Consensus is it’s never ok to “attack” an employee
By Barb Pert Templeton
A public hearing regarding a special assessment district for fire services in Algonac got a bit heated at a May 19 city council meeting when a resident decided to pull City Clerk Lisa Borgacz’ into the fray.
Resident Sandra Simmons stepped to the microphone to state once again that city officials were not in compliance with the law as a notice of a public hearing on the special assessment district (SAD) for the city’s fire department was in fact not posted prior to an election in 2024. It’s a position Simmons has taken with officials for more than two years now including filing several Freedom of Information requests seeking documents and submitting two recall petitions that were rejected by the St. Clair County Election Commission. Simmons also noted that the Freedom of Information requests she filed seeking copies of the notices were actually returned to her stating no such documents existed.
Algonac resident Sandra Simmons addressed the city council during public comments at a May 19 meeting.
“This investigation has not been concluded, none of you have apologized, no one had admitted to anything except silence and then words against myself,” Simmons said at the recent meeting, adding that the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department was recently notified of a threat against her.
Actually, when Simmons sought a public admission or apology at a June 17, 2025 council meeting, Mayor Pro Tem Dawn Davey clearly stated that she was wrong about the issue and Simmons was correct.
She stated that when she posted things on social media in the fall of 2024, she didn’t realize that Simmons was right and the city was wrong about the public hearing notice.
Davey even said she applauded Simmons diligence on the issue.
“Hopefully I have given you what you asked for, I’ve mentioned it here, you were right and I was wrong,” Davey said at that June meeting last year.
The special assessment district for the Algonac Fire Department was approved by voters in 2024 and one mil was assessed for years one and two and one mil is proposed for this year, which is year three. At one mil the special assessment would cost a homeowner with an average residential home with a $70,400 taxable value, $70.40 a year. Based on all real taxable and personal properties the one mil collected from the special assessment is estimated to be $154,218. The special assessment will be added to the city tax bill as a separate line item.
Source: Algonac City Manager Artie Bryson and Algonac Treasurer Alysia Bugg
During regular public comments at the most recent council meeting, Simmons returned to the microphone to state that Algonac Clerk Lisa Borgacz became the city clerk in Feb. 2021 and she had previously served as the city clerk in Mt. Clemens for 14 years.
“This was leading up to July 5, 2023 when she put her signature on that public hearing notice that was false, she had 17 years of experience,” Simmons said.
During council comments at the end of each meeting officials do just that, comment on whatever’s on their minds and on May 19 most quickly came to the defense of Borgacz.
Council weighs-in on clerk
Councilman Michael Bembas described the clerk as an excellent employee, with a calm demeanor and calm personality.
“She has walked me off the edge a couple times and I have never known her not to do an excellent job,” Bembas said. “I would ask the people out there, if you want to bring comments to any of us that’s fine, we got elected that’s what we signed up for, but leave our employees alone,”
“You got a problem with an employee talk to us directly or talk to Artie directly. But we should never go at an employee, it’s unprofessional, undignified and unnecessary because they are not an elected official,” Bembas said.
“I appreciate you too Lisa, you’ve talked me down and helped me a lot,” Councilman Ed Carter added.
Mayor Pro Tem Davey said members of the council made a decision to serve on the city council and because of that she expects to take some hits but employees shouldn’t.
“You got a problem with an employee talk to us directly or talk to (City Manager Bryson) Artie directly. But we should never go at an employee, it’s unprofessional, undignified and unnecessary because they are not an elected official.”
Algonac Councilman Michael Bembas
“I do not understand what our city’s clerk’s previous employment has to do with anything,” Davey said.
When several people in the audience started making comments and laughing, they were asked to leave.
“Get out, get out,” Councilwoman Cathy Harris said.
“Sheriff’s please close the doors,” Mayor Rocky Gillis added.
Davey went on to say “we don’t get a whole bunch of money for sitting up here” then noted that Borgacz is coming in because it’s her job.
“Lisa is very good at what she does, anyone that comes here who needs some help, she’s there,” Davey continued. “Lisa is very dedicated to her job and very dedicated to the city of Algonac, so like I said I’ll take the hits with the best of them but I will also have something to say for hits for those who don’t deserve them and Lisa didn’t deserve them.”
Harris said she wanted to piggy back on the comments of her fellow council people regarding the clerk.
“Lisa has institution knowledge based on information and beliefs, she has answered questions for us on the spot,” Harris said. “I appreciate all our clerk has done for us and I don’t need her to be attacked either, that’s terrible.”
Councilwoman Wendy Meldrum said she also agreed with the other council members comments and the compliments and work ethic of the city clerk.
“It was really truly uncalled for, for Ms. Simmons to basically talk to our employees that way,” Meldrum said.
Gillis agreed that city employees don’t deserve to be attacked.
“This same person attacks our fire department on Facebook and these are the same guys that work countless hours to make sure our town is safe, our first responders our fire and our police work tirelessly,” Gillis said.
“Lisa works very hard too,” Gillis added.
Simmons previously told council members that legally she can return to the city council meetings until March 9, 2029 to discuss the issue.
