Some very greedy people want to cost YOU money on election day November 3rd, 2020.

The Proposed Charter amendment to remove the City Manager by term limits is being peddled by Council Member Gabe Costanzo for Costanzo’s personal gain and his revenge agenda. Costanzo wants to remove the City Manager and breach his contract with the city knowing there will be a tremendous and unnecessary cost to the taxpayers. If the ballot question passes as a charter amendment the City Manager will receive over three-quarters of a million dollars ($750,000) in compensation from the taxpayers of the City of Walled Lake and not have to work or complete his term of employment. (This is an unacceptable golden parachute.)

Council Member Costanzo places this tax burden on the homeowners to pay the cost of this golden parachute to the City Manager because the manager is in the way of the corrupt plan and scheme of Costanzo and his team of failed council candidates to turn the town over to the corporate marijuana industry.

Council Member Costanzo’s proposal to remove the manager at any cost is also motivated by Costanzo’ desire for revenge. This retaliation from Costanzo against the City Manager is covertly designed to subvert the will of the Walled Lake voters. Last year the residents of Walled Lake soundly rejected another one of the industries’ proposed charter amendments that would have allowed no less than 8 “additional marijuana dispensaries” in our beautiful town and would have been just the beginning.

City Manager Whitt lead the fight against the dark money from the out of state corporate weed barons and is still in the way of Costanzo’s love affair with the unlicensed marijuana dispensaries.  Costanzo’s proposed charter amendments term limiting his political opponents are underhanded attempts to eliminate opposition to approval of dozens of additional marijuana stores citywide.

Why is Council Member Costanzo pushing his Proposed Charter Amendment when he knows it will cost the taxpay so much money? GREED pure and simple!

The November 3rd ballot will have the Proposed Charter Amendment which was initiated by Council Member Costanzo and circulated by him and his marijuana bought team as a way to seize control of our City. This proposal would remove the City manager with over four years left on his term of office and force the City’s taxpayers to fund the Costanzo follies by paying over 4 years of remaining salary to the city manager because of the manager’s employment contract.

A City Manager is hired by and works directly for the City Council. Facing bankruptcy if expenses were not reduced, this city manager was hired because of his education and city management experience to get the city’s finance under control. The Mayor and Council hired a qualified manager who could take on six additional position previously held by officials making six figures. When this manager departs with that golden parachute, the city will have to employ 6 additional high paid employees. Of course, the plan already in place is to hire Costanzo’s minions at six figures a pop. All this at an additional cost to YOU the taxpayer.  Thanks Gabe!

Voting YES on the Proposed Charter Amendment is a ballot question that will cost WALLED LAKE TAXPAYERS (YOU) over $2 million dollars, deplete city funds, raise your taxes and return the city to the path to bankruptcy.

Read more about this Charter Amendment in The Spinal Column

“I would like to remind the voters that the charter amendment will charge voters at least three-quarters of a million [dollars], plus city manager’s salary, as well as finding personnel to handle the roles of public safety, public works and DDA director positions, hiring a labor attorney at roughly $300-$400 per hour and another three-quarters of a million in salaries now covered by the attorney and city manager. This is nothing more than revenge.”

- Council Member John Owsinek

I also agree that this is revenge, and I, for one, do not like spending money on services we aren’t going to be receiving.

- Council Member Tamra Loch

“People are trying to do what they couldn’t do by the election results. He (City Manager Whitt) keeps this city functioning.”

- Mayor Linda Ackley

To all concerned residents, (From Bennett Lubin, Walled Lake Councilperson)

Please vote NO on the Walled Lake City Charter Amendment Proposal on November 3rd imposing 10-year term limits on our city manager.

The group that supports this amendment not only wants to remove our city manager this year but also has another amendment on next November’s ballot to term limit current council members. These amendments are supported financially by the group that wants unlimited marijuana dispensaries in Walled Lake.

Because of decisions City Manager Dennis Whitt has made, along with current council, the city of Walled Lake has saved, and continues to save, over $1 million/year, which has brought us to a place of financial stability. City services are better than ever, our departments all get along beautifully (which wasn’t always the case), we have new equipment throughout our departments, and major projects have been completed without borrowing money. Whitt is endorsed by the police, fire, public works and administration departments.

Whitt’s expertise in labor contract negotiations enabled us to release our Special Labor Contract Attorney, who’d been directly responsible for contract negotiations resulting in overstaffing and unnecessary pension debt. Whitt assumed all responsibilities of this position, saving the city over $125,000/year, which will continue to be saved with Whitt as our city manager. In addition to the duties of Labor Attorney, he holds the positions of Head of the Department of Public Works and City Manager. Both of these positions, prior to his arrival, paid over $110,000/year each, plus benefits. A vote of NO will prevent a huge payout per his city manager contract (over $750,000) and hiring of 2-3 individuals to replace him.

Whitt has 4 master’s degrees and extensive experience. In 1994, he earned $132,000 per year at another city. The money he’s saved our city, which is on record, greatly outweighs the complaints that he is overpaid. It doesn’t matter how many residents are in a city, qualified professionals still require adequate pay EVERYWHERE. You get what you pay for, and we have seen that with Dennis Whitt.

Again, vote NO on the Walled Lake Charter Amendment Proposal on November 3rd.