Troy City Council Member to Residents: 'Vote Yes to Recall Mayor Janice Daniels'

Just days before the Nov. 6 general election, Councilman Jim Campbell is urging residents to "Vote 'Yes' to recall Mayor Janice Daniels."

“At this point in the game, she should know what she should and shouldn’t do," said Campbell, who noted the turning point for him in deciding to write an open letter to Troy residents was the mayor's recent argument with Troy Distinguished Citizen Mary Kerwin as she presented Kerwin with a proclamation.

“That was the final straw," Campbell said. "She’s done so many things, it’s become literally ridiculous. It’s an insult to the City of Troy.”

Mayor Pro Tem Maureen McGinnis agreed with Campbell that the incident between Daniels and Kerwin was unacceptable.

"I was also very disheartened to see how the Mayor handled the proclamation for the 2012 Troy Distinguished Citizen Award, especially given the fact that Leadership Troy has nothing to do with political parties and because the award is such a high honor for Mary Kerwin, who has served the community for decades," McGinnis said. "Unfortunately, the Mayor has not been able to establish what it actually was that she read that gave her some indication the award was tied to a political party, leaving many with the impression that her comments were meant to diminish the award or the recipient, neither of which is acceptable."

McGinnis added that negative publicity generated by the incident "impacts the amount of time and energy that we are able to spend on developing policy that will improve life for our residents and businesses."

Councilman Dane Slater also agreed the incident between Daniels and Kerwin was embarrassing for the City of Troy, though he said it is just one of many things the mayor has done to damage the city's reputation.

"That was the icing on the cake for a very disappointing and disastrous year under the reign of Janice Daniels," Slater said. "It’s not any one thing – it’s been a culmination of a year of many disasters that just needs to come to an end."

Slater said that, while he was also disappointed and embarrassed by the way Daniels treated Kerwin during the Oct. 22 Troy City Council Meeting, he is also deeply concerned about how Daniels' ideology is impacting the citizens of Troy.

"She proved to me and to everybody else that her ideology was more important than the citizens of Troy when she voted against a resolution to protect the citizens of Troy from overrun costs of the transit center," Slater said. "That resolution had nothing to do with the transit center – it had to do with hiring a manager to make sure the costs did not exceed what we had put as a limit, and that the firm would be responsible for anything above that.

"In essence, she voted against protecting the citizens of Troy ... just to say that she voted against everything about the transit center. To me, that was the final proof that she has more concerns about her ideology than protecting the residents of Troy.”

Other council members believe Daniels should be allowed to finish her term. During recent Troy City Council meetings, Councilman Dave Henderson has spoken in support of Mayor Daniels and continues to support her.

"The people voted her in a year ago, and it’s not my responsibility to carry a banner that’s going to undo what the people want," Henderson said. "The people wanted someone who was going to come in and watch the budget, watch the transit center, and that’s what she ran on and what she was elected to do."

Henderson added that being a politician "is not an easy thing to do," and admitted Daniels' first year has been less than perfect.

“If you get bombarded with the press the way she’s been bombarded with the press, it’s awful tough to handle that," Henderson said. "I’m willing to give her the benefit of the doubt and give her the learning curve too.”

He added: "Whatever the people want, the people get. That’s what democracy is about."

Campbell addresses Troy residents

In Councilman Campbell's open letter to Troy residents, he writes:

To my fellow Troy residents,

I am very proud to have been elected to serve you as a city of Troy councilman. Unfortunately, I am not so proud of some of the issues and controversies that have surfaced since the election involving Mayor Daniels.

On day one, Mayor Daniels decided to revise the traditional oath of office that Councilman Henderson, Councilman Tietz, and I took along with her. She took it upon herself to eliminate any reference to the Troy city charter without ever discussing the oath revision with any of us. I saw this as rather strange behavior on her part. Just for the record I went back to the city clerk the next day and formally retook my oath in the traditional manner.

Little did I know that this event would be only the beginning of a rather long string of bizarre and unacceptable behaviors that would be brought forth by Mayor Daniels. I don’t think it is necessary to go through the laundry list of the events of the past year, suffice to say that none of her tirades, accusations or unprofessional behaviors has done anything to promote the city of Troy in a positive light!

The council has spent far too much time attempting to control her actions both in the public view as well as behind closed doors. The focus of the council and the city management has been diverted from doing the business of the city for too long.

It is also very important to clearly understand that the statements, opinions and attitudes that have been stated by Mayor Daniels are hers and hers alone. She does not speak for Mayor Pro Tem McGinnis, Councilman Slater, or me.

Mayor Daniel’s recent performance presenting the Troy Distinguished Citizen Award to Mary Kerwin proved to be the last straw for me. Again, I am sure everyone is well aware of the disrespectful manners shown by Mayor Daniels, just another sign of her lack of capability, professionalism and ideology.

I personally want to apologize to Mary Kerwin and Leadership Troy for the appalling and unnecessary treatment that was thrust on you by our Mayor.

Now the day of reckoning is drawing near for our mayor. The recall ballot provides a clear picture of the reasons for the recall. Each of the items on the ballot can be verified with public information. Unfortunately, the mayor’s ballot rebuttal is full of distortions written to show her as the “Victim”. Rest assured she is no victim!

Just to add a little more drama to the situation, now the Michigan Tea Party is planning on supporting Mayor Daniels against the recall effort. Interesting that the person who is running her “NO Recall” campaign is from Alpena not Troy? This is also true for many of her other supporters and cash donors. In the meantime our mayor is making personal appearances at homes and business that display the “Vote Yes Recall” signs. Her mission is to try to have them take the signs down. Could this be considered intimidation?

It’s rumored that the Tea Party supporters will have a strong presence at the polling locations in Troy. Gee, what a surprise!

Apparently the tradition of having a non-partisan election in Troy is another thing of the past?

November 6, 2012 is not only a critical day for the country; it is also a crucial day for us in Troy. Are we going to turn our heads from the unpleasantness and obnoxious behavior of an elected official who has tarnished our city in so many different ways? Or are we going to stand up and say that we the people of Troy demand and deserve better?

If you are proud of the city you live in and believe in our motto: “Troy-The City of Tomorrow Today” then you choice is clear: Vote “Yes” to Recall Mayor Janice Daniels.

Exercise your right to vote!

Sincerely:
James Campbell
Troy City Councilman & Troy Resident

“I think she sees herself as a politician, as moving up in the world, and I think she’s propped up by other people who are doing her an injustice by supporting her," Campbell added. "She’s a council member – she’s not a dictator. ... She does not represent the best interests of the City of Troy."

Calls from Patch to Janice Daniels seeking comment on Campbell's letter were not returned Thursday afternoon.

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Daniels took office in November of 2011 and first came under fire in December for her anti-gay Facebook comment. She has remained the center of controversy after voting against the Troy Transit Center (a scaled-down version was later approved), telling the Troy High School Gay-Straight Alliance she would bring in an expert to tell them  comparing the dangers of homosexuality to the dangers of smoking cigarettes on a radio show, and writing a lengthy position paper some viewed as personally attacking city employees and council members.

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