“King James” Bailey has made a lot of enemies in his five campaigns for political office. He’s run for and won three two-year terms as chairman of the Barry County Board of Commissioners between 1994 and 2000 and he’s run for and lost in a bid for state representative in 2000. In this, his fifth attempt, he’s managed to piss off a whole new group of people by placement of his campaign signs wherever he wants and what he has, or doesn’t have, on them.
Stories have been told to me about people who’ve found "Bailey for State Representative" signs on their property, placed without their permission. According to one lady, the candidate himself told her that because she didn’t own the house she was living in, she’d have to get the owner to have his sign removed. According to my understanding, if a renter rents the entire premises they are allowed to decide if signs are placed there- despite the candidate's assertion to the contrary. Bailey thinks these aggressive tactics are a sign he can "get things done" in Lansing- I think it's another sign that he's a bully, and if he thinks trying to intimidate little old ladies is the way to win then I think he's going to get a wake up call August 8th.
Apparently Bailey thinks he can place a sign anywhere he had a sign in 2000 unless explicitly told no by the owner or renter, and even then he uses intimiditation and coersive means to get what he wants. Bailey seems to think he is owed all the support he got in 2000 but he seems to be forgetting that people have more choices this time around and many simply choose not to back the guy who let Gary Newell in for three terms and fat pension from you and me (on top of his other two). Bailey also seems to forget than 2000 was a Presidential election year with a contested GOP primary- the votes he receives this time around probably won't match what he got before but he seems to base his campaign strategy around this fallacy. Once again, I believe he's in need of a wake up call.
There have been other similar tales in which King James has shown arrogance in placing signs wherever he wants them, particularly if they’re in a strategic location. Sometimes they show up on public property and a sighting was reported recently in Hope Township on land I believe is owned by Barry County Telephone Company (the northeast corner of Cloverdale and Kinsgbury Roads in Hope Township, section 22- the owner of which is not listed on the BarryCounty.gov parcel map). I’d be surprised if a rural phone company agreed to allow placement of a political advertisement on its land. Other candidates are known to be placing signs in what they think are "no man's land" but it is the fact that Bailey is no political novice that shows this to be yet another disturbing example of his arrogance and is certainly not just an honest mistake or accident.
This matter has been brought to a new level recently with the discovery that Mr. Bailey’s signs are illegal because they do not include a proper disclaimer, a statement of who is paying for the advertisement, in this case a sign. The disclaimer, according to the Michigan Elections Bureau, must contain the name of the committee (to elect so-and-so candidate), its address and zip code. While Bailey’s does name the committee, it does not include address and zip code, which the State Elections Bureau says is a violation of current campaign finance law. Kelly Chesney of the bureau said the penalty for this kind of violation is up to $1,000 per complaint registered by the public. The penalty is not tied to the number of signs, but rather the number of complaints. So, does this mean if 20 pissed off citizens call the bureau at (517) 373-2520, Mr. Bailey will have to pay up to $20,000 in fines for violating campaign finance laws? Perhaps a few blog readers would like to find out.
There is no question complaints about theft and vandalism of campaign signs occur every year, so while I abhor such activity, I find it difficult to prosecute unless the perps are caught in the act. However, when a five-time candidate doesn’t know or play by the rules, no matter how insignificant, it raises questions about whether he is fit to be a state legislator. Some might think this is a small matter (and I admit that there are obviously larger issues in the race), but I’m sick and tired of politicians showing us they think the rules somehow don’t apply to them, just everybody else. I think it’s time to raise a stink.
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The renter should have taken the sign out of the ground and into their house. If Bailey called 911 they might have gotten his sign back for him, but he would have been told to move on. The renter had the right to remove what they considered "litter" on their property and disposed of it as they saw fit! Another Hood!
Page 12 – Where the news usually begins;
Rutland Township, which is totally unaffected by the $75,000+ Barry County “Master Plan” and the equally expensive new and revised (however irrelevant) Land Use Ordinance, will soon approve the opposite of Farmland Preservation by encouraging residential development out by Podunk Lake and the Thornapple Church. This is no more newsworthy than the notice that the Road Commission will have the rural roadsides sprayed by an Indiana company with some defoliants in August (Agent Orange?). It might be reminded that the five most rapidly developing townships are converting farmland into suburbia without regard for the Barry County “Master Plan”. Farmers in the remaining 11 townships would want us to pay them to continue farming, so they show up in droves to influence the County Planning Commission.
Page 3 – Due to the abundance of Legal Notices, the real news was pushed forward to Page 3.
Under the title about an exciting bond sale, about half way down, (after credit to Attorney Jim White who ia specialist in bond sales and is usually quoted in the Banner as “the County Attorney” on a variety of non-bond-related issues) is the note that the County Board is happy to have Hastings Charter Township assume ownership of a sewer line to 911 and Thornapple Manor. I don’t suppose that you care where the sewer line goes as long as it isn’t through your back yard. In a few years you will ask, “Why the hell didn’t they run the sewer down the old railroad bed and put a nice trail there while they were at it?” By then, nobody will remember, and there won’t be any record in the old issues of the Banner. Nobody will recall that the Township Supervisor was on the 911 Board. Nobody will recall that the decisions were made to avoid confronting some local landowners who claimed to have more right to the trail than the general public. Of course, no names will be used for fear of retribution.
Any cub reporter could bring up the Barry County website and visit the Land Information Department map site and read that the names between the City of Hastings and the 911 Dispatch property are:
1.Furrow, David F.
2.Benner, Shawn (perhaps)
3.Gilbert, Christopher & C.
4.Bechtel, Donald & Deborah
5.Section 28?
6.?, William L. & Julie A. (perhaps)
7.Oghomonian, Jon & Jill
8.Seidl, David D. & Dewey-Seidl, Marianne (perhaps)
9.Lowell, Pearl
Then some amateur research would verify this data and some inquiries could be made to find out how much it would take to acquire the railbed segments. It isn’t about a long and boring detailed discussion of historical railroad errors of judgement. It is merely about finding a fair ransom amount to recover the property for its best use.
This brings us to the matter of trail maintenance. Page 3, again, tells us that five of the County-owned buildings and grounds will no longer be used to teach soft skills to our jailed population. They will continue to rot in jail until we let them out to repeat their unskilled employment that landed them in jail in the first place. Instead, we will pay Hurst Industries for 3-years to do this prison labor for us. Paying out money is what the County Board is good at. They have a lot of it saved up.
I suppose that nobody connected to the 911 Board has any experience with work release programs, etc. This would explain why no work has been done out behind the fancy buildings. Maybe they just can’t get along with the Sheriff.
Maybe, if the Charlton Park Board could write a business plan, a $million dollars a year worth of jail labor programs would provide the manpower to clean up the railbed across the County, but then we need to punish these incarcerants to get them born again. It’s always worked well for us to put lots of people in bigger jails. Out of sight, out of mind. Out of print, out of touch.
The big Front Page news this week is that thirteen people from Battle Creek brought signs about elephants to Charlton Park. Three had their picture taken while the other ten went to the circus, and ...
America Idled
My favorite abuse for sign placement by Bailey was one in front of a Reynolds sign on M37 at the old baltimore twp hall at whiskey run. He has pushed the limits at the state hwy intersections too.
Timmy, if that had been my only concern you would have a point. You conveniently ignore 99% of the article and use the 1% to try to discredit the rest. The Cloverdale Road property was just one specific example but you don't respond to anything else- besides, I'm not sure I think a good defense is that your dad/candidate/you listen to anyone suggest that they put the sign "across the road on the opposite corner" and then do it. Most homeowners are proud to put signs in front of their house if they support a candidate. I think the reality is that there aren't that many supporting Bailey but he's using his signs to suggest otherwise- just as Calley used loans to inflate his campaign war chest in order to draw in more support based on his "front runner" status as the guy with the most money in the bank. It creates the illusion of a winner.
And while I wonder why there is a law demanding politicians put their committee address on each sign (I guess it must be to contact them in case of complaints like the ones I've cited), the law is the law and I don't imagine many voters wanting to support someone who should know better not knowing or not following the law.
el Grillo, have you considered starting a group of citizens or even a PAC that would place some sort of consistent presure on the board to act instead of trying to brow beat the Banner through this site? I imagine you might get some help from the people who made the Paul Henry Thornapple Trail happen as well as the North Country Trail group who I seem to remember meeting somewhere quite often in those notices that run in the Reminder. I've always said that the people who want Hastings to be Kentwood had it wrong- that they should concentrate on what we do have and market that. A rail trail would be a great "quality of life" tool that could do well to bring in businesses whose workers would actually want to live in this town (along with things like the library and the newly opened brew pub). I thank you for improving this blog with your thoughts and I always look forward to them.
..tsk tsk tsk...The truth is that without Lassie, Timmy is nearly brain dead.
Could it be that Timmy put up all the signs for Lassie to pee on? Someone had to illegally register Lassie to vote so clearly, when Lassie showed continued superior intelligence to poor Timmy, Lassie had to be murdered. The vote fraud was about to be exposed. The body and evidence destroyed...
Lassie will be back. Puppies and Grand puppies. They will all take great glee in whispering into Timmy's ear and watching flit off doing his funny little things.
Oh, and you should all know that Lassie's vote will be counted.
On the 911 and getting "both sides" together. It won't work, the system is too broken. One side is full of illegitimate members (neil) and much too long serving members such as Forbes, Boysen, and Sarver.
We have to recognize the Board needs to be designed to be representative of the public it serves and someone have oversight (County Board).
All Police Departments in this County are burg Departments, small. Hastingsville and State Police should not be automatic members! They have no expertise over the other Chief's!
The positions should be rotated and the starched white shirts in the "ville" take their turn like everyone else.
No "getting together" will solve the problems, "they" have all the answers. The rest of us are dumb!
Bailey and Lower both fail to put a proper disclaimer on their literature. I guess when you cut the corners on printing and placing signs, you can break the law too.
Download the complaint form found here:
http://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,1607,7-127-1633_8723_11893---,00.html
The section of the law is 169.247 .
Some more on complaints: Whether the State takes action is tied to the number of complaints. Complaints with evidence have more weight than those without. First complaint, Bailey gets a warning. Second complaint, if properly cited (169.247), will either be fined or goes to the local prosecutor (JNP)to prosecute. In theory Bailey could rack up the fines after the second complaint. I've never seen folks get fined more than $1,000 on this matter.
I know one person who has already sent a complaint in on his printed material. Next one will force the State's hand.
OOps, just saw that a knowing violator of this provision is punishable by a fine up to $1,000 or imprisonment for up to 90 days, or both. Sorry Pol. You can only get him for $1,000, but we may see King James in orange.
Pol,
The brow beating is intended to help get the front page news on the front page of the Banner and not buried on page 12. There are important issues here that shouldn't be allowed to wither. Sure, I see the regular notices of the misspelled North County Trail Association and I must be the only one here that knows the difference between the NCTA and the Paul Henry.
Gathering citizen support would be easier if the citizenry were fully informed and not left wondering "What the hell was that all about?"
Who the hell cares about some outfit from Battle Creek protesting circuses?
Both Bailey and Lower Campaign Finance Statements aren't out yet. This typically means they aren't filing or filing late. More fines for King James!
Jay, I noticed no statement for Bailey and Lower- can you tell me though, don't they have to file an extension like you do with your taxes? Anyone else notice how Calley and Vlietstra both have borrowed over $28,000 each to run their campaigns- I keep meaning to put a link up to those reports and spill the beans. I'd imagine Bailey has spent way more than that- I bet he's in hock for over $40,000!!!! Maybe he's waiting to file until after the primary so no one knows his campaign has little outside support and all those signs and all those ads are just a Potemkin Village of a campaign amde to look like a contender but just getting by on bullying, bluster, and bravado.
Grillo, The reason the circus protestors make the front page is because pretty pictures tell a story and are big news in a town where the biggest event in a decade is a new restaurant opening downtown- the second coming would get less press in the local rag. If you want your story on the front page you need to get a kid in a wheelchair being blocked by one of those nasty gates across the trail or something similar to race a stink- like those junkyard photos we saw in the paper a couple weeks back.
Pol: State Law doesn't allow for extensions. Fines can be waived if one can prove the circumstances, like equipment malfunction. That appears to be the case with Bailey (a source told me his Treasurer's computer crashed/was having problems.). But State Law requires the campaign to notify the State immediately of such problems. If it was in writing, then Bailey's notice would be on there. Lower may be side stepping the rules because he's doing everything on the cheap a la Trombley.
I have issue with Trombley. I don't think he's adequately reported his expenses. He claims $1,311 in expenses, but does not claim printing of his literature. Even if he self-printed these pieces, he has to account for paper and toner. And what about sign posts? Trombley doesn't even report his filing fee.
Recapping, these guys have to file all transactions between committee start- 7/23 by last Friday @ 4pm if A) they spent over $1000, B) they're running in a contested Primary. Even Doster has to file a waiver or something. Doster will not get fined for filing late since he can prove that he hasn't spent over $1,000. Bailey and Lower may have to do some dancing to avaid fines. In a couple of days late notices should pop up on the database. The fine is $25/each business day late. So far it's $25 and counting for Jim and Tom...
-------------------
Here's the breakdown so far:
Calley:
Cash on hand 12/31/05: $22,104.11
Total Receipts for this report: $45,130.57(Add two late contributions totaling $450.00)
Disbursments:$30,293.72
Debts (usually to the candidate):$24,390.26
Cash on hand 7/23/06:$14,586.85
Vlietstra:
Cash on hand 12/31/05:$869.48
Total Receipts:$32,125.00
Disbursements:$25,573.45
Debts:$30,254.03
Cash on hand 7/23/06:$6,551.55
Reynolds:
Cash on hand 12/31/05:$660.10
Total Receipts:$6,766.19 (MEA Check not in)
Disbursements:$6,438.56
Debts:$0
Cash on hand 7/23/06:$327.63
Trombley:
Cash on hand 12/31/05:$0
Total Receipts:$1,535.00
Disbursements:$1,311.00
Debts:$0
Cash on hand 7/23/06:$224.00
Bailey, Doster, and Lower have yet to file.
Pol: Let me explain debt in the CFR system....
Each time a candidate gives his personal money to the campaign or purchases an item and wants to be reimbursed for that expense, he has to list it as debt owed by the committee. With Calley, it's he and his wife--purely kosher with campaign finance. With Susan--it's all her.
Looking at Fulton Sheen's old reports you can see he financed his 2002 campaign on credit cards/self to the tune of $25,000(he finally paid them off recently). A bit ironic since he's a financial planner. He took in $26,000 total for the Primary. PACs bailed him out big time.
There are also the more typical debts, like those to suppliers and loans from banks. Debts owed to suppliers are atypical and generally frowned upon. Bank loans are more typical on the east side.
And that concludes CFR Debts 101.
Pol,
I'm uncomfortable interrupting the campaign accounting thread with my seemingly private interest in economic development of the City of Hastings and the County of Barry. Perhaps you could start another thread or direct me to a different blog that has some interest in issues other than the election that I have already participated in (and, of course, the ongoing rant about Central Dispatch).
Pol,
Also, I could round up a wheelchair, or submit a variety of photos of my own to the Banner. Anybody who uses the old Nashville Highway to get to Thornapple Manor (lots of wheelchair photo-ops)is confronted at the Eastern City Limits by piles of obsolete farm equipment and other junk littering the side of the road in the public way. The issue of rescuing Thornapple Manor from its worn-out and inadequate sewage treatment system is worth a photo or two, and it would be newsworthy to note that the City intentionally installed the State Street sewer main deep enough to anticipate using the railbed for servicing Hastings Township. I suppose that a photo of a demented resident of Thornapple Manor entangled in poison ivy and being swallowed up by thornapple underbrush behind the Central Dispatch Building might be arranged.
Citizen support for this rail-to-trail program should take the form of Adopt-a-Highway, rather than attempting to form a Trail Committee. The City and County could lead the way by providing some cheap signage for recognition and offering the segments as PR rewards for service clubs, hemp users, church goers, etc.
Perhaps 911 could sponsor the segment behind their building, and Friends of the Demented could do the bit behind the County Medical Facility.
Wouldn't a lovely trail be a great place for next year's Relay for Life? Maybe it would even get a photo on the front cover of the Reminder?
Imagine walking from McDonalds to the Airport for a Dawn Patrol breakfast!
El: I'll volunteer the demented one at 911!
There is still a small space across from the Rutland Township Hall voting booths, and after voting the citizens could walk through the township property to the unkempt segment of the rail trail that belongs to Rutland Township citizens. Obviously littering the front lawn with signs and the back yard with trash is a political statement.
As far as sign placements go, around this time is a free for all...err utter mess. In my travels to Northern Middleville I haven't seen Evans signs in no-no places. Give Tom a call 785-7871 if you think his sign are where they shouldn't be. That goes for Wade too: (616) 891-3726.
I am still a little curious where in Norther Middleville blender is talking about...I know of a couple of areas where a Tom sign is near a cemetary, but they are both clearly in residents yards. Unless kids are doing some political sign shuffling, I am scratching my head.
I've heard that dozens of van nortwick signs not so mysteriously disappeared after a pissin match he had with wing. If true, wing could very well have broken campaign laws whether he directly or indirectly was resposible for the sign thefts.
If you can catch Wing or a minon of Wing's (a feather...wingnut?)with Van Nortwick signs, then you have something. Very rarely do candidates get caught in the act for something like this. When they do, it's sensational.
Blender, Even the dead have a first amendment right. Afterall, its been found many continue to vote depite being six feet under! God bless our voting process!
Maybe they'll get rid of those ugly Lower signs that have been popping up under road signs, etc.
Neither he nor Bailey have filed their Campaign Finance reports. I am kinda curious what King Jim has spent on those full color farses in the paper. The word still is technical trouble in the Bailey camp. Then again, that can explain Bailey's candidacy. ;)
Letter to editor leaves some questions. Police Dept's usually hold open serious injury investigations of accidents, don't send them to the Prosecutor, until they have specific charges to request. If the victim survives the State Police would then issue citation(s) for the specific violation that caused the accident, running a stop sign, etc., plus all the equipment violations. Accidents rarely go to the Prosecutor unless they are fatals and/or the circumstances rise to the level of a felony or circuit misdemeanor. Reckless, Careless, running stop sign, crossing center line, could have all been written by the police without authorization from the Prosecutor? So, what's the rest of the story?
Banker boy: I keep an eye for all signs. Lower seems to be the biggest offender on this.
Blender did mention Tom's signs (you have to go further up the chain)... Blender:The sign placement is getting ridiculous. Now Tom Evans has signs in the right-of-ways....even by a cemetery. I am talking about Northern Middleville.
I maintain, as I have stated that folks call the candidates in question on sign placement. I have called Lower to no avail. In my travels around Middleville, Tom's placements looked kosher.
Regardless of what others may think/say, I don't work for Tom. I like my job and my employer is satisfied with my work.
As for the letter you metioned, I find it suspect coming from Julie's campaign manager's husband. I'd echo Ag3 questions and can not make any assumptions on it until more information is given.
At least Tom follows campaign finance law... I cannot say the same for Julie (SEE BANNER).
I hear MDOT "confiscated" a bunch of signs along M37 and M43. Vannortwick had to go to the Marshall MDOT Office to retrieve his, some reportedly well onto private property? Why did they wait so late in the election to do so? Probably dumb question, right? Did the Farm Assn put some pressure on for Tom Wing?
Anyone else see signs missing in abundance. Did the County Road Commission do the same?
Jeff has contacted me and said several of his signs are gone due to intimidation from Pro-Wing factions and people he's had run ins before (corporate farming types if you catch my drift). These people are using the fact that they're the area's biggest employer to try to imtimidate people into removing their VanNortwick signs. Seems to be working. I don't see it having much effect on the race since it's last minute shenanigans.
And Jay, I know it isn't Lower you're working for. I think we know who- let's just say it makes sense you'd be driving through MIDDLEVILLE a lot recently and seem to be travelling all over the district in this race- including the coffee shops in Ionia. Right?
Looks like MDOT did a job on M43, M37, Chief Noon Day, etc. They ignored the realty signs, rabbits for sale sign, an old riding lawn mower two feet off the road, etc. Just after the signs.
Usually when authorities "confiscate" property they only return "legal" property to the owner. Will they return political signs that don't have the "paid for by.............?
Well, only one more day anyway, probably doesn't matter. Tripp took some liberties along Chief Noonday, near the stop signs, one was about 12 inches away. Didn't see the paid by....on them either. And, she claims to be "EXPERIENCED." Must have missed the "EXPERIENCE" of reading all the election requirements! What else doesn't she read or study? That's right, PUBLIC COMMENT/FEELINGS!
When you see our Sheriff next time Tripp, "they call him Mister Leaf." Show some respect!
Pol: Nope, not working for any 87th Dist. candidate either. Nice try. Did give some hints when I mentioned the counties I cover for my job. I have some Ottawa stories to tell too, but they wouldn't interest folks on here.
ag3: If the candidate's folks don't claim these signs and pick them up, they distroy them.
Candiadates who advertise around Prarieville and Orangeville may want to check the state garage in Plainwell too for signs.
Ag3, Was Tripp caught taking liberties in Yankee Springs yet again. 12 inches. Must have been another teenager.
Well, she certainly takes your tax dollars every payday! And, she does claim "EXPERIENCE." Guess you have to ask for her "references" as to what experience she's talking about.
All I know is the County Experience ends December 31, 2006. But, Knowledge of the end comes tomorrow! Bah bye Tripp!
Timmy, you've got me convinced! Jimboy, I got your back. Timmy has such convincing reasons to vote for such a jerk!
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