Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Charlevoix County Transportation Wunderkind Bends Over Backwards Trying To Look Professional – Ends Up Looking Silly



As the date for scheduled temporary overnight closing of the US 31 bridge in Petoskey approaches, an article in the Petoskey News-Review  concerning the detour route caught my eye.

The article “Ironton Ferry not part of bridge closure detour”, published online on March 8, 2017, is loaded with quotes from John Drury, director of the county transportation authority, that serve only to illustrate the ineptitude of County transportation leadership.

Whenever you want to be completely frustrated by self-aggrandizing county bureaucrats, one need look no further than the county transportation wunderkinds, John Drury, and his wife, Jill Drury, manager of county transit. Time and again they show exactly how not to behave when providing service to county residents.

The article was written by Steve Foley and starts off by stating that John Drury attended a public meeting held by MDOT in which discussion took place regarding work on the bridge and possible detour routes. It also states that the possibility of an earlier opening of the Ironton Ferry was “mentioned”.

As it turns out, the ferry is not included in the detour routing; so why not, you may ask. The article quotes John Drury as saying “We were contacted by MDOT about a year ago and they talked about doing this,”. “Their (MDOT) original date was in early April and at the time, we said if the ice is out and we’re able to run we could do it, and that was it.”

And that was it. But wait; maybe that wasn't it. Maybe MDOT was at fault. Let's take a look at another John Drury quote:

“We had kind of assumed last year that we would be doing it, but it’s up to the board and if the ferry is able to run then they’ll make the decision to run it,” Drury said. “It’s also up to MDOT if they want us to be part of their detour or not, that’s where we’re at.”

So, John Drury assumed that the ferry would be part of the plan, but then shifts responsibility to MDOT. Does he now want county residents to "assume" that he's doing a good job?

Now that a plan has been decided upon and just weeks away from implementation, John Drury, our very own bureaucrat wunderkind is now ready to go to bat for MDOT. He is quoted as saying: “But if it’s ice-free and it appears it will be that way, I suppose we could talk about it.”

What a great idea, John. Yes, by all means, let’s talk about it, because you know, better late than never.

And for the clincher, Drury said: “We’ll discuss it at our board meeting and see where we want to go. If the board chooses to start service early, we can look at it as long as we’re able, but there’s some prep time in getting the boat ready to go.”

Notice how John keeps putting the onus of no proactive measures taken on the transit authority board? Who do you think chairs that board? And doesn't it seem rather late to be entering discussions on a subject John Drury was well aware of  a year ago; one that MDOT is ready to implement, while the prep work on the ferry is still to be done?

Why didn’t he remain in contact with MDOT concerning this issue? How is the county transportation authority able to formulate contingency plans without follow up communications with MDOT?

Could there exist other reasons for not utilizing the ferry?

Did John Drury request additional funding from MDOT for the use of ferry services for a week?

Was he too busy consulting and lobbying to keep up with his responsibilities to the county transportation authority?

Perhaps John Drury was misquoted, as his wife, Jill, claims happened to her in a PNR article last month.

Whatever the reason for this latest fumble by our very own dynamic duo, wouldn't it be nice to keep the needs of county residents at the forefront of your concerns? John? We're listening.

Wunderkind indeed.


Thursday, February 23, 2017

Why Prop Up Failed Transit Management?



My efforts to get Charlevoix County Transit to do the right thing and actually serve county residents in a respectful manner is an ongoing struggle. While I present anecdotal and empirical evidence to support my case, transit management, under the auspices of the county board of commissioners, continues to refuse to recognize the errors.

Why is that? I believe it goes to their modus operandi; that is, to ignore what they don’t like unless and until it becomes a legal action. It is only then that county government will admit a problem, and would rather settle any legal claims out of court and out of the media.

Going up against a decidedly adversarial county government takes effort. It also takes thick skin as respect is not shown to dissenters, and government officials and bureaucrats don’t take kindly to average citizens having the audacity to question their decisions,
but I am not backing down.

I have found that many county residents feel county transit, the beloved pickle bus, does not serve their needs. To better understand the feelings of the community, try this experiment. When out in public, make a statement such as “I’m having issues with county transit”, and note the reactions. If it goes the same way as when I do it, you will find that many residents have issues with the arrogance and incompetence of county transit, and are not afraid to let you know.

So what is county transit doing to make corrections? For one they are seeking new riders by offering personal “rider training” and giving away trinkets at county senior centers. Woo-hoo! That will be sure to increase ridership - the very ridership they discouraged so dramatically that transit management is afraid to release the plummeting numbers.

The investment of over $150,000 for a ridiculously inadequate software system has been shown to be a hindrance to transit operations. But wait! That’s not all; the ongoing charge for that software is more than $20,000 per year. Wow! And yet our illustrious county board of commissioners won’t address the many problems facing the transit department.

Another thing county transit does is spin the data (or lack thereof) to make it sound like they have been doing a stellar job. If that was really the case, they would be releasing facts and figures, and trumpeting them as proof of their success. If that is what you would expect, you would be mistaken as facts and figures are mighty hard to come by, even with FOIA requests.

When discussing the many missteps and errors of judgement, it is extremely difficult to put stock in anything said by county transit, as Jill Drury has stated that she can’t be taken at her word. She may try to deny that but she made that claim in public and I have the record. It is provable. It should be intolerable.

At the very same public meeting, Jill Drury, transit department manager, said that county transit started as a service for seniors. Why then would she be abandoning them in favor of tourists and bar-hopping?

When will the residents of Charlevoix County be rid of the arrogance and ineptitude of transit management?

Friday, February 17, 2017

Charlevoix County Commissioners Are Like Spoiled Children Acting Out



Charlevoix County Commissioners
To better understand the machinations of Charlevoix County government; let’s peel back the veneer of benign wisdom and the insidious bureaucratic mindset of self-righteousness to expose the classic symptoms of juvenile selfishness.

Young children can become belligerent and throw temper tantrums when confronted with the prospect of denial of gratification. They can become defiant in the face of reason; selfish, insisting on having their own way without regard to the needs of others. While normal in the course of childhood development, such behavior becomes insolent when embraced by adults and unconscionable when practiced by governing bodies. Charlevoix County government has been exhibiting such behavior and has gone unchecked for quite a long time.

Upon examination, it appears that the method of dealing with questions from the citizenry is to simply ignore them; as if county government is above being responsive to the citizens. Our elected and appointed officials seem to feel that they are not required to provide answers to legitimate questions from the very people they are supposed to serve.

It seems that Charlevoix County government will continue to do whatever they choose, ignoring the needs and concerns of county residents until such time as lawsuits are filed. Then, and it seems only then, will our illustrious leadership deem to behave in a more appropriate manner. How unfortunate as the citizens of Charlevoix County are left to foot the bill for such behavior while county government hides the true costs of settlement behind non-disclose agreements.

Meanwhile, county residents are left without responsive government and distribution of services is biased against those most vulnerable.

When legal action against Charlevoix County government is needed to solve issues that were not given proper review and remediation; when the presumptive position is of condescending arrogance, Charlevoix County residents lose – every time. The spectacle of self-righteous pity parties and head in the sand denial become the norm.

Thursday, February 9, 2017

Why Is America Afraid Of The Powers That Control Healthcare?



I’ve been listening to the Obamacare debate on CNN featuring Senators Cruz and Sanders and feel a need to respond. It seems that these debates always miss the bull’s eye; sometimes they get close but the risks here are too great to keep firing and hope for the best.

It is not a matter of right versus privilege; quite simply, government supplied healthcare is a privilege. That being said, a form of basic healthcare must be available to all citizens. We are the nation of exceptionalism, our citizens are worth it, and we can do this.

Should you be of the mindset that government supplied healthcare is sufficient for your family, that option should be readily available. That is a choice every citizen should be entitled to make; and for those in need, it is a duty of an empathetic society to provide basic compassionate healthcare.

There also must be free market choices for those who wish to invest in them, in an open and competitive marketplace, without lobbyist approved tax breaks and regulatory carve outs.

Unbridled capitalism has caused the industries charged with providing the products and services needed to maintain our physical well-being to forego empathy and compassion. We are not isolated objects; we are connected beings of a spiritual nature. When we err on the side of corporations at the expense of our fellow citizens, we have effectively chosen servitude to those corporations. When we deny the empathy and sympathy inherent in our constitution, we have foregone liberty.

Both Senator Sanders and Senator Cruz are seeking to show their position as optimum, and neither will move toward reconciliation. How unfortunate that it is more important to score political points than be truly attuned to the needs and desires of the citizenry.

The arguments of both the right and the left are lacking in the responsibilities of compassion, and are bereft of any amount of commonality of spirit. Since free markets are winning propositions when our moral responsibilities are considered, let’s work together to bring about the compassionate care we all deserve. With focus on humanitarian responsibilities we can achieve that goal.

Once we get to the point that all of our citizens deserve access to healthcare we must then divest ourselves of the enormous influence of the American Medical Association. The AMA is an organization dedicated to capitalism over compassion; or put another way, the AMA is driven by greed and shows no concern for the very people providing their success.

The intent of the corporate/medical/pharmaceutical/insurance complex is absolutely unacceptable to compassionate reasoning. Unbridled greed and egoism result in anti-human policies that bring us to servitude. Throughout history we have seen the destructive power of unchecked greed; and it too often results in megalomania.

Capitalism should mean that everyone has the opportunity to seek whatever path to whatever success they deem sufficient. In no way should it be a license to obstruct others, or to keep the citizenry in servitude. That means we must turn our backs on Big Medicine and the inherent dangers of servitude in favor of freedom.

The ridiculous position that it is the responsibility of the employer to provide various cradle-to-grave benefits must be overturned. That insidious mindset came to be embedded in our social norms driven by government mandates and wage controls, with the fingerprints of lobbyists all over them.

Look at how employer supplied healthcare dampens prospects for the success of average Americans. It gives undue advantage to employers and no person should ever be put in the position to be indebted to their employer for anything other than employment.

Saturday, February 4, 2017

Censorship In Charlevoix County Or All The News That Fits The Agenda



So there I was writing about Charlevoix County government with special attention paid to the transit department, when lo and behold I am censored by no other than the Charlevoix County Republicans Facebook group page. Yes, I have been erased from the annals of that small group of Republican partisans that claim righteousness in Northern Michigan while practicing suppression of opinion not to their liking.

This is not the first time I have been censored for voicing opinions, nor am I alone. This very thing has also happened to me and others who have attempted to criticize county transit on their Facebook page. Simply being critical of county government can and will get your comments censored. Even at a recent meeting of the county commissioners, when I read comments from a prepared statement I was censored in the minutes of that meeting. Not personal attacks, not profanity, just straight up criticism will be enough for removal.

I was contacted by a local news organization requesting documentation of the questions and concerns I had raised. I was told that they wanted to print my critiques, so I promptly sent the proof. The news editor thanked me for fulfilling his request and then he was not heard from again. When I inquired, he stated that he was still trying to determine the best way to present the information. Now, several weeks later, nothing. What happened, I don’t know; I have my suspicions, but that is all.

So what is it that causes such Orwellian response? Could it be the time I shed light on the biased and discriminatory practices of the transit department? Perhaps it was my criticism of the actions of the Charlevoix County Board of Commissioners. Or my recent call for the progressives in the Charlevoix County Republicans to accept the results from this presidential election and support President Trump. Maybe it was the time that I dared to state that secure borders are the right of all nations and securing our Southern border will improve national security. No, I believe that it wasn’t one of those things; it was any of those things. Dare to state the truth and be ready for censorship.

The elitist mentality of our county government, the good ol’ boy, go along to get along, us against them approach to government seems to be their modus operandi. How do they do it? How are they able to continue such abhorrent behavior? Well, consider the state of our society. The subversive tactics that gave us political correctness, safe spaces, and intolerance of dissenting opinion, have allowed this type of behavior to go unchecked. That and the fact that we the citizens of Charlevoix County don’t speak up often enough, or loud enough, or long enough.

I for one will keep on speaking. The right of free speech is the cornerstone of this great Republic, and as long as I am able, I will continue to accept the responsibility of the citizenry to speak truth to power.

Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Seeking Public Information in Charlevoix County: An Exercise in Dealing with Hubris


There’s carelessness and negligence, and then there is deception and fraud. I’m wondering what we are experiencing now from Charlevoix County Transit.

Many county residents are aware of the problems with transit operations; some may even be aware of my efforts to get transit management to make changes to improve operations. In case you are not aware of the many problems within county transit, helpful information can be found here, here, here, and here. Now I will show how county residents are disrespected when they have the gall to question elected and appointed officials and seek access to public information.

In an effort to better understand the problems that are rife in the transit department of Charlevoix County government, I have listened to transit management and the transit oversight board, county commissioners, transit riders, and other county residents concerned by the issues. What I have heard is troubling.

I have questioned the decisions and the decision-making process of county transit and have been subjected to indifference, spin, misstatements and outright lies.

I have questioned the support of the board of commissioners for the transit department, and its refusal to address the many problems that plague transit. The answers provided have been lacking in several areas and appear to show disbelief that problems exist within transit. It seems that the bureaucratic mindset is one of circle the wagons and not one of genuine inquiry.

I have filed FOIA requests with the county clerk’s office. I won’t get into how I was treated and what I was told at that time, as that is a story unto itself. What I will get into here is the rather obvious attempts to be less than forthright in providing the information sought – information that county residents have a right to access. According to current operational protocol, that access is to be free and unencumbered.

I asked for copies of the minutes from the transit department oversight board meetings for years 2015 and 2016, and the minutes from the transportation authority for 2016. In both cases the fiscal year was used to determine relevant dates. At the same time, I asked for the minutes from the commission on aging for 2016, and the calendar year was used for that determination. My point here is that not providing 4th quarter calendar year meeting minutes was a failure to abide by the letter and intent of the law and my requests.

I tried to gain access to the information sought by filing another request, and it seems that not all of the information was included in that release either. Now I must file yet another request to gain access to information that is supposed to be readily available on-demand online. Not only is it very frustrating and time-consuming, it is uncalled for. The information requested belongs to the residents of Charlevoix County and we should have ready access to it.

One of the reasons for not giving up in this quest to access public information is an attempt to discover just what county government is trying to hide. Another reason is the information requested is not provided on the Charlevoix County website as many county departments appear to be in noncompliance with existing protocol regarding such information. . It is important to remember that county government is supposed to be responsible to the county residents.

It is unconscionable to be so arrogant as to disregard the many calls of concern about the substandard operations of the county transit department; calls that have been addressed to county commissioners by many residents. How can there not be an inquiry into county transit operations with a full public disclosure of findings?

It is rather disgusting to be of the mindset that county residents are a hindrance and not the reason for the board of commissioners’ very existence.

I am aware of how harsh these words are. It is my hope that county government officials will now understand how appalling is their refusal to address the many issues of concern within the transit department.

Monday, January 30, 2017

Securing Our Borders Is Protecting America


When then-candidate Trump said that we would build a wall on our Southern border, I applauded. A sovereign nation must have secure borders or it will cease to exist (which was the plan). When he said that Mexico would pay for it, I was skeptical. As events unfolded I waited to see how such an audacious plan would be put into practice.

I am of the opinion that we have already seen a glimpse of the payment and it is quite striking. Consider the billions of dollars that were about to be invested in Mexico by American companies. Consider the many thousands of jobs getting ready to start in Mexico because of that investment. Now consider the toll to be paid by Mexico in the massive loss of investment and job evaporation. That is what is called payment; in cold hard terms.

One of the main arguments against building a border wall is that it simply won't work. If that is the case, why do the elites keep building their own walls? A few of the elite globalists who have built walls for their personal security are Speaker Paul Ryan, former President Barak Obama, and Facebook mogul Mark Zuckerberg. How could walls be good for them, but not for our nation?

A wall on our Southern border would slow the influx of civilian invaders from many countries, Mexico being but one. A large portion of illegals are simply passing through Mexico on their way here. Building a wall would force Mexico to deal with them; maybe even requiring the Mexican government to build a wall on their Southern border.

I say that it is high time we make America great again, so that we then will be able to assist other nations in their quest for liberty.

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

County Transit Management Shows Lack Of Concern For Community

If it is true that we will be judged on how we treat the most vulnerable among us, then we have a very serious problem with regard to Charlevoix County government in general, and the county transit department in particular.

The issues of concern with Charlevoix County Transit are numerous and continue without any attempted corrective measures resulting in biased and sometimes discriminatory practices. These concerns have been voiced by many local residents and have been brought to the attention of the transit manager, Jill Drury, in an attempt to bring about changes that would make the system more responsive to the needs of the community - to no avail.

The steps taken include telephone conversations and meetings with Jill Drury, transit manager; and the concerns have been presented at a meeting of the oversight board, and also the Charlevoix County Board of Commissioners. So far the many problems plaguing transit remain uncorrected except for very minor, sometimes cosmetic changes that were only addressed after they were made public, with one exception; the serious problems with the telephone system have finally been addressed, after continuous public outcry that lasted for more than a year, and while far from perfect, the improvements have made a big difference to the many residents who previously encountered difficulties attempting to contact the dispatch office.

Many more problems exist with our beloved pickle bus, and some are quite serious. Problems such as the termination of needed service without notice or substantive reasons, a marked and noticeable change from serving the needs of the community to serving visitors and local bars, changing focus from public transportation to that of tour agency as evidenced by the change of description on the official transit Facebook page, and more, many more. Why county government would be willing to ignore these serious issues, reducing local residents to “second class” citizens is beyond my comprehension.

When the Transit Oversight Board Chair offers diametrically opposed excuses for termination of service, when the transit manager laughs off the stranding of passengers, when evening weekend service that is only available in the Boyne City area and subsidized by local bars is given priority over the needs of county residents, when the new dispatch software is not used for the evening bus service but is demanded for daytime riders, when the new dispatch software has increased time to make trip arrangements, when access to proof of cost and mileage reduction is denied, when transit management and oversight board admit that they have no statistics to base their decisions on, when transit management can mix public and private sector duties on county payroll, when the transit manager’s husband, John Drury, a private consultant and lobbyist, and Executive Director of MASSTrans, a public transit lobbying organization, can sit on the board of the  Charlevoix County Transportation Authority, when both Jill Drury and John Drury sit on the board of MASSTrans, when Jill Drury refuses to answer legitimate questions and doesn’t release public documents that are supposed to be available on the official county website, then we most certainly do have trouble with a capital T, right here in River City.

I understand that not every rider experiences the same deficiencies, and that some riders are quite pleased with the transit system as it is. That in no way can be construed as a ringing endorsement. Indeed, the problems do exist, have not been addressed, and there should be no place in county government for those willing to compromise the civil rights of senior, disabled or low-income residents as has been done repeatedly by the county transit department. Just ask the seniors that utilize the pickle bus to get to local medical care, or ask the local medical facilities – they know all too well that seniors are being subjected to unfair practices.

At the Charlevoix County Board of Commissioners meeting of January 11, 2017, I called for the termination of Jill Drury and the transit oversight board. The exact wording of the document presented at that meeting can be found here.

This is not the position I wanted to take. All I ever wanted was a fair and equitable solution. Having silently observed the mistreatment of many local residents and hoping for the needed changes, I finally stepped up to seek corrective action. The transit system is too valuable to let it slide into a caricature of bureaucratic elitism and indifference so I have spent months researching the issues and reaching out to Jill Drury and the oversight board; however the efforts to seek a workable solution to the many problems with county transit have gone unheeded.

I fully intend to keep sounding the call for fair and unbiased service, and will seek the needed changes through any and all legal means at my disposal. You can expect to see me at commission meetings, and you can count on me to continue writing about the gross inequities within our county government.

Monday, January 23, 2017

Heretics on Display


I’m going out on a limb, but what the heck; here goes.

In no way shape or form can I be called a “Trumpbot”.  My first choice for the GOP nominee was Senator Cruz. I admire his adherence to the Constitution, his obvious intelligence, and grasp of the important issues facing America and the world. Is he perfect? No. Perfection is not humanly attainable. Would he make a good president? I believe so but that is background, and not what I wish to address.

I thought this election cycle would bring a chance for a new beginning as was experienced in 1854 with the birth of the Republican Party. Can you imagine the electricity in the air in Jackson Michigan when the fledgling Republicans held their first meeting since inception and thousands attended? No internet, no phones, no TV, no radio. Now that is magic; and that is what I wanted to happen this election cycle; a cleansing, a rebirth, a recommitment to core values. Well, it happened; just not the way I expected.

It was a movement of everyday Americans eager to put forth a more realistic and moralistic government who formed the Republican Party and brought about the changes needed to ensure civil rights and equal rights. The same people who made up the constituency of the new Republican Party in the 1850’s are the same as we find in the current conservative/populist movement; mostly good decent Americans seeking to make a better way for themselves and their families without infringing upon the rights of their neighbors, and without the government infringing upon them. The Republican Party was born of Americans seeking to carve out a fair and equitable existence for all, with a clear disdain for elitists. After all what could possibly be more elitist than pro-slavers?

It would be quite easy to find positions held by the new Republican administration that are worthy of criticism, but keep in mind that we are all human and very imperfect. What I am having difficulty with is the progressive wing of the Republican Party; those people who claim to be Republican while actively working to subvert our new Republican president. What has Trump done that so infuriates them? How is it possible that the party of Lincoln and Reagan can be so offended by the free exercise of our constitutional right to choose our leaders? I maintain that President Donald J Trump has shown incredible negotiating skill and has already been more presidential than Barak Obama in his entire eight years as president – and President Trump has just taken the oath of office.

As the Trump administration reasserts the exceptionalism of America, he may well also be heralding a new era of détente. I for one hope and pray that he succeeds. Since America is in need of serious rebuilding, I say let’s pitch in and give President Donald J Trump a hand.

Monday, January 16, 2017

A Good Start To The New Year


I was feeling quite anxious about my struggle to get the county transit department to make needed changes in operations. At times it felt that no progress was being made and the blow-back from some quarters was disheartening. However today is a new day; one that holds promise for the many local residents who have suffered the indignities of biased and prejudicial actions on the part of the transit department.

This morning when I logged on to the internet, a notification was waiting for me. It seems that someone saw one of my pieces and commented on it. Here is his comment: “I ride the bus a lot and I hope you can make some changes, most of my Ride's are bad”. That really got my day off to a great start. Knowing that my efforts are appreciated by those who most need an advocate is fantastic news and gave me a much needed boost.

Then I noticed that the transit page of the official county government website has the scheduled holiday hours listed for this year, and guess what? No four day holiday weekends. That is great news for the many county residents who have no other transportation options and will be able to better schedule errands and social outings.

Additionally, I saw this in the minutes of the last county commission meeting: “UNSCHEDULED PUBLIC COMMENT” “Chet Falkowski, citizen of Boyne City, discussed Charlevoix County Transit and read a document expressing his concerns”. I was somewhat bemused by that notation as the document I read was a call for the termination of the transit manager and the entire transit oversight board.

Calling for the termination of the transit department leadership was not something I wanted to do, nor is it something I take lightly; however, it was warranted due to their refusal to take corrective action. It seems more than a little interesting that it was mentioned in the official minutes as simply a document, with no mention of the call for termination, which is what the document is in its entirety.

The day after the commission meeting was the transit oversight board meeting. Being aware of the call for termination, it looks like they are now taking CYA actions like removing the official transit Facebook page, presumably to get rid of the incriminating posts made by transit management. Thankfully I captured many of them in advance.

The struggle continues, as much more action is needed on the part of county transit, but all in all, this year is off to a good start.

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Enough Is Enough

Time to End the Charade

WHEREAS Charlevoix County Transit is no longer focused on the needs of the community,

And

WHEREAS Charlevoix County Transit, under the management of Jill Drury, has placed the desires of visitors ahead of the needs of county residents,

And

WHEREAS Charlevoix County Transit has failed to provide safe, fair, and adequate service to county residents seeking transportation,

And

WHEREAS the Transit Oversight Board has made demonstrably false and misleading statements concerning distribution of service,

And

WHEREAS statements made by Jill Drury on the official transit Facebook page, in local media, and in person, show a pattern of neglect and disrespect for, and infringement of civil rights of, a large portion of transit riders,

And

WHEREAS Jill Drury and the Transit Oversight Board have repeatedly refused to work toward remediation of inequities,

And

WHEREAS these claims have been documented in my various articles, blog posts, complaints, and presentations to the Charlevoix County Board of Commissioners,

I do HEREBY call for the immediate termination of the Charlevoix County Transit Oversight Board, and Jill Drury, Charlevoix County Transit Manager.


Chet Falkowski

Saturday, January 7, 2017

On What Moral Ground Does Charlevoix County Government Stand?


The Charlevoix County Commission seems to feel that county government serves we the commissioners, not we the people, as evidenced by yet another deceitful and discriminatory stance.

"The stigma is that transit is only used by people who are low-income, handicapped and seniors.”… Jill Drury, manager of the Charlevoix County Transit System as quoted in The Petoskey News-Review.

That is perhaps the most unfair, biased, bigoted, defamatory, and discriminatory statement made by a county official in recent memory. The connotation is completely negative and in no way should it be allowed to stand.

The quote by Jill Drury further states: “That's not the case in Charlevoix County. We do a number of students with school of choice. And we have people using it to go back and forth to work, to visit loved ones, and more.”

Implicit in the words of Jill Drury, the manager of Charlevoix County Transit System, a department of county government, is the belief that low-income, handicapped and senior residents use the services of county transit for purposes other than going to work, school or vocational training, socializing, shopping, or other “normal” types of trips. It also implies that they are somehow not as worthy of the services of Charlevoix County government.

Jill Drury has been shown to be to be insulting, degrading and bigoted, but the ultimate responsibility for such abuse must fall upon the Charlevoix County Commissioners, individually and collectively. For any county commissioner to disregard the reprehensible words of Jill Drury would only exacerbate the situation and further expose Charlevoix County to legal action.

It is therefore imperative that the Charlevoix County Board of Commissioners take immediate action to condemn such abhorrent behavior by terminating Jill Drury and the entire Charlevoix County Transit Oversight Board.

Thursday, January 5, 2017

Puff Piece Propaganda Proudly Placed in Petoskey News-Review

What about objective journalism?

As one who uses Charlevoix County Transit, but is critical of management and distribution of service, I was eager to read the article by Matt Mikus of January 5, 2017 about public transportation. When I finished, my reaction was “Wow. Just. Wow.” I cannot recall a more flagrant puff piece for any government agency. Anywhere. Ever.

This article reeks of propaganda. Of spin. Of being totally one-sided. This is the type of piece usually utilized by community boosters and reserved for the opening of a new donut shop or specialty retailer. It lacks any semblance of objective journalism. My disappointment is so profound that I am left wondering about the motivation for such an article.

My experience with public transportation in Northern Michigan is limited to Charlevoix County Transit, so that is where my critique will be focused. As a disabled senior I rely on public transportation, and appreciate the service provided. However, when transportation service to medical appointments is terminated without notice, as was done with regard to travel to medical specialists in Traverse City, it presents undue hardships upon those who have come to rely on public transit to get needed medical care. Additionally, the options for shopping are very limited, and while we were provided with transportation to the major retailers in Emmet County, sadly, that too has been terminated.

With regard to those trips to Traverse City for medical care, the article states that Charlevoix County Transit manager, Jill Drury, said rides from Charlevoix County to Traverse City were phased out because of limits on staff and vehicles. I believe that to be inherently false. First, Charlevoix County Transit maintains two (2) vehicles specifically designated for medical trips. Second, the service was not phased out, but rather terminated without notice about the same time as weekend “bar hopping” service was implemented, and finally, my research indicates that the main staffing issue is not an inability to hire drivers, but an inability to retain them.

The quote attributed to Jill Drury, "The stigma is that transit is only used by people who are low-income, handicapped and seniors. That's not the case in Charlevoix County. We do a number of students with school of choice. And we have people using it to go back and forth to work, to visit loved ones, and more" seems to show an attempt to denigrate county residents who rely on public transit. Why would the adjectives, low-income, handicapped, and seniors be classified as stigma? The term has a completely negative connotation, and other than students, most riders, whether for work, personal visits, shopping, or other general trips, are indeed low-income, disabled, and/or seniors, and that is not a slight in any way, fashion or form. It is simply a statement of fact, and the reporter, Matt Mikus, should have challenged Jill Drury on the use of such a derogatory term to describe the county residents she is tasked with serving. Those county residents who public transit was intended to serve can in no way be considered “a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person,” as stigma is defined by Google.

I do not know of anyone who disapproves of more service hours, but to ignore the fact that much needed service was terminated to allow for the added hours shows a blatant neglect of those most vulnerable, and most in need of service. The position of Charlevoix County Transit is that weekend service subsidized by local bars is more crucial than service to medical care, and is illustrated by the addition of weekend evening hours at the expense of trips for medical appointments.

A quote from the article claims that Jill Drury “said her staff constantly reevaluates its ridership service, depending on resources and what riders are interested in”. I challenge that statement, as information has been repeatedly requested that would show the validity of statements such as that, but no such information was provided. Indeed, on at least one occasion Jill Drury stated that such statistics were not available. How then are the alleged transit staff evaluations conducted?

The article goes on to state that many of the riders complimented the professionalism of the service and the drivers. I wholeheartedly agree, the public transit drivers are quite professional, friendly and willing to assist riders whenever needed. That in no way negates the flaws in the priorities, delivery of service, or understanding of the needs of the community on the part of transit management.

Jill Drury listed Charlevoix County Transit as a tour agency on the official transit Facebook page. Yes. She did. And Matt Mikus states on his Facebook page that he is  proud of the article on public transit. Wow. Just. Wow.