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Written by Super User

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Published: 25 June 2024

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Answers to the disinformation being put out by my opponent Ramon Scola and Antrim County Republican Party:

County Board raised your taxes last three years

Commissioners can't raise taxes without a vote of the people on a ballot.  The voters approved UP TO 7.6500 mills in 2020 for 4 years.  The total taxes levied by the Commissioners in 2022 (7.0214), 2023 (7.3920), 2024 (7.2834).  The full amount voted in has never been levied by the Commissioners in the past three years even with the max allowable.  To say your taxes were raised for the past three years and giving your money away is election disinformation to convince the voters to believe this. This year the budget has been balanced for the first year without having to take money from the general fund due to conservative budgeting by the department heads and approved of by the Board of Commissioners.

At the last Mancelona Township meeting, Ramon Scola stated that the County could pay their bills when leveraging the taxes for the budget next year.  He would want the taxes cut lower than 7.2834 like Commissioner Jarris Rubingh did.  He did not tell the rest of the story that happened at the County meeting.  The reason why the rest of the board did not cut the taxes lower is that the millage for the public safety center that will be on the November ballot needs to be filed by August 1st.  That language has been done by the County attorney and the financial officer.  If we have lower the taxes, then the millage will have to be increased which would mean the attorney would have to look at the ballot language again and the financial officer would have to reconfigure the millage to levy.  Waste of money for the attorney and the time of the financial officer.  Either way that money will be going towards the public safety center.

Antrim County Republican Party is supporting people who feel fiscally responsible such as:  abolish the IRS, no income tax, implement a FAIR tax, reduce government employment by at least 30% at state level and at County level. (on the antrimcountygop.org website).

 

Board of Commissioners are not honest or have moral integrity

Do your research on all candidates running for office.  My opponent Ramon Scola is running on a record as a former Detroit Police Officer.  The court document (case no: 03-73595) is an official part of that record where he is listed as a defendant for abusing his authority and a man's constitutional rights under the 4th and 14th amendment.  Case No: 03-73595.  I have been ethical and honest throughout my term in office.  I have no hidden agendas to benefit myself when making decisions.  I have been in public service for 34 years.  I have a masters in administration and a bachelors in business.  Budgets and policies are the main responsibilities of the Board.  I have experience working with organizations, public safety and governmental entities. (See my experience on main page.)  I am a religious person but do not bring religion into politics when serving on a board.  My opponent has spoken more than once at Health Department meetings during public comment to not take grants for services to the Health Department of Northern Michigan.  The Health Department lost over 1 million dollars worth of grant funding in 2023 due to other Health Department board members with the same christian political agendas click HERE and watch at 23.00 my opponent speaking during public comment on an issue not on the agenda on the Sept. 5, 2023 board of health meeting.

The Republican Party led by Randy Bishop (the spouse of candidate Victoria Bishop) filed a Civil Case on May 17, 2022 in the Antrim County Circuit Court File #2022-9038-CZ, against the following: The County Clerk, the Sheriff, the Prosecuting Attorney and the 2022 Board of Commissioners.  This means that he was suing all the taxpayers of Antrim County.  Seeking relief in the amount of $1,000,000.  Do you really want these people associated with Randy Bishop and the Antrim County Republican Party in office who say they want to not waste money but create County government to spend more money defending itself over their lawsuits?  I DO NOT SUPPORT VICTORIA BISHOP FOR ANTRIM COUNTY CLERK.  I have been told that Randy Bishop has told people that the County Clerk as well as the County Board supports her.  Not true.  Anything you hear from this group ask the officials.  Call the County Administration office, Clerk, Treasurer, Maintenance Department, etc. and ask the questions instead of listening to this group who has given out so much disinformation to win an election.  

The road commission sent all political candidates running for office an email stating that road easements on corners of roads are not for business and political signs to remove them.  If you didn't they would.  Randy Bishop never did as well as the signs with him running in which they say the Antrim County Republican Party supports them.  The road commission took them down.  Someone put them all back up. Grass mowing has started and they were taken down again.  They are putting them back up.  Look around you.  The easements are for MDOT and Road Commission for their signs on highways.  Victoria Bishop and others in their group including Ramon Scola are under signs at intersections and in the easements.  How much money is it costing the taxpayers to have the road commission take these signs down when they were told it is not for political signs?  They say they are conservative but then complain about their taxes being raised but they are the ones that are causing your taxes period.   Are they better than everyone else?  Next time you drive around look where their signs are.  Especially Victoria Bishop for County Clerk.  I know of two times now that I have seen the Road Commission take the signs down.  Who is not honest or moral?  

The big push right now if for this group of "true Republicans" to knock on your door if you have a Board of Commissoner sign in your yard and try to convince you that the County is not transparent and the board has raised your taxes and it is broke.  If you are not home, they leave one or more of their signs in your yard.  Don't be fooled by their disinformation.  Who would do something of this caliber?  A conservative Christian?  They profess that they are.  Read the information.  What are they going to do if they get into office?  Get rid of taxes?  How are services going to continue?  

 

Board of Commissioners supported spending $4 million in Covid relief funds on a County Building facelift instead of your county road repairs.

The $4.5 million ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) was federal money given to Counties, Townships, and Villages.  A master facility plan in 2018 listed all the County facilities owned and the millions of dollars needed for the specific repairs.  This information was put into a ten year Capital Improvement Plan which is being followed by the County Board when making improvement decisions implemented into the yearly budget.   

Years ago, an engineering firm was hired to perform an inspection and review of the panels on the County governmental building.  The inspection revealed visible detachment from the stairwells, and misaligned and failed joints throughout.  Additionally, the inspection identified horizontal cracks and significant moisture intrusion.  The engineering report raised concerns regarding the exterior panels and advised replacement or resealing and reinforcement as a stop gap.  In both cases, the interior portions of the exterior walls would also need to be removed and replaced.  The Board reviewed multiple proposals and in August 2022, voted to use the ARPA funds to address these issues. 

Previously, the exterior walls consisted of concrete panels, a half-inch of styrofoam, furring strips, and dry wall panels without any additional insulation.  The exterior now consists of insulated metal panels or brick followed by a vapor barrier, multiple layers of insulation, cold form framing and drywall.  The insulated metal panels were chosen by the architects as a cost saving measure because a full brick exterior like the board suggested costed over an additional $1 million dollars which would have been more than the ARPA funds received and the Board wanted to stay within the limit of funds received. The windows were  also updated and instead of five entrances there is now one for the public entrance for security.  Some service offices have also been updated and moved for better access for the public on the first floor.  Administration departments were moved into one area for better efficiency.  The final project dedicated with a ribbon cutting and flag raising during a public open house was held on June 20, 2024 and this project was completed under budget!

The County Road Commission has a separate appointed three person citizen board who is responsible to make decisions on roads, staffing, etc. with a separate budget than the County and is audited by a completely different auditing firm.

 

Board of Commissioners are not transparent

Antrim County records every Board of Commissioner board meeting and puts it on the County website for viewing later.  The meetings are live on Antrim County facebook page.  Minutes, board packets and agendas are all on the County website. 

I put my County reports to the local townships which includes approved motions and votes as well as things going on in the County such as bulletins, newsletters, and County plans on my website for many years.  I have been accessible to reach via phone, text, etc. as well as transparent on all issues.  If I tell you I am not going to vote for something I don't.  I do my research, ask questions and have information to back up my decisions.

Go to the antrimcountygop.org website and see if their minutes are on their website.  None. Is that transparent?  They have a secretary that takes the minutes so why not let people know what your meetings are about?  You talk about transparency but are not.

 

 

The board supported a 30 year property tax break for a downstate developer costing you $$$$.

It was said the board approved of a 30 year tax abatement for a downstate developer and the Board should have found someone local to develop housing.  An approved tax abatement allows one not to pay taxes.  A tax abatement can vary from commercial, industrial, most recently a residential and others.  The tools most used are Commercial Rehabilitation, Commercial Redevelopment and Industrial Facilities Exemption.  Each have their own qualifications but the range for length of abated taxes of all three of these particular acts are MINIMUM 1 year to 12 years the MAX.  It does not allow 30 years.

Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is a funding tool that can help cover the additional costs associated with redeveloping a brownfield property and now a housing development project which was used for this downstate developer who summered in Bellaire.  He chose the resource tool (TIF) he wanted to use to develop the property.  This is when an approved project generates NEW TAX REVENUE, those NEW TAXES can be captured by a local brownfield redevelopment authority (BRA) and given back to the developer to reimburse them for the eligible costs associated with redeveloping the property.  The plan may capture those increased only taxes for up to 30 years.  It all depends on the project and the development plan that was agreed upon between the developer and the governmental entities involved in the project. This is the tool the Bellaire Lofts project which will invest $17 million into the area the developer used that the Village of Bellaire, Forest Home Twp., County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and County Board approved in that order.  The County master plan states the County Board will support local municipality housing projects.  Any developer can do housing in the County through the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority to make a brownfield property into a project that will help to improve the property site.  The County does not look for a developer nor does it pick and choose who can and who can't use the TIF tool.  When the County approves of the project, it will then go to the Michigan State Housing Development Authority for approval or denial.  If approved, the project can be started.  All this planning and paperwork has to be put into place which is a financial cost up front to the developer before having all the governmental agencies approving it before the work will be considered for approval by the state.  If denied, the developer is out of the money and time that was put into the project up to this point.  The County required a $10,000 upfront cost to the developer before the project was considered due to having the County hiring to pay a Brownfield Consultant to represent the County on development and working plan agreements which were the estimated costs upfront.  This was a project that was months before it came to the County Brownfield Development Authority.  It takes much time to make a project with this resource tool to make it happen.  It will require having to file annual reimbursement paperwork to the state after the work is completed if in the TIF plan.  The Republican Party said the county was rushing the project through.  Keep in mind it needed to go through the Village, the township, Brownfield Authority before it came to the County board in September.  HERE are the facts for the timeline of the County Board.  You decide.

September 21, 2023--The County accepted an agreement between the County and Mac Consulting asking the developer for a $10,000 upfront cost to pay for consultant.  All 5 Commissioners voted yes to accept an agreement.  

October 5, 2023- Representative from developer's brownfield consultant addressed board of Commissioners on Brownfield overview and a proposal to construct workforce housing in the village of Bellaire.  No vote was taken as it was just informational.

October 19, 2023- No vote on the project.

November 2, 2023-No vote on the project.

November 16, 2023-No vote on the project.

December 7, 2023-Resolution to approve the Brownfield plan for Bellaire Lofts after all entities approved of this project. This County board meeting was the deadline for approval to go to the Michigan State Housing Development Authority if wanted to approve project.  The vote was 4 to 1 with Commissioner Jarris Rubingh voting no against the housing project. The Antrim County Republican Party minutes are attached below here from their November 21, 2023 meeting that I received from a member of the Republican party.  It says they motioned to hire "get their vote" to contact residents via text messages and emails for $1,200.  Why so many people attended the County board meeting because they were misinformed about the project.  I was a person who received a text message stating that the board was giving a 30 year tax abatement to a developer from downstate giving your tax dollars away and it will raise your taxes.  Watch the December meeting which is on the County's website.