By Barb Pert Templeton
The bi-weekly meetings of the Algonac City Council have been on the lengthy side over the last few months with some going on for as long as two hours. In some cases, public comments and council member comments prompt more robust or lengthy gatherings and the recent May 19 meeting, which lasted 90 minutes, was no exception.
Here are some highlights:
Resident poses foul language question to Skarbek
During public comments Algonac resident Sandra Simmons directed a specific question to Councilman Jake Skarbek. She said he has made statements to her multiple times on her posts on social media and wanted to question him about a particularly harsh one, although she doesn’t use foul language herself.
“On my posts, yes I’m calling out my elected officials, I’m allowed to have questions and have concerns and issues but my question to you is if you would like to tell me to f*** off to my face, you may it’s freedom of speech,” Simmons said.
“I do respect this board, I wouldn’t do that but outside I would again,” Skarbek replied.
“Okay, that’s great, I’m glad to hear it, I would never use that type of langue in this room or on social media,” Simmons replied.
Tesch warns EDA lacks transparency
Speaking during public comments, Algonac resident Eileen Tesch said she knew that the council was considering rejoining and becoming a member of the Economic Development Alliance (EDA) of St. Clair County.
Actually, a majority of the council, in a 5 to 2 vote, approved rejoining the EDA following a presentation at a May 5 meeting by EDA CEO Dan Casey. Mayor Pro Tem Dawn Davey and Councilman Michael Bembas voted against the renewal, which will cost the city $2,025 in membership fees annually.
Tesch said she wanted to remind the council that The St. Clair County Commissioners defunded the EDA last year. She said they had been paying $310,000 annually in taxpayer funding for development and other resources that the EDA “allegedly” provides.
Algonac resident Eileen Tesch addresses the Algonac City Council during public comments at a May 19 meeting.
She said County Commissioner Steve Simasko found out that the EDA is a private investment firm, it is not subject to FOIA and it has no accountability.
“The lack of transparency and the lack of accountability is exactly why the commissioners voted to defund it,” Tesch said. “It also came to light, because people showed up and spoke out loudly – there was one development on King Road that the EDA was partnering with a company to build a data center next to an elementary school and a church, and they did it under secrecy
because state policy (according to Casey) prevents them from disclosing the details of these projects.”
Lions thank the council for support
Andy Goulet with the Algonac Lions Club took time during public comments to thank the city for its past and current involvement in the annual Pickerel Tournament. “This is the 88th time we’re going to be doing this and granting our special permit and helping us figuring out how to make things safe and run correctly as they are supposed to,” Goulet said. He also thanked Algonac City Manager Artie Bryson, the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department and the city’s DPW and fire departments too. “The Pickerel Tournament helps us raise a lot of money and we give it away, we don’t keep it,” Goulet said, listing scholarships and local sports teams are recipients of there generosity.
Davey pleased about small town summit
Mayor Pro Tem Dawn Davey went to the St. Clair Community Foundation’s Rural and Small Towns Summit’ on May 20. During her council comments she stated that it was really cool.
“The best thing that I can say is to see this many communities in the county that all want to work together for the greater good, it was impressive,” Davey said. “I really enjoyed it.”
She said there was talk of having a collaboration with communities in the county to just get together every once in a while, and share ideas.
“It was very cool, thank you very much, I had fun,” Davey added
