Reader calls for city attorney to be sacked

Dear Editor,
Let’s make the November election of local city council members about who is going to represent the people instead of blindly following bad advice and directives from the city attorney and other so called “experts” who have repeatedly been found wrong.
The city attorney admits he has given the city council bad information. He has directed the city clerk to take actions violating City Charter and state law.
He routinely acts without seeking any direction from or consulting with the city council. The city is and has been involved in multiple law suits and lost all except one where the city attorney is paid with our tax dollars to keep information from the city council and public at his sole discretion. None of this is acceptable.
Does the city have a charter, ordinances and resolutions that should be followed or as the city attorney suggests, do they not matter because there are no repercussions to anyone when they are ignored, except the public and democratic principles when the rules are ignored?
It is troubling that the council and administration routinely follow this bad advice and hearsay. This needs to be addressed at the next election.
Until then, the source of the bad advice must be removed. We then need to vote for those candidates who can think for themselves, question what they are told and represent us, not those who blindly follow the so-called experts who knowingly withhold the truth and act independently of those they are supposed to serve.
Cory Johnston
Clarkston

What has changed about road millage, reader asks

Dear Editor,
In 2015 Pat Kittle mentioned a road millage a couple of times. In the Aug. 12, 2015, Township Times he said the biggest concern from residents was to make sure the township does not get “stiffed” on future road appropriations if we repave our own roads with a local millage (“Road Millage Update – The frustration continues”).
He met with the Road Commission for Oakland County director and was told, “if we repair the primary roads with our own millage, there will no longer be a need and the funds that would have been used for our roads, would instead go towards primary roads in other communities.”
He said “if we go ahead now with a local road millage, we will definitely shoot-ourselves-in-the-foot with future road repair funding.”
And, “this office cannot, in good conscience, ask residents to pay for a service that is clearly the responsibility of the RCOC and then get short-changed on future road appropriations funds.”
In the Jan. 13, 2016, Township Times, Kittle said, “the proposed local road millage to repair/repave Independence roads is all but dead” (2015: A Year In Review”).
In the Aug. 8, 2018, Township Times, there is now going to be a millage proposal on the November ballot (“I hate potholes!”). So have things changed with the RCOC or will we get “stiffed” in the end?
Marsha Eagleton
Independence Township