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Welcome Argus ReadersThe Recall Timeline:
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Fall 2002: The supervisors and other leaders of Caledonia and Owosso Townships agree to meet with the Owosso City Manager and a group known as Team 21 to discuss a water agreement with the City of Owosso. Contrary to the stated purpose of the meeting, the city and Team 21 do not discuss water; instead they propose an immediate merger of sewer services, and a later merger of water and safety services. Both townships rejected the idea of merging sewer services, as such a merger would result in higher fees for their residents. |
February 26, 2003:
Team 21 disbands and gives support and remaining funds to the Chamber SEDP initiative. Quotes from this meeting:
Owosso City Manager Gregg Guetschow: “An external force is needed to make things happen.” “Not everybody was on board with Team 21′s Mission”.
Tom Cook: “Team 21’s “tools” haven’t worked, so it is time to try another “tool” through the Chamber Initiative. Down the road, we need to facilitate getting the proper people into office for the good of the community.”
Avery Weaver: "Team 21 forced the governmental units to look broader than their own areas of jurisdiction. They were the backbone of cooperation. The Chamber’s Initiative is very impressive, and it should be easy to get on their bandwagon. However, Team 21’s Mission and Vision should be embraced and carried forward through the Chamber."
Fall 2003: Norm Pugh begins the recall effort against Caledonia Township Supervisor Tom Wazny. Wazny is recalled and Joe DeCaire takes his seat.
November 20, 2004: Richard and Judy Gute are sworn into office as Supervisor and Clerk of Owosso Charter Township. They were unopposed in the election. In Caledonia Township, Ronald and Connie Sukenik are sworn in as Supervisor and Clerk.
December 2004: OTR Manager Kim Luckhurst presents a proposal to combine the fire and ambulance services, and create a full time rescue department. Doing so will increase township costs to the point where it would be cheaper for township residents to merge services with the City of Owosso.
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January 2005: Owosso Township Rescue is shut down for 24 hours due to staffing problems.
February 2005: Judy Gute receives a phone call. The caller informs her that although “nothing will happen in the summer”, there will be "trouble" for the Gutes this year. The caller also informs her that there is a person who wants the supervisor seat, but he didn’t run in the general election because he “can’t stand losing.” The caller also warns that the Gutes’ credibility will be attacked in such a way that they “won’t even want to live in the area” afterward. |
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March 2005: OTR Manager Luckhurst announces that Owosso Township Rescue is awarded a contract with Memorial Healthcare to handle the bulk of the non-emergency transfers. Later this month, Supervisor Gute, Clerk Gute, and Trustees Schultz and Krajcovic have a “very positive” meeting with Owosso City Manager Gregg Guetschow to discuss water.
April 8, 2005: Owosso Township Rescue Director Kim Luckhurst is allegedly involved in an assault.
April 11, 2005: In an effort to improve the professionalism and stability of OTR, the OCT Board considers two options: hiring an administrative director, or entering into a joint venture with MMR. At this public meeting, Bill McNamera tells the Board of Owosso Township that “The County will blackball MMR.” Bill McNamera now works for Shiawassee County Central Dispatch.
April 18, 2005: Brett Murphy is hired to be the Administrative Director for OTR. This puts an end to discussions with MMR.
May 23, 2005: At a regular Board meeting, Owosso Township Rescue Director Kim Luckhurst is reprimanded and demoted for the April 8 incident. Sherman Garnett states that he has a “letter or document put out by Gregg Guetschow and he says there is no way I can talk to Dick Gute, he won’t have anything to say to us.” Mr. Garnett also states “The taxpayer’s are going to take back the Charter – Owosso Charter Township. It is already in the process. We’re going to start a recall campaign and we’re going to remove you two people from the Board.” This is 1 month after the end of discussions with MMR and 3 months prior to the renewed interest in bringing MMR to Owosso Township.
June 2005: The contract between Memorial Healthcare and Owosso Township Rescue is presented to the OCT Board and signed. OTR Administrative Director Brett Murphy then takes the contract with the understanding that he will deliver it to the hospital signing authority to get the contract finalized. Luckhurst states that although the contract had not yet been signed, OTR has been working the contract under a "gentleman’s agreement" with the hospital since the announcement in March.
August 8, 2005: The Owosso Township Board accepts the resignation of Brett Murphy and votes 5-2 to enter into a joint venture with MMR. This is also reported in the Argus Press.
August 17, 2005: Representatives of MMR meet with OTR staff to facilitate the transition to employment with MMR, in anticipation that they would be asked to step in as soon as Brett Murphy’s resignation was effective.
October 2005: Leaders of the recall effort submit the petition signatures to the county clerk for approval.
December 2005: Signatures on the recall petitions are verified and the recall election is scheduled.
January 4, 2006: Citizens for Better Government files as a PAC.
January 12, 2006: Caledonia Township Supervisor Ronald Sukenik and his wife, Caledonia Township Clerk Connie Sukenik announce their intentions to resign from the Board and retire out of the area. The Board invites those who are interested in filling the vacancies to attend a January 17 meeting.
January 17, 2006: The Caledonia Township Board appoints John Orin as Supervisor, and Meredith Thompson as Clerk without considering any other applicants. Trustees Hagadon and Bruckman abstain from the voting process in protest of this maneuver.
February 23, 2006: Caledonia Township and the city of Owosso meet with SRCC President Joe Borgstom and 85th District State Rep. Richard Ball to begin water discussions. “Ball has said he believes finding a way to provide city water to Caledonia and Owosso charter townships is the key to spurring economic growth in the mid-county region.“
February 28, 2006: Election Day in Owosso Township.
Quick Facts:
How long an elected official must be in office before he can be recalled: 6 months
How long Richard and Judy Gute were in office before Sherman Garnett announced that a recall was in progress: 6 months and 3 days.
Next time: What’s in a charter, anyway?
Note: Special thanks to the Argus Press for their online archives, Richard and Judy Gute for their cooperation, and the blogger known as ‘Shiaway‘ for her research on Team 21.
Members of Citizens for Better Government are again invited to respond to the questions that I submitted to them privately. All readers are welcome to comment on this series of articles.
a good read.
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Those owosso township rescue people are a bunch of jokers. I’ve lived down the road from these people for a couple years now and I don’t think it would be a bad idea for them to move somewhere else and leave the neighborhood alone. Why does that little short one stand outside and laugh at people that drive by? Does he want his face smashed?
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Who are you talking about? MMR? I thought OTR was gone now?
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I was always treated fairly and respectfully by
Dick Gute. I, as well as all of my family
members will be voting for him as a write in
tomorrow.
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