Hamtramck Star

Gordon, as a councilperson not running for office, encouraged citizens to get out and vote next Tuesday. Algazali invited people to participate in Halloween, wishing them happiness and safety.

Majewski said she was making a preliminary announcement about a civic engagement initiative that she learned about at the MML conference.

Alec Masure, Stackpoole and Majewski's intern, said that they attended a talk at the conference about the problems of economic decline, budget shortfalls and service cuts, and that they were launching this "grassroots" initiative. They have invited speakers from Kalamazoo College for an event in November.

Majewski said there will be a rally Saturday at the post office to support keeping it open.

Gordon said that the police department is looking for volunteers to patrol the city on Angels Night. People will gather at People's Community Services where food and beverages will be available for volunteers.

No one spoke during public comment. All voted for the consent agenda. The city manager had no report.

Public comment

Bill Meyer read the following statement:

I’m going to address the issue of communications again.
The Dark Ages lasted roughly between the 4th to the 8th century. I often think about those poor folks who were born, lived and died through that time period. They never saw the Enlightenment, Reason and Justice. They thought that was the only way the world could be.
I’ve lived through the Dark Ages of Hamtramck, so to say. My wife, daughter and family moved here about the time of the rise of TEAM ZYCH and the government has been dominated by political infighting and divisiveness ever since. I’m waiting for the Enlightenment.

As chair of the Human Relations Commission, I suggested our first public forum, which was to find ways to overcome the language and political barriers in the city, and I was referring specifically to the destructive nature caused by these political camps and a small few politicians to be specific. But we got no support from those small few politicians who continued to divide the city in an attempt to play power politics to get elected.

In the entire 5 years I was involved with the HHRC as chair, it was very seldom that we heard from these politicians who seemed more interested in opposing our work. In the last 3 years, Scott Klein and Karen Majewski have not attended one meeting, nor asked us in any way for any help. As a matter of fact, when Klein wrote the Natural Rights Ordinance that he had hoped would pass without inspection, and the citizens rose up against his tactics, I went to a Hamtramck United meeting to offer help on ways to bring the community together on a consensus. Instead the mayor angrily shouted at me, “We don’t WANT your help, and we don’t NEED your help.” And that’s to the chair of the HHRC that she appointed.

(Karen Majewski interjects here: “Excuse me, but I did not yell at you, and I didn’t use those terms.” I responded: “Yes you did. Fortunately, I DO have a recording of that, so I will be glad to show it to you.” Majewski: “I would be very interested, because that is a complete fabrication. Go on.” Meyer: “It is totally NOT a ‘complete fabrication.’ I have witnesses who were at that meeting.” Majewski: “Go on.”)

(NOTE: I am very careful when I speak in public, especially when I have written notes. Everything I have written can be confirmed. This is exactly WHY I carry a recorder with me on those occasions when things will be said that will be denied, or my statements might be misconstrued. There IS a recording of that meeting with Karen saying those EXACT words. As a matter of fact, right AFTER the meeting I made a point several times to reenact what she said and how she said it, to several people who were at that meeting, without any challenges to my reenactment. Scott Klein was sitting RIGHT NEXT to Karen when she yelled at me across the circle sitting outside in the backyard of Café 1923. Richard Sparks sat on her other side and chaired the meeting. HE confirmed in the past she said that. I WILL give Karen the benefit of the doubt though, that she could very easily have forgotten what she said considering the many meetings she attends, and besides why would she want to remember that anyways?)

There are many things the mayor keeps out of her glorified State of the City address, which makes everything sound rosy and all her work positive. And (her statements) are reported faithfully in the Hamtramck Review, without criticism or questioning. For example (of things left out):

• the loss of one business after another. Radio Shack, Shoppers World, Thai restaurant, Detroit Edison… I mean we see what’s happening on Jos. Campau.
• the way this administration furthered the division among ethnic groups and religions. The callous manner in which Klein forced the Natural Rights Ordinance on the community without community involvement or discussion created an atmosphere of divisiveness that is still being felt severely; this administration has lost the support and input from major segments of the Bangladesh and Arab communities because of that.

Most of the Muslim community and other reasoned citizens in this city are turned off by the blatantly divisive, uninformed and hateful writings published in John Ulaj’s new newspaper.
The August primary election ‘baffled and disheartened’ the longtime editor, Charles Sercombe, an uncritical supporter of Majewski and her slate, who wrote in one editorial that “this points to a disturbing future,” describing the winners as “three unknown candidates,” and implied that “the Bangladesh community voted solely on ethnic and religious lines without care to the candidates qualifications.” At the beginning of the campaign, Sercombe warned about “the growing Muslim presence in local politics,” with a picture of Kazi Miah and a caption stating that the increased Bangladeshi presence in politics “has some folks concerned about the direction of the city.” In the recent issue, Sercombe continued his appeal to the voters proclaiming, “it’s an insult to common sense that voters would even consider…Abdul Algazali.” Who’s common sense? The news editor that knew nothing about the THREE top vote getters?! Or the voting public who gave the largest victory ever in a primary to a Bangladeshi Muslim?

And the Review is planning to decorate our doorsteps this weekend with a ‘totally impartial and fair representation of all that’s going on in this city.’ I can’t wait to read it to find out who they’re going to endorse for mayor and council. As if the last two issues weren’t blatant enough.

THIS COMMUNITY IS KEPT IN THE DARK ABOUT MANY (IMPORTANT) THINGS because the Review, which is one editor writing his (own) political opinions that should have no more weight that any one else’s, is a newspaper in the pocket of the Slate that writes only the news THEY see fit to print:

•Where’s the articles about the back room dealings between slate members who often spring ordinances and resolutions on an unaware public?
•Where’s the interview with former City Manager Don Crawford on why he was removed from office?
•Where’s the article on how the mayor and the Slate screwed up the Aldi project?
•Where’s the article on how the Review got rid of former publisher Mike Wilcox? An interview with MW would really be interesting.
•Where’s the article on the illegal funding for Scott Klein’s campaign?
•Where’s the positive words about groups that have been trying to bring the community together, like the NAACP, which the Slate has been boycotting. It only receives negative press in the newspaper. And you might have known that Rep. Conyers scolded Charles Sercombe, who was at that meeting, for his incendiary article that scared people away from the meeting, and that included a quote from Scott Klein as threatening to ‘hijack’ the public meeting that was organized to bring the community together.

The job of the mayor is not complicated. The City Charter that was written in 2005 lists 4 basic tasks, one of which is to chair this meeting. You have to know Roberts Rules, and it would be nice if you were polite and fair. Our current mayor knew very little when she first started office. The Charter gave most of the power to the City Manager. It’s a ‘weak mayor’ role, if you remember correctly.

I look for the time when we have a mayor and council that’s free of this political slate mentality that uses political power to push personal agendas. I look for a council and a mayor who will focus on bringing ALL groups in the city together to find consensus and involvement, and to solve the urgent problems that this city will certainly be facing VERY SOON. It takes a SPECIAL person. Thank you.

Bob Zwolak looks at the fund warrant list and payroll regularly, and the charter states that no funds are to be spent that haven't been budgeted. Many expenses are made and paid, and the council is following a pattern of spending right before the election. If they continue to spend without considering cutbacks, they should notify employees because they should have warning before there are layoffs. Deficits are projected for this year and next, and the spending continues. He understands how conflicts in the Balkans have happened because it is happening here. Zwolak doesn't know how we will mend the bridges that have been destroyed this year, and is ashamed of a couple people on the council.

Zwolak was not involved in the derogatory letter that went out to voters. He stated the things that he didn't like while he was a candidate, and he wouldn't want to jeopardize the school board election.

Attendees were told that there would be no vote taken after the closed session. No specific case was named.