Randy, it was the same old gang as always making trouble there today -- all the people who are furious that Janice Daniels was recalled. Talk about the fix being in! They had their boys Fleming and Henderson call the meeting after they asked the SoS to send out a response. The same Secretary of States office that refused to act when Howrylak and the TCU put 3 fake library proposals on our ballot 2 years ago! So they get the response from SOS they want, send out press releases to alert the media that janice Daniels was unfairly recalled, and have Fleming put up a resolution that we ask the Attorney General to make a binding decision for us in a phone call (huh?). And nobody bothered to suggest that at least the resolution say we ask for an opinion rather than a binding one? What a bunch of nonsense and a waste of everyone's time!

Sharon, (and Randy). I was happy with the direction we were headed. It was a coin flip for me who took over the Mayors spot, but I was confident it had to be one of the three whos terms expired already this coming November, and I was also an advocate that I wanted a commitment from whoever it was to not use the position as a springboard for a fall run for some office. If you win an election to springboard for Mayor, you deserve the leg up, but not by appointment. The way it turned out with Mr. Slater at the helm was the best outcome assuming we know the political aspirations of the three. I spent a lot of time with the city attorney in the summer making sure we were ready as a group to know how to handle a recall regrouping. I was comfortable with her interpretation, and ready willing and able, as was demonstrated at the last meeting to carry out the process.

Everything changed when the state indicated we were proceeding illegally. As I stated yesterday, I've spent a career without being named personally in a lawsuit, and I fully intend on continuing that streak. I am on record as being willing to comply with the law (whatever that ends up being). That is monumentally important when you are facing a judge in a legal battle. This may never get that far, it might end up there Tuesday. None of us know.

As for who or what prompted the letter from the SoS. That means little to me, but here are some facts.

The township of Tekonshas process was ignored by the state where ours wasn't. Tekonsha = population 700 in a town almost in Indiana without major newspaper or t.v. coverage. Troy = population 80,000 + in the heart of Oakland County with the microscope of the major press on us for the past year. Until we broke the law, there was no need for the state to call us. We broke the law on Nov. 12, the city attorney received a letter on Nov. 16, and the letter indicated there had been previous conversations between the two of them. So less than 4 days from an illegal activity but more than one day. None of that is a surprise to me except for the part that we didn't know we were proceeding illegally according to the state.

Dave I would suggest the source means little to you because you don't understand that the people who held a press conference outside "in support" of you are the ones behind this mess, that they orchestrated it from the start and that you DON'T WANT TO KNOW that you are merely a pawn in their extremely cynical board game that is Troy. The fact that you did not HOWL over the idea that we would let the Atty Gen submit a binding opinion -- something that is probably illegal and unconstitutional -- tells me you are in on the fix or that you don't know what you are doing. Civility, I'm afraid to say, is not as important as integrity and competence -- afterall, that's your own excuse for being uncivil to previous council... right?

Aleck, can I call you Aleck? I've heard that lapdog comment a few times this week. I have a great deal of respect for the city attorney. I have appreciated her guidance on many legal issues we've faced this year. I also happen to know there is a legal team behind the SoS's office, and I also appreciate their breadth of knowledge regarding election law. It is foolish for us to not pursue at a minimum a third opinion, and the A/G seemed to me to be a pretty good idea. For now, we have to wait and watch. I'm hopeful this was all just a bluff, and we carry on our business as we began it last week. If not, I feel confident the law will look favorably on me as I tried to comply to the best of my ability.

Sharon, i don't know who instigated the prying into our affairs, or when. I have my suspicions as do you... but I also don't discount the potential that the SoS was watching us carefully, and didn't act until we went out of lockstep with the state law. We haven't been exactly invisible to the state the last year, and the city attorney admitted the other day she never consulted with anyone higher than the county.

So now we wait...

Councilman Henderson...oppps! Did you forget all about those quotes you made since the last 2 years? I'm sure, they were all taken out of context, right?

And that's...'the most civil guy we'll ever meet'? (cough, cough)

Also, I agree that Councilman Henderson has had quite a change of heart regarding 'recalls.' Amazing...

Let me cut and paste a paragraph from the blog above "I admit some of my criticism early on was tough on previous management and councils. I tried to maintain civility, but I also have a sharp tongue and odd sense of humor at times... things in writing seldom appear in the same context or thought pattern that they are written, and often are interpreted differently by folks that read them. Sarcasm is my friend and I've never been afraid to use it to make a point. It's a curse and a friend at times."

Mea Culpa. The qoutes (some I remember and some I'm not sure are actually mine, but I'll accept them all because I was a mouth piece for a very large group of tax fighters), were certainly from a point in time where the citizens of Troy (me being one of them) were being ignored by council and management. They were made at a time when many including myself were on the brink of losing their homes, and trying to deal with yet another entity trying to get into our pockets by way of a large tax increase. My decision was to continue fighting instead of giving in to creditors including the City of Troy.

Cont'd.

Ha ha Patch... I forgot about the tolstoy comment when you exceed the word limit :0)

What my point was, it is easy to sit behind a computer and bang away a few snarling bits... what you won't find from me is a time in front of a microphone, t.v. camera, or face to face where I've said some of the things I've knocked out on a keyboard. That goes for all of us.

What has escalated in the last year is a willingness by some to stand in front of a camera with a willing press to shoot all of our ugliness. And as far as my ox being gored ( a quote somewhere in these comments). I don't have any livestock in this ever escalating wierdness we call Troy Politics. I ran for me and me alone. I have been learning much about government, games and policy. Running for office does change your perspective. I knew that coming into this, and it was a big deciding factor when I actually turned my petitions in. I recommend it for all.

Who are you trying to kid Dave. Everyone of those quotes are yours. You posted them. Your picture was next to every one. Each and every quote is still on the TCU page and if they somehow disappear I can forward you snapshots of them.

Tom, I think that's a question better posed to Mr. Henderson since he's enjoyed playing both sides of this particular field. Nasty as the best of em when it didn't cost him anything, then pleads for civility when his ox gets gored. Not surprising, just a tad hypocritical. Then again, I never expected anything less from Dave "Close the library and buy everybody a Kindle" Henderson.

Personally, I find it very easy to refrain from calling people "idiots" and "sheeple" on Facebook. Don't you?

Glenn, that you (collectively) keep digging up the kindle remark cracks me up. That was a comment made when the city told us they needed $ 9/million a year in extra taxes to save the library, when in fact the budget and subsequent tax increase they finally landed on and the people approved was about a third of that. Thank goodness someone fought the tax battle even if they had to use story problems to illustrate the enormity of the tax hike in 2010. But you can tell everyone I wanted to close the library and buy everyone a kindle if you want to and ignore my true point.

Dave, re your Kindle remark. It looks like you are confusing your own past misleading statements. Isn't the $9 million you are talking about the same money that Janice Daniels claimed could come from the money the city was going to pay for the transit center and should be diverted to the library? Of course, it was federal money, so that was never true. You repeated that "incorrect assertion" right up until Aug the year we tried to pass Proposal 1, which would have given us a 7-day library for 10 years. But no. YOU AND JANICE KILLED OUR 7-DAY LIBRARY hopes by not telling the truth about that $9 million and yes, like Marie Antoinette you said, let them buy Kindles! Well, I was in financial trouble too, at the time, and that comment was a slap in the face!!!!!!

Give or take a couple bucks, the 1.9 millage increase was the one that I used for the kindle comment, not the transit center issue.

You're trying to revise history again Councilman Henderson. In response to a TCU post regarding the candgnews.com article "Four Library Millage Proposals Will Be On the November Ballot" this is what you wrote:

"I'm waiting on responses from council to explain how the new library needs $ 4 million a year instead of the current $ 2 million budget. I have a loose laymans explanation from another citizen but an extra $ 2 million a year deserves much more than that. $4 million next year could purchase 23,529 kindles for troy residents in 2011. A kindle has over a million books stored.There are slightly over 30,000 households in Troy. The first year budget could provide way more reading material in residents hands if the city bought every home a Kindle, than a bricks and mortar library can contain. Times are changing, and city and federal governments need to change with them. I think if Troy closed the library and bought electronic media for everyone, the entire country would read about how progressive we were as a community. Now that's enticing people to move here." Facebook Dave Henderson Sept. 24th, 2010.

There was never any mention of this mythical $9 million anywhere in that thread. I'm also failing to see any sarcasm in that post. It seems like you truly thought this would be a good solution. After all you are a self professed "out of the box thinker."

Oh and here's another one where Facebook Dave doubles down on the Kindle idea and exposes his ignorance on how public libraries are allowed to operate by law.

Not sure about the kindle cost for books, but at $ 4 million a year for 10 years... the city could supply a lot of electronic books to every household even after the initial purchase of the gadget the first year. I'm all for the pay toplay concept as well... Why should I have to pay the same for the library as everyone else when I never go there. Charge all the big users for a library card, and maybe they'd only need $ 1 million a year, or $ 3 million a year. Dave Henderson September 25th, 2010

Thanks for the correction. I've had a lot on my plate the last year, and all the millage attempts do run together for me. The numbers and the timing may not jive with what you have rolodexed so perfectly, but the point remains unchanged

I'm not claiming to be the final word on someone's intentions Tom. But I believe this is a forum for expressing one's opinion. I have done so, just as you have. But that's the beauty of social media. You can get a pretty good idea about somebody's character and intentions by paying attention to what they say. Dave Henderson has said an awful lot over the last few years. Maya Angelou once said, “The first time someone shows you who they are, believe them.” So, in my opinion, Dave is more likely to be who he has shown himself to be, rather than who he now claims to be. But, by all means, feel free to disagree.

Maya Angelou didn't have Facebook to hide behind during a huge tax battle when her elected officials were ignoring the will of the people (as evidenced by two out of three felled increase attempts) :0)

Well Dave, Maya Angelou probably wouldn't have been part of or supported an unethical group that put out misleading/false information about the size of the tax increase or the existence of a mythical slush fund. Also, she most likely wouldn't have authored 3 fake millage proposals to confuse the electorate on the second vote. You chose to place yourself squarely in the company of that crowd. That speaks volumes about your ethics and character and leads me to question your innocence and motivation in this current fiasco.

Glenn you're probably right, but she likely would have been proactive and tried to get to the bottom of things much like I have. I found if you can't rely on the city or outside organizations to be perfectly honest, you need to shut up, run for office and find out for yourself whats going on. It is a work in progress.

"Why? Because the conservative Republicans who win primaries are too radical to support in general elections?"

...yep. That's exactly it.

Dale writes that, "When a young conservative from Alpena tries to help Mayor Daniels, it’s meddling by someone who is barely old enough to vote."

What would Facebook Dave Henderson's response be to Dale's whining about the unfairness of complaining about outsiders being involved in Troy politics? Let's take a look shall we?

"I think its interesting when people without a horse in the race try to interject themselves into our city politics. Maybe her and her degree should butt out. ... Gotta watch out for those hidden foreign agendas." Dave Henderson October 29, 2010

So there you go Dale. Your fiscal conservative hero, Facebook Dave Henderson says outsiders should butt out of Troy politics.

I stand firmly by that statement. I don't like people outside Troy influencing or attempting to influence our politics. I don't care if it was Mayor Daniels supporters or the book burning party. I'm not a big fan of the state of Michigan registering in on our elections either, but they did, and we may be headed for a legal battle.

That resolution was killed before any of us had a chance to make a revision to it. I would have supported removing the binding part of it simply to get a third opinion.

Halftime - so Dave, I did not have the chance to watch or attend, but could you not have offered an Amendment before the vote to remove the binding language?

Irv, Dave is either displaying his ignorance of Robert's Rules or simply being dishonest. I watched the entire meeting. He had plenty of time to offer a revision before the vote was taken. Everyone was given an opportunity to speak on the issue and Mayor Slater asked if anyone else had anything to say before he called for the vote. Henderson sat mute. His actions, or inaction, on this matter continue to speak louder than his words.

Irv, The attorney made mention initially that she didn't like the binding part of this resolution. It became very clear that 3 members were going to vote this down regardless. Unlike Glenn, i have learned to really read my fellow members of council. All had spoken and were in support of the city attorneys opinion and were vehemently against the resolution. This was DOA, why speak up?

Because it might have made it not quite so DOA.

Sharon, I'm not dying for an election. I honestly don't care how we proceed as long as it is legal and doesn't end up in a legal battle.

Why does it have to be a true conservative??? Why can't it be an independent??? An independent that both sides would be willing to work with??? Oh, wait. That makes sense and isn't Dale's way!

Will, you realize this is a blog and all are free to post whether I agree with their positions or not. I'm almost sorry to have spoken up, but the actual topic I began with is a worth while effort, even though some refuse to put differences aside and call that "truce" they were so willing to bring forth after the recall. I'm not playing games here with questioning the opinions of the city attorney or the SoS... I just want someone to make a final determination since there seems to be some question.

Dave,
If you think putting differences aside gives you free reign to continue to be disingenuous...you don't understand the term. What's happening here is not an unwillingness to put differences aside and call a truce. What's happening is that you are not being allowed to continue to make spurious and inaccurate claims without challenge. What's happening is that you are not being allowed to deny your former stances on issues without challenge. What's happening here is that you are being asked to claim your very own words without trying to change the context in which they were initially spoken.

You don't get to spend literally years speaking in a terribly uncivil manner and then preach from the pulpit that we must all play nice and NOT expect a challenge. You are a civil guy in person. You lose that civility from behind the keyboard. And while you seem to think it's ok to insult electronically as long as you don't get up in front of the podium and say it...many of us prefer someone who chooses their words in every forum carefully and then stands by them.

Check me if I'm wrong here CM Henderson, but isn't making a final determination the job of the Troy Council? It my understanding that Council is supposed to take the advice of your advisors, and make that final determination which will hopefully be in the best interest of Troy. Abdicating this responsibility, by putting things in the hands of a state official seems like shirking the responsibility for which Council was elected, which is to act in the best interest of the City of Troy.

Dave, speak up for what you really believe in. Be your own man. To march lockstep with those like Dale... well, like I say, you're sunk.

Glenn, what gives you the right to question why someone was fired from a job? Why don't you handle your own issues?

Dale, he wrote that, "I honestly was fired from a job in my early 20's, and one of the reasons on the release document... "tries to please too many people", and used this as proof that he is, and always was, such a civil guy. In light of his current situation and approximately two years of uncivil comments authored by him, I offered an alternative explanation for the facts that he presented. I seem to recall a local, up and coming, young blogger by the name of Dale Murrish who is constantly claiming that one set of facts can yield two polar opposite, yet equally valid interpretations. A difference of opinion if you will.

By the way, nobody forced a guy with a penchant for throwing rocks from behind a tree to pen an article about how everybody else in town should put down the rocks. If he didn't expect some push-back on this given his history he might be a little too naive for public service.

what a about delinquent tax payer? There is sooooo much more about Gosselin that says he's not a good choice for Troy politics. I should think the self-professed Christians should get on board with that. How MANY commandments has this man broken?

I believe I did answer your question Dale. If you can't discern that from my previous response than I'll try a different approach. I think Mr. Henderson is being disingenuous in his current statements based on his past statements. In addition, I believe that one can draw some conclusions about the cause of his behavior based on some of the information he shared above. I have offered documented evidence to support my position. As an elected official in the City of Troy, Mr. Henderson's public behavior, decisions and conduct is my business/issue.

As far as your position that I should not offer "free psychoanalysis to others" I will refer you back to a previous post of your own. As recently as November 16, 2012 you wrote this about Mayor Slater, "In my opinion, Mayor Slater was minimizing the complaint, while agreeing with it. As a former policeman, he’s probably calloused from hearing people lie."

Hmm, calloused from hearing people lie? Now I don't know about you Dr. Freud, but that last sentence seems suspiciously like free psychoanalysis to me. So maybe you should un-bunch your panties Dale since we both appear to be playing the same game. Better yet I'll make you a deal. If you agree to stop subjecting people to your opinion on the Patch, I will be more than happy to stop subjecting people to mine. If you care to agree to this proposition, I am prepared to throw in front row seats to the parade that Patch readers will undoubtedly throw in my honor.