground water wells vs. surface water was so "cost prohibitive", as stated by Wilcox engineer Dave....?
4. No details were given regarding why lake water vs. river water was not a viable option, beyond a vague reference to a shifting layer of submerged "historic" sawdust that coats the floor of Lake Michigan, in some areas. Seems to me that if a water pipe intake didn't lay on the lake bed, in shallow water, in a prevailing detrimental current, the sawdust was unlikely to swim into an intake.
Regarding lake water and well water alternatives, I heard nothing of substance from paid professionals.
5. No member of city council, considering spending $4.4 to $7.2 million of other people's money, had read the draft report, or admitted to have read any part of it.
6. The only City of Manistique employee that claimed to have read the report was Corey Barr, who has never stated his verifiable professional credentials, in public, at any meeting that I have attended.
7. I have no more understanding of, or faith in, the various arguments for more of the same, than I had at last Friday's special city council meeting.
This is one of several "unpublished" articles that I wrote, regarding Wilcox and Associates engineers involvement with Schoolcraft County business:
"After watching the televised Manistique City Council meeting of 02/14/06 I thank Councilman Evonich who, under obvious emotional strain, summoned the courage to question the competence of the engineers that represented Wilcox and Associates' business concerning their apparent failed contracted responsibilities for the Arbutus Street CDBG project.
For those that missed the meeting, City Hall should have a recording of the televised Council meeting that shows one of the head engineers of the project, Randy Scott, babble in subjective terms, such as "tried", "thought", and "considered", concerning various alleged failures of the street infrastructure renovation. From my perspective, the terms used were more suitable to express gross ignorance and an experimental learning processes for a high school freshman science fair project, than appropriate jargon for a continuing 8 week civil engineering project, heading for a 20 weeks completion time.
As I sat in my recliner, at home, I swore at the tv, as I listened to and watched what I considered a feeble attempt of evasion of responsibility, worthy of any adolescent child. Randy Scott stood there, in front of City Council, and the tv cameras, acknowledging the fact that Wilcox and Associates had failed to meet their contractual obligations, but that they still sought some $18,000 more for engineer project oversight fees.
To his credit, before some other generous council-person could make a motion to give away more tax revenue, Councilman Evonich spoke up, and let everyone know that under the circumstances there was no way he was going to vote for more of the same. Shortly after, Randy Scott stated that the business would eat the extra "engineering" $18,000 costs.
Randy said nothing about City taxpayers eating the $465,000 cost overrun, that, IF it had been used to match State funds, would have secured an additional $1,395,000 for City infrastructure renewal!
Manistique City Attorney Filoramo offered no help with any appropriate suggestions that would hold liable, to some significant degree, the Wilcox Associates Escanaba office, headed by his private business associate, Randy Scott. Almost $1.9 million professional engineering mistakes were made by Randy Scott, and his professional engineering associates, that the residents of Manistique funded.
From my perspective, it is more than likely that contracts with favorable terms, and lack of "legal boiler plate", were written by city attorney Filoramo, for Wilcox Associates, because his lucrative private conflict-of-interest business ventures with Randy Scott need not be jeopardized by representing the public interest of the City of Manistique. It wouldn't make much business sense to poke a sharp stick into the eye of your private business partner, if the city's attitude is "We don't care, coz it's mostly other peoples' money!".
If I remember correctly, Randy Scott headed up the test well drilling fiasco, for the M-94 landfill closure, that cost the City of Manistique taxpayers the purchase of Patz's damaged real property, and Filoramo's legal fees to hassle the Patz's on the city's behalf. To me, City of Manistique taxpayers payed Scott, Wilcox Associates personnel, and Filoramo for a variety of failed efforts, rather than the concrete results that should have been contracted for."
Beyond the politics of the federal budget and health regulations, none of the above has anything to do with "uncontrollable circumstances". Its all about a predatory process of extorting the "Benjamins", from a captive "clientele" in Manistique.
Note:
Michigan Municipal League Yellow Page entry:
Wilcox Professional Services, LLC
300 Ludington, Suite 310,
Escanaba, MI 49829
Ph: 906-789-7800
Fax: 906-789-0100
Email: randy.scott@wilcox.us
Website: www.wilcox.us
Contact: Randy Scott, P.E.
09/12/08
Speaking of extorting the "Benjamins", yesterday a friend showed me a City of Manistique water shutoff notice he received for a H.U.D. rental to a "brain dead" renter. Before he showed it to me, he told me what the water shutoff notice stated. The meaning of his words brought me to a fast boil.
The following is that City of Manistique water shutoff notice, FOR A 3 MONTH BILL, 2 months of which were delinquent over 30 days. At current rates, with no water used, that bill is approximately $90.00 + late fees?.
NOTICE OF INTENT TO DISCONNECT SERVICE Because of failure to make proper payment on your utility account, you are hereby being notified that -WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE-- YOUR UTILITY SERVICE WILL BE DISCONNECTED ON: ........., 2008. unless satisfactory payment is made before that date. This shut-off is for the "past due" amount of your bill, however, if it becomes necessary to disconnect your service, it will not be restored unless the "Total" bill, plus a reconnect fee of $15.00 has been paid. PLEASE NOTE, THIS WILL BE THE ONLY NOTICE YOU RECEIVE PRIOR TO YOUR DISCONNECT ON THE ABOVE DATE. In the event your service is disconnected, PAYMENT MUST BE MADE BEFORE 2:00 P.M. IN ORDER TO HAVE WATER RESTORED THAT SAME DAY. It is recommended that payments be made at City Hall to insure prompt credit."
So, what's the problem? --- Consider the shutoff notice policy, above, in the context of the ordinance and memorandum quoted below, and if the obvious is not, allow me to connect the dots for you:
+ Sec. 14. ENFORCEMENT. (A) CHARGES ADDED TO BILLS. Charges for water service and other charges, costs, and fees provided for in this chapter shall be added to the bills submitted to the consumer. (B) CHARGES AS LIEN. Charges for water service and supply and any other charges, costs, or fees provided for in this chapter shall constitute a lien on the property served, and if not paid within 30 days, shall be placed in the next general tax roll and collected as part of the general city taxes. The entry on the tax rolls of the amount certified as water charges, costs, and fees which are more than 30 days past due shall constitute notice of the pendency of the lien. (C) ENFORCEMENT OF LIEN. Enforcement of the lien shall be made as provided by state law. (D) TERMINATION OF SERVICE. The city shall have the right to shut off and discontinue the supply of water to any premises for the nonpayment when due, of water charges, costs, or fees. In the event any such water billing is not paid within 30 days after it has become due and payable, the water to such premises may be shut off by the city and services need not be restored until the delinquent bill and penalty, plus a turn on charge, as set by the city has been paid. (ord. no. 193 of 1981 eff. May 1, 1981) 25.463 • 25.464 (Rev. 3/86)
WATER/WASTEWATER DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM Date: July 1, 2004 To: All City Water & Wastewater Customers From: Manistique Water/Wastewater Department RE: Base Fee/Ready to Serve Charge Termination of water and sewer service means a physical disconnection of the water service and or sewer lateral on the property owners, property. This option is at the property owners expense, the City will not incur any cost for this termination. This disconnection must be visually inspected by appointment, by an authorized City of Manistique employee. This is only way to have the monthly base fee/ready to serve charge removed from your water/sewer bill. If you have any questions please feel free to call the Water/Wastewater Department at 906-341-2281.
I do not remember seeing or receiving that memorandum, "To: All City Water & Wastewater Customers" by any means other than a city clerk handing it to me when I requested the water shutoff.
Now, on the face of it, this last piece of deliberate and arbitrary fraud is not by ordinance, not by legislation, but by the whim of Manistique public officials expressed in a memorandum with no legal reference. Based upon that enforced published whim, the City of Manistique has billed me, and collected ~$507, for some 19.5 months after I requested the water turned off at a property I own.
I was given the choice, by the whimsical memorandum, to hire a contractor to dig up the front yard of my property, separate and terminate the water service line to the City's specifications, and fill in and landscape the access hole... Start at $1,000.
My other choice, given by 1981 City of Manistique ordinance 25.464 and the 2004 whimsical memorandum, was to pay a constantly recurring and steadily increasing "service charge" for that which I do not want, or risk losing my property to a constantly increasing lien levied by the City of Manistique "...as provided by law..."
First, for those that have failed to connect the dots, assuming that there is no lawful City of Manistique ordinance on which to base the confiscatory mandatory "water service termination" policy memorandum, I have been coerced out of some $507 since mid February of 2007, by totally arbitrary, and, likely, unlawful decision by persons unspecified.
Second, the City of Manistique policy punishes those that pay their bills for water and sewer service they do not use, and rewards those that do not pay their bills for the whimsical, "mandatory", and ever increasing water service charge!
Read the shutoff letter, and do the arithmetic, based upon the example shutoff notice I quoted, above, for a 90 day period during which no water is used. These are the "civilized" choices I have, now:
Don't pay my bills: 3 months x $30 = $90 ..... Then, pay the $90 and do not pay the $15 fee to turn the water back on. Total cost $90, plus late fees? + joy + no more cost; forever.
Pay my bills: ~19.5 months x $25+$20 = >$507.... Total cost $507 + lost use of the money + continued increased "service charge" billing, + hearburn + another reason to never trust a public official; forever?
Sever and terminate the water service line, at my cost, under my property, while a new working curbstop valve, that I helped pay for, exists at the sidewalk, a few feet from my property boundary ...? Pick a real number, at commercial rates... Cost prohibitive, predatory and stupid; beyond civilized belief!
I can only fantasize it is God's will to tempt public service thieves, so that they will roast in Hell, for all eternity, for making slaves of their neighbors by stealing pieces of those neighbours' lives, while they proclaim their piety and are lauded for their dedication to "public service".
Conclusion: Again, I have been screwed by City of Manistique public officials famous for their ignorance, stupidity, lack of ethics, scofflaw mentalities, and hypocritical religious "faith" that is best expressed as, "Do unto others, when you can."; the prime directive of con-artists and slave owners.
How many others have been hosed by the City of Manistique, regarding a whimsical, predatory, and extortionate "...termination of water and sewer service..." policy, and for how much?
Regarding the shutoff notice quoted above:
Notice the bargain basement discount price for water service shutoff ...$0.00.
Notice the fair price for same-day water service restoration, $15.00; but, why should anyone pay to have their water shut off, or reconnected, assuming that they are paying their bill for the water, sewage disposal, and the "service charge". Why not add separate charges for city employee wages and benefits, travel expenses, Christmas presents, Thanksgiving turkey, booze, beer, and recreational drugs?
When, and by what legal process, did City of Manistique administrative personnel acquire lawful authority to extort a significant chunk of my money, for no value received?
Am I angry that my ignorance allowed paid predators, hired with my taxes, to mislead me and take a piece of my life? You betcha, assuming that no local ordinance, state law, or federal law, authorizes local officials to reach into my wallet, on a whim, as any grifter or common pickpocket.
It is September, 2008, and what I have raved about is not recent, or rocket science. How many more centuries will it take the citizens and "public servants" of Manistique and Schoolcraft County to realize that it is not necessary to reinvent the wheel, every day, and it is uncivilized predatory behaviour to fabricate irrational policy, and ordinances, while rational, tried, true, and available policies, ordinances, and laws exist, and are readily available, elsewhere. Local public policy that sanctions extortion, nepotism, patronage, malingering, shirking, fraud, property theft, substance abuse, etc., is nothing more than testimony to deliberate predatory behaviour, fostered by inexcusable stupidity and ignorance that continues to be the hallmark of Schoolcraft County, and Manistique.
It doesn't help matters that the Manistique City Manager and Chairman of the Schoolcraft County Board of Commissioners are husband and wife, and their various relatives, friends, appointees, and political allies are well entrenched within local government and administration, because both buy loyalty with public money. That is the consequence of basic human nature expressed in the predatory will of the Schoolcraft County and Manistique voting public, in a representative democracy. For worse, in Schoolcraft County, so goes the nation; by choosing predatory, ignorant, or stupid representatives.
Within the 3 minute period of public comments, I will ask a few questions of Manistique City Council, and City Manager, at the next council meeting of 09/22/08. Depending upon the answers, what I have written will be edited to correct any misunderstandings I had, writing this editorial.
09/22/08
This evening, at the Manistique City Council meeting, I asked the questions, and received no answers, therefore I found no reason to make any changes or corrections.
Q. What source of authority sanctions the City of Manistique's choice to extort some $507 dollars from me, over the past 19 1/2 months, with the threat to place a lien against my property, as an alternative to the City using a curb-stop valve to shut off water to a property I own? I am sure that a July 1, 2004, memorandum from the Manistique Water/Wastewater Department, with no reference to authority, does not substitute for a local ordinance, state law, or federal legislation. Again, what gives the city the right to extort $507 from me, instead of turning off the water supply to my property, at a curb-stop valve?
A. No answer
Q. Is anyone concerned about the safety of Manistique's drinking water supply, due to future increased long term and transient contamination of the Indian River watershed, and future scientific research that determines more unacceptable toxins in the city's drinking water? More specifically, is anyone concerned about the vulnerability of Manistique's drinking water supply, to the consequences of natural, negligent, accidental, or deliberate introductions of toxic substances into the city's drinking water, and if they are concerned, what is being done to secure the integrity of the city's water supply?
A. No answer
The point I wish to make, regarding Manistique's source of drinking water, is that I am more concerned about the vulnerability of the city's drinking water supply to the consequences of transient toxic material dumping, and runoff, into the lower Indian River, than I am about E.P.A. sanctioned science that concludes that I am drinking consequential water processing carcinogens from treating the city' naturally contaminated water supply. From my perspective, my assimilation of the harmful natural water supply contaminants, and treatment by-products, are at a lesser rate and concentration than breathing an equivalent deliberate toxic effluvium plume from burning waste in barrels and "wood" stoves, or breathing the industrial waste dust kicked up by speeding orvs on the shoulders of city streets, gravel roads, and the various dirt trails throughout the city.
For those that don't get it, there is a cause and effect relationship between many carcinogens and cancers in the community, due to toxins and carcinogenic materials from other than the community water supply, and, to me, there is a deliberate choice by community "leaders" to make subjective political decisions, instead of decisions to ensure the best quality of life bang, for the general public, for each public buck spent.
Incidentally, who in the city government and administration has the technical credentials and expertise to decide what appropriate choices should be made regarding a multi-million dollar investment of public funds into a water treatment plant, with no guarantee that a few years from now there will not be a demand for more? The last time I touched on this subject, I offended someone, and learned, later, that a "license" to drive a water plant is equivalent to the knowledge and skills required to build or modify one to E.P.A., D.E.Q. and peer reviewed engineering standards and specifications.
Recent high school graduates don't cut it, neither do those with sheepskins that represent little more than minimum rote learning.
If hired engineers are making all the decisions - political, economic, and technical, - because gross ignorance and laziness rules Manistique government, then lets hire an engineering company to run the city. At least there is a better chance of finding qualified people at the wheel.
Locally, beyond the ridiculous expense of treating contaminated river water, with little to no knowledge of the concentration of transient contaminants, and then adding carcinogenic treatment by-products, the current insecure water supply, and treatment plant infrastructure, is an invitation to set a new record for domestic horror. The real situation prompts me to s'pose that most of the local noise about terrorism and water supply safety is more about lip service to control public access to public business, and lining the pockets of Wilcox and Associates, than sincere public concerns about the subjects.
09/29/08
On 09/26/08, I received the following letter. Notice that, just like the memorandum letter of July 1, 2004 there is no reference to any government authority, as I requested at the last city council meeting, and this web page. The letter is from a Manistique city entity unknown to me, named "Manistique Utilities", with no reference to any authority beyond the implied authority of the City of Manistique's letterhead. That letterhead does not indicate God's, or Caesar's address.
Once again, no name on the document, and no reference to any governmental authority that sanctions a mysterious "Manistique Utilities" to extort money from me, regarding another property. No details of what constitutes "... service lines running to your building...", or in the earlier quoted memorandum, "... a physical disconnection of the water service and or sewer lateral..."
It is as if legal and technical details are irrelevant to a city government and administration that determines fiscal policy as any grifter might. If the above letter and memorandum was signed by God, then I would be a little more impressed by the authoritative credentials, but I have previously substantiated reason's to believe that it was authored by a nobody that considers me, and other nobodies, as no more than a nobody means to an end, as any bunko artist might.
As, until last Friday, there was no apparent concern about billing my second empty property for water service that I have never used for the last ~12 years I have owned the property, and there was no concern about billing the property for the time it was owned by Marquette General Hospital, I have to assume that the unidentified "meter reader", and other City of Manistique employees associated with the City's billing and extortion racket, were unconcerned until someone chose financial retribution instead of the appropriate informational response to my public comments and questions posed at the Manistique City Council meeting of 09/22/08.
According to the letter above, all I have to do is lie, and I save $360 dollars a year. It's a no-brainer!
I trust that if I make a F.O.I.A. request for a computerized list of billed water account addresses, and compare it to actual properties, as I mosey around town, that I will find that I am not an exception to an unidentified ordinance or law, and there will be many properties owned by folks not on the Manistique city administration's "theft list" for easy money extortion.
I, most other property owners, and too often the City of Manistique, have no documented "proof" of the physical existence of a "terminated" or unterminated water or sewer service line buried on their property. But, for $360 a year, I, like any other private property owner, can state that, to the best of my knowledge, a water and sewer line that I have never used is terminated.
An unsubstantiated or irrational claim to a piece of my life, or anyone else's life, is, from my perspective, a hallmark of a predatory con artist, and if my first line of defense against that species of predator is a simple lie, so be it. A lie is my civilized alternative to surrendering part of my severely limited wealth to an administrative thief, armed with local police power to enforce the equivalent of armed robbery. The lie is preferable to the armed confrontation I witnessed when Manistique City Manager, Shiela Aldrich, using the police power of Manistique Public Safety and the Michigan State Police, stole Alfred Burns real property property with the default sanction of Manistique City Council and every law enforcement agency from the Schoolcraft County Prosecutor to the U.S.D.O.J.
It's like this, if City of Manistique administration personnel want to steal from me, I suggest they steal from every City of Manistique property owner in the same manner, with fully disclosed, substantiated and publicized lawful authorization. At the same time, I suggest city administration make sure that no one gets off the "theft list" with a simple lie, or any other form of deliberate deceit and evasion encouraged by the likes of the particular current vague, arbitrary, and predatory city administration policy expressed in the memorandum letter quoted below.
From the same perspective as Alfred Burns, regarding the theft of his property by the City of Manistique, it makes no difference to me if the current form of confidence theft has the default sanction of the Manistique City Council to the President of the United States, because, at this stage of my life, I am no one's willing sheep, or slave.
10/17/08
Today, I filed the following F.O.I.A. request with the City of Manistique:
Dear "Manistique Utilities" - City of Manistique -
Whomever,
This request for information is filed under the terms
of the Michigan Freedom of Information Act 442 of 1976.
1. Please provide me a copy of the ordinance, law, or
lawful authority, that sanctions the use of an unsigned
July 1, 2004 "administrative memorandum" to extort from
me $29.54 per month, by threatening a lien against my
property, to which the city refuses to shut off the
water supply by using a curb-stop valve as designed.
After inquiring about the source of the memorandum's
lawful authority, and receiving no answer at the
09/22/08 city council meeting, I was told, during the
public comments period of the 10/13/08 Manistique City
Council meeting, that a city ordinance exists that
authorizes that which I understand to be the arbitrary
and predatory water & wastewater utility policy, quoted
below. No one at the council meeting offered anything
more than the vague claim that a city ordinance
existed.
To the best of my knowledge, the unsigned "memorandum"
quoted below, is nothing more than an
UNLAWFUL, UNREASONABLE, EXTORTIONATE AND
ARBITRARY WATER SERVICE TERMINATION MANDATE,
SECURED BY A THREATENED LIEN ON A PROPERTY, TO
FORCE A PROPERTY OWNER TO INCUR THE
UNECESSARY EXPENSE TO EXCAVATE, TERMINATE,
AND REBURY A WATER SUPPLY LINE, IF WATER AND
SEWER SERVICE IS NOT NECESSARY FOR THE
PROPERTY'S USE.
To the best of my knowledge, I know of no city council
lawful action that sanctioned the memorandum's intent
to extort a "Base Fee/Ready to Serve Charge" for every
piece of private property within the city, occupied or
not, that has a buried municipal water service line
with a city "curb-stop" shutoff valve that enables the
city to shut off or resume water supply service at a
moment's notice. To the best of my knowledge, I know of
no city council lawful action that authorizes the City
of Manistique to bill a property owner for a "Base
Fee/Ready to Serve Charge" for water service that the
city shut off with a curb-stop valve.
2. Please provide a copy of the lawful authority that
allows the city to keep the money extorted from me,
since February 2006, as I described at the city council
meeting of 09/22/08.
"WATER/WASTEWATER DEPARTMENT
MEMORANDUM
Date: July 1, 2004
To: All City Water & Wastewater Customers
From: Manistique Water/Wastewater Department
RE: Base Fee/Ready to Serve Charge
Termination of water and sewer service means a
physical disconnection of the water service and or
sewer lateral on the property owners, property.
This option is at the property owners expense, the
City will not incur any cost for this termination.
This disconnection must be visually inspected by
appointment, by an authorized City of Manistique
employee. This is only way to have the monthly
base fee/ready to serve charge removed from your
water/sewer bill. If you have any questions please
feel free to call the Water/Wastewater Department
at 906-341-2281."
Sincerely,
Peter Markham"
10/20/08
In answer to the Manistique water disconnect documentation request, I responded as follows:
Peter Markham
416 Alger Ave.
Manistique, MI 59854
pmarkham@manistique.org
October 20, 2008
Manistique Utilities
Manistique, MI 49854
300 N. Maple St.
906-341-2290
Dear Whomever from Manistique Utilities,
I do not know of a "Manistique Utilities" or anyone
working for such an entity, but, relative to a
September 26 request from an anonymous person,
apparently working for a City of Manistique entity I
have never heard of, I respond as follows.
I do not know when my property at 401 N. Houghton Ave
was disconnected from the city water/sewer
infrastructure.
I do not know if the water or sewer line, between my
building and the city owned infrastructure, was ever
disconnected, terminated, or ever existed.
I do know that I have never used any water or sewer
service at that address for as long as I have owned the
property.
I have no knowledge that water and sewer service was
provided to the property when others owned the
property.
I have no knowledge of any City of Manistique revenue
raising ordinance that provides any entity of the City
of Manistique the authority to demand payment for water
and sewer service that I, or anyone else, have not
received, and do not receive, based upon speculation
that I, or any other property owner may, or may not,
have unterminated water and sewer service lines on
their respective private properties.
I trust that the information that I have provided is as
comprehensive as Whomever needs, for whatever purpose
Whomever requires it. If not, I hope the next request
from Whomever will be in a more justified and
informative manner with fewer anonymous and coercive
qualities that I attribute to someone with (little more
than) the authority of a gun.
The equivalent message of "Gimme yer money, or else!"
doesn't appeal to me.
Sincerely,
Peter Markham
For those that still don't understand what all the noise is about, from my corner,
beyond the brain dead way in which the City of Manistique administration
and city council handled my request for information, - all I want to know is
when did the "Base
Fee/Ready to Serve Charge" become a provision of a Manistique City
ordinance i.a.w. "....other charges, costs, and fees provided for in this chapter...,
and of which ordinance is it a provision, and consequently, did the City of Manistique have the legal right to
extort that charge from me with a predatory water line disconnect policy?
I have waited since mid-February, 2006, for an appropriate answer, and I am still waiting! Perhaps the rumors about the past quality of local education, and too many inbreds in local government, is true. Perhaps Manistique City Attorney Filoramo is still looking for the ordinance that includes the provision of a Base Fee/Ready to Serve Charge. Perhaps, like those further up the political and administration food chain, the broken "powers that be" know that they can indulge whatever whim that moves them because law enforcement is arbitrary, and legal representation is cost prohibitive to most victims of crime, and unlawful and unethical behaviour.
Perhaps I am mistaken concerning my understanding of past events, and I was provided the information regarding the historical due process and consequential lawful basis of the extortion I have described. Perhaps it is me that is wacko, but, as with much of my private and public perspective, it is better substantiated than the basis of most of that I question.
To me, after two ignored requests of the Manistique city clerk's office, once in 2006 and once in 2008, and the same request at the last two Manistique City Council meetings, the "Base Fee/Ready to Serve Charge" ordinance provision, that no one wishes to identify, is nothing more than a whimsical and predatory fabrication to justify the arbitrary and extortionate fabrication of the Manistique administration's "Termination of water and sewer service" policy, that would make any rapacious criminal enterprise proud.
Perhaps, if Manistique City Attorney Filoramo doesn't advise Manistique City Manager Aldrich to wipe her ass with it, maybe I will get a rational, relevant, and substantiated answer to my 10/17/08 F.O.I.A. request. Most likely, I will get another vague, evasive and irrelevant response as I did regarding my queries surrounding the new Manistique water tower antenna.
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