“Believe me, it is a great truth, that there never was, for any long time, a corrupt representative of a virtuous people, or a mean, sluggish, careless people that ever had a good government of any form. If it be true in any degree, that governors form the people, I am certain that the people in their turn impart their characters to their rulers.” – Edmund Burke

Enough is enough.
Just as former President Richard Nixon knew when it was time to exit stage right, the time has come for Steve Allen to resign from the Oxford Village Council.
The only difference is this time the tapes were played and there was no 18-minute gap.
At last week’s OPFEC meeting, a whole litany of false statements uttered by Allen at the July 17 OPFEC meeting and in a July 14 e-mail to the Clawson City Council were exposed before the public and television camera.
Please see page 4 for the story.
It appears Allen was not truthful in his answer when a resident asked him during a public meeting why he sent the July 14 e-mail to the Clawson City Council.
It appears Allen was not truthful to the Clawson City Council when he told them Oxford Township’s contract with the Oakland County Sheriff costs more than what was spent on the now-defunct joint Oxford Police Department, which was dissolved in January 2000.
It appears Allen was not truthful when, in a public meeting, he said township Supervisor Bill Dunn praised the sheriff’s department at the July 1 Clawson City Council meeting.
It appears Allen was not truthful when he listed a number of police-related activities he said sheriff’s deputies perform at the Oxford Village Police station.
Allen had more than ample opportunity to publicly explain his statements, but chose not to. He chose not to comment at the Aug. 20 OPFEC meeting.
He chose not to comment when I e-mailed him follow-up questions on Aug. 21.
He chose not to comment when I asked him in person on Aug. 23 to explain his statements on the record.
I’m sure when all’s said and done Allen will concoct some lame excuse to try to explain things (i.e. cover his tracks).
I can hear him now – “They set me up! It was all a conspiracy! They’re out to get me! The media, the Oakland County Sheriff and Clawson’s city council ganged up on me and used a mind control device to force me to say those things! Yeah, that’s the ticket! That’s the ticket!”
Allen’s apparent inability to distinguish between fact and fiction is a definite pattern that’s severely damaging the village council’s credibility and hurting the community of Oxford.
As a village resident, I’m appalled and utterly disgusted that this man is considered my representative.
Unfortunately, whether village residents like it or not, he’s a reflection on them – and what a poor reflection he is.
When Allen makes one or two or 10 false statements in public, it makes him look bad, residents look bad, the village council and administration look bad and Oxford look bad.
It only takes one man’s behavior to tarnish an entire community’s reputation – just ask Gary Ford.
Allen is a loose canon who must not be allowed to continue blasting the council’s credibility and Oxford’s reputation to pieces.
I sincerely hope the rest of the village council realizes what a HUGE liability Allen’s mouth and e-mails are to them.
When Allen signs a letter or e-mail “Oxford Village President” or speaks in public as the Oxford Village President and what he says is later proved false, it decreases public confidence and trust in the entire council.
As president, Allen represents the council and frequently serves as its spokesman.Being elected village president publicly implies Allen possesses a high degree of trust, confidence and respect from his fellow council members who put him in that position.
What does it say about the rest of the council that they unanimously elected a man like this as their president? Twice?!
If council chooses to stand by Allen and his false statements this time, they are either fools or accomplices or both.
Council must realize by now that building their public image – their reputations as both officials and people – on Allen’s statements is like trying to construct a skyscraper on quicksand.
It’s time for council to politely ask for – or demand – Allen’s resignation.
Or I would hope Allen will take the high road and resign on his own.
Either way, it’s time to board the helicopter and leave for the good of the presidency Mr. Allen.
LATE-BREAKING NOTE: At last night’s council meeting, Allen did publicly apologize for his statement about Dunn praising the OCSD at the Clawson meeting. However, he’s still offered no public explanations or apologies for the rest of his false statements.
Allen owes more to both the residents of Oxford and the Clawson City Council. Apologizing for only one statement is akin to placing a Band-Aid over a gushing artery.