Facts about the many recalls in Salem Township's 2010 November Election:

Letters, Opinions and Other Links:

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Trustee Marcia Van Fossen's Letter

Jane Griffith's Recall Letter

O'Neil Muirhead's Letter

Flier #1 - 9/2010

Flier #2 - 9/2010

I Have Not Forgotten

5 Salem board members are being recalled in November.  3 recalls are because the members voted to dissolve the Fire Administrative Board (not the Fire Department), and because they voted to remove the Post Office from the Rider House. To understand why they did this, please read on.  These 3 are Supervisor Heyl, Treasurer Uherek, Trustee Wallazy. Trustee Van Fossen also voted with Heyl, Uherek and Wallazy, but was not recalled. Here we will call them "the new board". Another 2, Clerk Trent and Trustee Witkowski, part of the old board, are being recalled because they voted the other way as did Sue Bejin.

Salem Recall: the Fire Department and Brien Witkowski- why the new board voted to dissolve FAB.

The new board voted to dissolve the Fire Administrative Board (FAB), not the fire department. Why did the new board vote this way? In part because of a “shoot the messenger” policy that FAB had recently passed: residents who complained about misbehavior by Fire Department personnel were to be treated like dangerous criminals: This policy would have automatically flagged any resident who filed a complaint about a member of the fire department so that the police would appear at their door first to clear the scene before the fire department or first responders could come in. By this new policy the fire department would sit on the road while the house burned until the police arrived, or first responders would wait for the police to go first, even if it meant someone died of a heart attack because of the delay. Brien Witkowski, as board liaison to FAB, strongly supported the policy at the time.  Chief Hamilton was also a supporter.  The effects of this policy, other than revenge, were obviously not well thought out.  

Listen to Brien Witkowski's Voice at the FAB meeting where this policy was enacted, or read a transcript of the voice clip :

Fortunately, due to the alertness of Heyl, Uherek, Wallazy and Van Fossen, this policy is no longer in effect and FAB is dissolved. But note: Trent, and Witkowski voted to keep FAB.

Our fire department under Chief Hamilton is much larger than neighboring townships of similar size and is quite expensive. They have had some rather amazing perks approved in the past by FAB. Information on this is currently being gathered.  Stay tuned.

Salem Recall: Why the new board voted to remove Linda Hamilton's contract post office from the Rider House.

Since more office space is needed by the township, yet a new building (advocated by Clerk Trent) would cost more than a million dollars, Heyl, Uherek, Wallazy and Van Fossen did indeed vote to remove and evict the for profit post office.  They also offered a lease, which Linda Hamilton refused to sign.  Other suitable spaces for a private post office are available in the hamlet.

Two board members, Clerk Trent and Trustee Bejin, argued that the offered lease was too expensive ($700), and far more than Linda Hamilton had ever paid without a lease ($250). Clerk Trent said that Rider House utilities were actually quite low to justify the low rent. This is true but misleading.  Clerk Trent neglected to mention the costs of the other services provided and paid for by the township: the septic connection, janitorial services, snow plowing, lawn care, bottled water, internet access, taxes, insurance, maintenance, and even the surprisingly expensive weekly cleaning of floor mats. These services and utilities are estimated to cost the township more than $700 a month for the post office space, far more than the rent she paid. To conclude:  Linda Hamilton's for-profit post office has been heavily subsidized by the township in the past.  The township needs the space; it doesn't need to subsidize private businesses.

The Role of the Hamilton Family in the Salem Recall:

Many members of the Hamilton family work for the Fire Department, including Chief Hamilton, the in house fire-instructor, and several other sons and nephews. The Chief's wife, Linda Hamilton, is the sole proprietor of the Post Office. Linda Hamilton is also the ex-treasurer who was soundly defeated by Paul Uherek in the last election. The Hamilton family are not poor: they are the biggest landowners in the township.  Bonnie Cook, who filed the recall petitions for Uherek, Heyl and Wallazy, has usually been found at meetings sitting next to Linda Hamilton and chatting with her. These are the people who will benefit the most if Heyl, Uherek and Wallazy are recalled.

The narrow balance of the board is at stake: if either Supervisor Heyl, Treasurer Uherek or Trustee Wallazy are recalled, and Trent and Witkowski left in office, the largest beneficiaries will be the Hamilton family.

Vote NO to keep the new board:  Robert Heyl, Paul Uherek and Wayne Wallazy.

Paid for by 2010-004 Salem Residents for Truth
8555 Six Mile Road, Northville, MI 48168

This page was last updated on 10/10/10.