Labor Day falls on the first Monday of September.  Therefore, the Executive Committee decided to cancel the September General Meeting.  Lee Chatfield will speak on Natural Law at our October 5th meeting.  This is a subject that is being discussed at conferences across our Nation to help all of us better understand how our Country was formed and how we can get back on track.  So put October 5th at 7:00 pm on your calendar! 

At the same time, join us next Monday the 17th at Maple River Restaurant for our Luncheon/Speaker meeting with Lee.  He's going to give an update on the activities of the State Legislature.  Click on the link below to reserve your seat.  Our last luncheon will be September 21st with Kathleen Berden, Michigan's National Committee Woman. 

Find out what the National Party is planning! 

If you thought the Emmet County Republican Party was irrelevant, think again.  Our Election's Committee took on as their goal the issues surrounding the Emmet County Commissioners: to get to know  the current Commissioners, to better understand their responsibilities, to possibly find and train candidates to run in 2016.  I applaud their dedication.  Taking on this local issue is going to take time and energy and they are willing and able to do it!   Already, their efforts are having an effect.  

As you probably know, Charlie MacInnis has been writing articles trying to get the public to understand the broken system under which the Commissioners are functioning. 

He was our main speaker last Monday, the 3rd.  To our surprise, three other Commissioners attended 
(Chairman Jim Tamlyn, Shawn Wonnacott and Larry Cassidy.)  Charlie and I were very grateful that they came because some of our members were concerned that we were hearing only one side of the issue.  The issue being the EMS buildings and the Dark Sky project funded by the $15,000,000 bond that had little input from the public. 

Charlie's presentation centered on the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA)  responses to his requests for documents: contracts, Board approvals, scope of projects, specifications, project budgets, etc.   The responses were that 21 of the 38 requests were "no document exists." 

Jim Tamlyn was asked by one of our members, "Was there a contract, scope of project, specifications, and budget for the M-119 building?"   Jim's answer was, "No."  Jim further revealed that they only had an artist's rendering (drawing) of what the building would look like.  Jim Tamlyn was given as much time as he wanted, to present his "side."  He simply talked about how financially responsible the Commission has been in the past.  Not one of the Commissioners in attendance refuted any of Charlie's statements or findings.    

As incredible as it sounds, what Charlie has been saying is true.  You may not like it when officials who have volunteered to serve the community are publically criticized but when they will not co-operate with their own Commissioner who tried to get answers and was shut out and who tried to get the other Commissioners to recognize the problem and fix it and they refused, what should he do?  Be quiet and let the problem get worse?  That's the way Washington DC operates but not Emmet County!  

There are still two other buildings to be built.  One is in Petoskey and the other is in Mackinaw City.    Should Charlie have just kept quiet and allowed another over run of hundreds of thousands of tax payer dollars go to waste?   

I for one am very grateful to Charlie for taking the personal criticism for the good of the community.   Very few people will stand for what is right for fear they'll be personally attacked or they'll embarrass their "friends in office."    

No one is saying that any of the Commissioners are criminals or "bad" people!  We ARE, however, saying they aren't doing their job in overseeing how our money is being spent.  

Our Emmet County Republican Party will stand and support anyone, including the current Commissioners, who will act in a fiscally conservative, responsible manner.    

If you are interested in serving on the Elections Committee or in running for County Commissioner, please contact me at [email protected].