Correcting More Misinformation
We have been accused of forming a non-profit corporation and hiding behind a corporate identity to disseminate our views. Nothing can be further from the truth.
Fact: The Political Action Committee (PAC) is an independent committee of residents from both St. James Township and Peaine Township who formed themselves as a group of Islanders for open and responsible governments. As the PAC states on their fliers, they were organized under the Laws of the State of Michigan and filed with the County Clerk.
We emphasize here that NONE of the Team Up For Change candidates or their spouses are affiliated with the Political Action Committee.
www.teamupforchange.org
Correcting More Misinformation
Moderator: Gillespie
Sorry for the confusion. I think everyone knows who's in Jack's group. I was asking who's in the political action committee(which,by definition,supports or opposes candidates or proposals). This PAC anonymously published a so-called "fact sheet" which attacks their political opponents. Ironic that this is the same group who are saying "openness and transparency in government".
People who engage in this sort of scorched-earth politics cannot legimately claim to have the communities best interest at heart. Rather,they are interested in raw political power,using their soapbox to attempt to discredit anyone who disagrees with them. Their actions destroy any sense of trust or goodwill,and ultimately undermine their ability to contribute to the community. Without the support of anyone else on Peaine's board, and no one's support on the St. James board, does anyone believe Jack Gallagher & company can accomplish anything if elected?
The directors of the PAC are Ken Taylor, Jeff Powers, Charlie Donaldson, and Jim and Sandra Birdsall.
* Ken Taylor's posts on the forum(including various aliases) fully explain his political views.
*Jim Birdsall is Jack Gallagher's deputy supervisor-a township paid position- and is certainly NOT a disinterested third party in this election.
*Sandra Birdsall,in partnership with Jack, wrote a letter to the state without informing her board of her actions. That board was disbanded by both townships.
It seems this group will do or say anything to get elected;it makes one wonder what they would do if they get elected.
People who engage in this sort of scorched-earth politics cannot legimately claim to have the communities best interest at heart. Rather,they are interested in raw political power,using their soapbox to attempt to discredit anyone who disagrees with them. Their actions destroy any sense of trust or goodwill,and ultimately undermine their ability to contribute to the community. Without the support of anyone else on Peaine's board, and no one's support on the St. James board, does anyone believe Jack Gallagher & company can accomplish anything if elected?
The directors of the PAC are Ken Taylor, Jeff Powers, Charlie Donaldson, and Jim and Sandra Birdsall.
* Ken Taylor's posts on the forum(including various aliases) fully explain his political views.
*Jim Birdsall is Jack Gallagher's deputy supervisor-a township paid position- and is certainly NOT a disinterested third party in this election.
*Sandra Birdsall,in partnership with Jack, wrote a letter to the state without informing her board of her actions. That board was disbanded by both townships.
It seems this group will do or say anything to get elected;it makes one wonder what they would do if they get elected.
mike
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Donegaljim
- Posts: 101
- Joined: Mon Aug 25, 2008 7:45 am
correcting more misinformation
Anyone with a computer and a few minutes can easily find the names of the organizers of the PAC. The issue is not who wrote the Fact Check, the issue is that the facts speak for themselves. Facts have been few and far between on this island, especially from the Airport Commission which you chair.
Jim Birdsall
Jim Birdsall
Jim Birdsall
The PAC is composed of people from all aspects of the political spectrum. What they are united in is the belief that those in public service should conduct their decisions in an open manner, make decisions based on facts and not be swayed by political pressures exerted from a variety of forces. We have seen very sloppy governmental decisions on Beaver Island in recent years that have cost the taxpayers of Beaver Island a tremendous amount of money, hindered the economic development of the island and cost the island jobs.
To this date none of those seeking to be reelected to political office have given any logical explanation to why the taxpayers of this community have suffered from the losses due to situations such as the Sewer repairs conducted in St James Township and the Massive losses that were the responsibility of faulty decisions made by the Beaver Island Airport Commission. In my opinion it appears that those involved on these governmental bodies, do not feel any sense of responsibility or they feel that the political makeup of Beaver Island will allow them to be reelected regardless of their action or inaction.
I can assure you that if we were in a political environment in which a larger number of taxpayers and property owners on Beaver Island voted here, those responsible for these poor governmental decisions would not have a chance at reelection.
Also in my opinion the only politician in the last four years that has listened to all viewpoints, looked at the specific laws and details that are necessary to make proper governmental decisions and operated under what was at times a very unfairly brutal political environment was Peaine Township Supervisor Jack Gallagher. In my opinion even if Mr. Gallagher loses this election, as years go by those that follow him will ultimately come to realize that his attention to detail was a critical factor in the future development of Beaver Island.
These are my opinions.
Jeff Powers
To this date none of those seeking to be reelected to political office have given any logical explanation to why the taxpayers of this community have suffered from the losses due to situations such as the Sewer repairs conducted in St James Township and the Massive losses that were the responsibility of faulty decisions made by the Beaver Island Airport Commission. In my opinion it appears that those involved on these governmental bodies, do not feel any sense of responsibility or they feel that the political makeup of Beaver Island will allow them to be reelected regardless of their action or inaction.
I can assure you that if we were in a political environment in which a larger number of taxpayers and property owners on Beaver Island voted here, those responsible for these poor governmental decisions would not have a chance at reelection.
Also in my opinion the only politician in the last four years that has listened to all viewpoints, looked at the specific laws and details that are necessary to make proper governmental decisions and operated under what was at times a very unfairly brutal political environment was Peaine Township Supervisor Jack Gallagher. In my opinion even if Mr. Gallagher loses this election, as years go by those that follow him will ultimately come to realize that his attention to detail was a critical factor in the future development of Beaver Island.
These are my opinions.
Jeff Powers
Seeing all this bickering, fighting and backstabbing on this forum reinforces why people with the resources and willness to invest on Beaver Island don't do it. Some of you stand on your soap box and proclaim it's your right to hold people accountable. It's your "duty" to help people see the wrongs of others.
A group of us that rent every summer got together the other day for a birthday party. The discussion came around to BI like it does most of the time. I've see this group of 4 families go from "we're going to buy a place on Beaver Isand" to "with all the backstabbing and nastyness on Beaver Island, who wants to get involve with that mess."
We've read this forum long enough, we know who the players are and we know who the trouble makers are. So keep it up...save your world as the rest of us watch it imploded from just off shore.
Kraig
A group of us that rent every summer got together the other day for a birthday party. The discussion came around to BI like it does most of the time. I've see this group of 4 families go from "we're going to buy a place on Beaver Isand" to "with all the backstabbing and nastyness on Beaver Island, who wants to get involve with that mess."
We've read this forum long enough, we know who the players are and we know who the trouble makers are. So keep it up...save your world as the rest of us watch it imploded from just off shore.
Kraig
How do we get people to behave like intelligent adults? That's Nobel Peace Prize work, but the post from Kraig telling us we're shooting ourselves in the foot should be taken to heart. We have to recognize that we have to work together or we'll be left with a ghost town instead of the paradise we love. The goal for all of the boards, townships, airport, health center, EMS, airport, transfer station, library, wildlife club, everyone as residents and tax payers has to be the greater good for the island as a whole and to rise above petty conflicts and do what's right. We need island wide cell phone service. Our township boards need to work together and make sure it happens. If they can't, let's get people who can. There's a long list of things to get down. We need to stop arguing and get 'er done.
Brad
Brad
As for cell phone service for what it is worth today I received a contract from AT&T that will give them the rights to upgrade the equipment behind the hardware store to bring th existing service up to 4G standards. As I told AT&T, this will last for the remaining two years left on my lease contract with them but it will not ensure island wide service. It will however provide for upgraded quality of the town service which has been spotty at best.
Hopefully the rest will follow soon and the whole island will have quality service.
Hopefully the rest will follow soon and the whole island will have quality service.