Dorr sewer is all about a principle in democracy that I am willing to take a stand against and be defamed and ridiculed over.
I would like to set the record straight. I am a citizen of Dorr Township who will not be in this sewer district this time around, except for the 4 township properties we all own as taxpayers. So, in this case, I guess I do have properties in this multi million dollar project that the majority of citizens petitioned to stop again, but the board said, “we don’t care, we are going to put this in regardless of what the people want who legally petitioned it and stopped it under the public improvement act.” I am involved in this unethical sewer fight because I do own my own home that the board tried to get into the sewer district last year , but the citizens, and myself included successfully stopped the sewer coming into Ranchero, Litchfield and downtown Dorr. Thank you to all who helped bring this about.
I believe that government officials must listen to the peoples wishes after both sides had the opportunity to petition for or against any issue. I believe that when the people speak, and they did loud and clear, that the board MUST LISTEN to the people! We cannot have a government that does whatever they want even when those they are suppose to represent tell them NOT to do something. When they don’t listen, then we must speak again so they open their ears, or perhaps even better yet, open the door and kick them out, so they are outside looking in!
If those who wanted the sewer collected their required amount of signatures (the public improvement act says more than 50% of land volume) all of those who opposed the sewer would stay home and watch TV. Yes, there would have been disappointment for those who lost, but that is democracy. However, those who opposed this sewer project actually won, after they gathered almost twice the signatures the law required, yet this township board overrode the peoples opposition petitions with a maneuver by a high paid attorney from Grand Rapids.
This is unethical! If this township board can override the people after they followed the letter of the law, we are doomed as an effectual democracy. Our laws and public acts are all meaningless. This is unconscionable!
I am totally disgusted with the entire Dorr Township board after they unanimously voted to proceed with a multi million dollar sewer project over the legal objection of successful petitions signed by the people.
Unethical actions such as this discourages citizens. Citizens begin to believe that it doesn’t matter what the people want, because the government does whatever they want. We the people are the government, so yes it does matter what we want!
Please, Dorr township residents, stop this board, so other areas of this township are not the next victims of another unethical maneuver like this the next time, and it may affect you! Perhaps it could be Ranchero and Litchfield again?
The issue is not just a sewer , the issue is democracy! We should be a government of, by and for the people that shall not perish as Abraham Lincoln said! Please help us take back our government, so it does not perish!
The “good ole boys link” who are for the sewer may ridicule and defame me for my stance on this issue, but its worth it to me for the truth to be told. I am in this for the principal of this issue, and nothing more. I gain nothing from this, but the oppositions hatred of me. I am not speaking out to win a popularity contest, and I can handle that!
Bernard Schumaker
