“Unless you talk to the press (Brian’s response) not much we could do, unless we went to the press and slandered Brandon. Since we are elected officials, not much we can say in an official meeting. We will just keep making his life miserable… Back to the Ludington era, haha,” stated Stevensville Town Councilor Bob Michalson in an email to Councilor Robin Holcomb.
The “Brian” referred to is Town Attorney Brian West. The “Brandon” referred to is Mayor Brandon Dewey. The “Ludington” referred to is former mayor Paul Ludington. Dewey believes that the emails exchanged between Michalson and Holcomb are proof positive that the two council members are trying to drive him out of office.
At a council meeting on February 12, Councilor Bob Michalson took the gavel from Mayor Dewey and presided over an action that resulted in Dewey’s resignation from the Stevensville Volunteer Fire Department. Following that meeting Dewey made statements to the news media that he believed it was a “personal attack” against him and that some council members, under the influence of former mayor Jim Crews, were trying to force him out of office.
Two days later, on February 14, Holcomb emailed Michalson: “I would like to know how I go about filing a grievance against our Mayor? I am tired of his bullying.”
Michalson responded: “Can you call me when you get a chance. Because that makes two of us.”
The next day, on February 15, Michalson emailed Town Attorney Brian West with a complaint: “As you can see from fellow Council member Holcomb’s email below and my email with you regarding Mayor Dewey and my conversation yesterday, the following Council members would like to file a complaint against current Mayor Brandon Dewey.”
He names himself and councilors Robin Holcomb and Stacie Barker, stating, “We believe that our rights as council members doing our diligent duty as members representing the Town of Stevensville are being violated by Mayor Dewey through yesterday’s newspaper article and radio broadcast. We have made no statements to newspapers or radio stations.
“We believe these are intended to smear our credibility as council members due to our decision on the agenda item regarding the mayor Dewey’s removal from the Stevensville Fire Department and is a personal attack against us. We are elected officials of the Town of Stevensville and by putting us in public newspapers and a radio station is a violation of our right to do our elected duty as town officials.”
Town Attorney Brian West responded on February 22: “The action taken by the Council was, apparently, newsworthy and public decisions are subject to reporting on. I have to disagree with the statement that it is in any way a violation of anyone’s rights that Brandon responded to an interview. Each of the councilmembers is a public figure, as is the mayor. If you feel that either news outlet has incorrectly quoted you or the council, or misinterpreted actions taken by the Council, you will have to address those concerns to the reporters who filed the stories. Beyond my brief discussion of public censure with regards to Brandon’s actions, there is no mechanism in state law or Stevensville ordinance to file a formal complaint against the Mayor. In your respective capacities as elected officials, you are not serving as employees. Exclusive of veto power, Brandon does not have any supervision authority over your actions and the reverse is true. The power granted to the Council by ordinance (2-119) only extends to removal of non-elected officers.”
On February 26, Holcomb emails Michalson: “Anyway will you be saying anything at tonight’s meeting?? Can we say something to defend ourselves?? I want to make sure before I say anything tonight.”
That’s when Michalson responded: “Unless you talk to the press (Brian’s response) not much we could do, unless we went to the press and slandered Brandon. Since we are elected officials, not much we can say in an official meeting. We will just keep making his life miserable… Back to the Ludington era, haha.”
Neither Holcomb, Michalson or Barker mentioned anything concerning the complaint at the next Council meeting on March 12. But Michalson did read a letter which he said “wasn’t personal” but which rebuked the Mayor for talking to the media about the upcoming 3rd Street resurfacing project.
In the letter, he notes that $100,000 was placed in the budget for the project, but states that the job was not approved and that there is not now a Council plan to do so.