Fair / 26° FTwp board imposing ‘double standard’
Published 12:09am Thursday, September 2, 2010Dear editor:
This letter is about the double standard being imposed upon Niles Township Trustee Michael Bailey. So you know, I do not know Mr. Bailey, am not related and would not recognize him anywhere.
Mr. Bailey pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge that was properly resolved by the court.
Now we have some do-gooders that have asked him to resign, along with the current township board. He has refused their requests. And, in addition, this same board removed him from his previous assignments. With that in mind, should we not have one less township trustee to pay for?
Now, let’s go back a few years, when our sitting supervisor died. This happened to be an elected Republican township board then and they, in all their wisdom, appointed a convicted felon to be our township supervisor. At the end that that term, and in the following election, the same elected Republican board chose to have this same convicted felon top its ticket and run for supervisor. In respect for the dead, I’ve chosen not to mention his name, but it surely is not a secret.
Now all you do-gooders and the current township board have elevated a misdemeanor to the level of a felony. Where were you do-gooders when the township board appointed a convicted felon, and then had him re-elected as township supervisor?
I don’t condone Mr. Bailey’s actions, but when a recall would have been justified, where were you do-gooders?
The township board should get off its high horse and reassign the duties he was democratically elected to do or consider one less trustee. You have proven we don’t need that many trustees, so why pay for them?
Glen Edquist
Niles
If my memory is correct, the supervisor you mention did the right thing and resigned from office when he was a trustee during his conviction. No one asked for it that I was aware of. He then served his time and then was asked to fill in for Mr. Eull when he went to the city. The township unfortunately must have four trustees as I checked into that very same thing a few years back to help pay for a professional manager.
One of the things that has never failed to amuse me is the need of society to attach a “label” to most everyone. Wether it is Hatfield or McCoy (Democrat or Republican) in my mind has little relevance in comparison to the act or acts one does while serving in office.
Some of the comparisons Mr. Edquist is trying to draw amounts to comparing oranges and apples. While both may be fruits, they have a definite difference in appearance as well as flavor. What our legal system has chooses to call felonies and misdemeanors at times can be misleading at best.
When one has exhausted all legal means available to correct an injustice and is left to try and correct it in a manner which causes no physical harm, that to the layman seems justifiably right, yet is in turn illegal, is one thing. To try and equate that to “something” sexual with a minor is quite a stretch indeed. The remainder of the board is comprised of some experienced, intelligent, and upstanding people. While facing a unique and unprecedented situation they are being forced to follow established protocol in dealing with it the best they can.
In a nutshell Mr. Edquist, just go ahead and say “I hate Republicns”, some may disagree but you may earn a wee bit more respect than this will ever gain you.
I now read the “offense” occurred with someone of legal age? That is a different story, apparently a recall is afoot. Let the voters decide what is acceptable if their representatives (the other boardmembers) can not to everyone’s satisfaction.