Shores council, residents squabble
over recall, state investigation
Grosse Pointe Shores Mayor James Cooper might be a little tentative next time he asks the public’s opinion at the next City Council meeting.
Roughly 20 residents took the microphone Tuesday (Oct. 20) in a rough-and-tumble two hours – most of which concerned a recall effort aimed at Cooper and four council members, and which swiftly became loud and emotional.
“Shame on you,” resident Rose Thornton yelled to anyone who “instigated the effort” for a recall petition. After slamming her hands down on the lectern, she said it was “obvious that there is a juvenile effort underway” to undermine the voters’ choices for council.
The recall claims, according to the official petition language, that five councilmembers “voted at the regular council meeting on June 16, 2009, to increase the tax rate on real estate within the city for the 2009-2010 fiscal year.”
“It’s a disappointment that our well-run local government which provides outstanding services to its residents faces a potential recall election because of the dissatisfaction of a few,” said Patrick McCarroll of the Planning Commission. “Trying to replace the mayor and a majority of the council through a recall diverts attention from the real issues that merit attention, and wastes municipal funds.”
Grievances didn’t stop at the recall. Robert Lee, who is leading the campaign, addressed another issue during his turn at the microphone.
Lee asserted that two residents who ran for council–including current member Daniel Schulte–have been “threatened, bullied and intimidated by the incumbents.” Lee referred to a state investigation into council affairs. Schulte and resident Janice Pemberton accused certain council members of violating the Michigan Campaign Finance Act by using public resources to review their materials from last winter's election.
“Why are we in this state?” Lee asked. “It’s because this city council runs itself like a monarchy. It’s because of the way they treat candidates that run for office.”
“You’re referring to a phone call I received from Mr. Schulte,” Cooper said. “All I told him was that I was supporting the incumbents.
“What Mr. Schulte said isn’t true,” he added. Despite Schulte’s protests, Cooper told him they were “not getting into it now.”
“You just did,” Schulte said. “You called me a liar in public.”
The approximately 60 residents in attendance, and others watching from the lobby, were divided between supporters of either Schulte or Cooper–pro- or anti-recall respectively.
Brian Lane, a 17-year city resident, quieted the tension and prompted a moment of reflection.
“It amazes me how angry everyone gets,” he said. “It’s absurd. These are hard times. We need to pull together and work together. We can’t have the divisiveness that is so apparent here. This board has been so good for so many years the whole time my family has been here. I just have to ask–and ask all of you to ask yourselves–what’s changed? What’s changed?”
There was about five seconds of introspection before Schulte said, “Well, I’ll tell you one thing–and I am going to speak– ”
He was cut off by Cooper, who said he was out of order. Schulte told Cooper to shut his mouth for a minute.
“If you don’t quiet, you will be removed,” Cooper said.
“So remove me,” Schulte said.
The two argued briefly. Schulte was not removed.
When the council simmered down, resident Sheryl Carpenter approached the lectern and said her teenage daughters have bigger problems than the city council.
“As for the recall,” she said, “I’ve seen more civilized arguments with more value at the playground.”
In other action, the council:
- Adopted the proposed Identity Theft Program, which city administration will begin implementing immediately.
- Will begin televisingcouncil meetings on Channel 12 three times a week on a six-month trial basis.
- Changed the time of the Dec. 15 meeting from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.\
Related: Shores recall website
