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Health & Fitness

When Supervisor Reaume Finally Calls, Jail Is A Real Probability

Well it appears that I have gone too far this time.  It appears that I made one too many calls to the Plymouth Township Board of Trustees.  I have been threatened with jail by Supervisor Richard Reaume.Ouch.  

Does he not know that I am a fellow Republican?  Would a Republican really threaten another fellow Republican with jail?  Heck no!  

Mr. Reaume is not a Republican though.  He just calls himself one at election time.

So here's the deal.  I have been working on a blog, about events at the last Plymouth Township Board of Trustees meeting.  I have already written about conservative Republicans who supported the foursome of Reaume, Edwards, Conzelman, and Arnold, only to end up being extremely disillusioned about the sudden spending spree by this Board of Trustees.  

But there is another story here.

Mr. Duane Zantop also mentioned that he was very mad about the fact that when he calls these folks up, looking for answers, they never answer the phone, and they never return his calls.  

He stated that they now treat him as an inconvenience.  They cashed his campaign checks, but now that the election is over, and he has a couple questions, he is an inconvenience.  He is to be avoided at all costs, and that includes avoiding his phone calls.

Well hallelujah!  I couldn't agree more with Mr. Zantop's assessment!  Mr. Ron Edwards has never returned one message I have ever left for him.  Not one call ever.  Nancy Conzelman has never answered one call, never returned one call I have ever made to the Clerks Office.  Same story with Kay Arnold.  

With this in mind, I selected a meaningful song that readers could listen to in the background while reading.  I thought it would be a fun thing.  A theme song for a blog about unanswered phone calls.  Anybody wanna guess the song?

I chose this song.  

Up until just this last week, Mr. Richard Reaume has only returned one call I have ever made to him.  That was actually the first call I ever made to his office, and it was about Ron Edward's 911 Emergency Line meltdown that Channel 7 news covered.  Reaume tried to explain away this embarrassment with his customary politispeak, and well, it didn't sit too well with me, but we ended the call cordially, as I gave him the benefit of the doubt at the time, and decided to do some homework on the man.

We all know how that turned out.  It turned out that  his claim of being a Republican was dubious at best, and it turned out that Ron Edwards had a lot more issues than just threatening the Plymouth Township Police officers.

I could go on and on, but back to the whole phone call thing.

When Mr. Zantop raised the issue of not returning phone calls, Mr. Reaume self righteously stated that he returns all phone calls within 24 hours.  What?  I couldn't believe my ears.  I must have heard that one wrong, because I thought that I heard Mr. Reaume say that he  returns all calls within 24 hours.  I stopped the recording, and went back just to make sure.  Sure as h e double hockey sticks, Mr. Reaume  did in fact state unequivically that he returns all calls within 24 hours.  

I knew one thing for sure.  This was a lie.  He sat there in front of the residents of Plymouth Township and lied right to our collective faces.  Bold faced lie.  A whopper.

How do I know this?  Well after my first conversation with Mr. Reaume, he never returned another call I have ever made to him.  In fact, the only times I am ever able to talk to him is when I trick my way past his secretary, and surprise him with my sunshiny voice.

While I have always loved these conversations, he treats them as he would a root canal.  My favorite conversation with him was when he got busted stealing campaign signs a few days before the last election.  In all the confusion, I was patched right through to him by his secretary.  I am not sure if that was before or after Julie Banovic of Channel 7 news contacted him for the embarrassing story.  

Click here for the link.

Note to Mr. Reaume:  In the interests of full disclosure, I was the one who contacted her, and told her exactly how to contact you at that phone number.  Sorry fella, but I don't like impostor Republicans embarrassing my party.  I also find it hilarious that you chastise me for my behavior, when you are out stealing folk's campaign signs.

Mr. Reaume actually told me that he also stole another sign from one of the propositions too. He stated it as if that somehow made what he did to the other candidate okay.  He was actually trying to get me to buy into that twisted logic.  Equal opportunity theft.  Or something like that.  He was basically grasping at straws at that point, and I was offering no sympathy.

So anyway, I guess that I am the bad guy.  I call and leave angry messages.  Apparently that is way worse than running around town on taxpayer time, using taxpayer gas, and stealing the campaign signs of your opponents.  Sorry. That don't wash with me.

So anyhow, it was shocking to me when King Richie actually returned my phone call the other day.  I called to challenge him on his statement about returning calls within 24 hours.  He started the conversation by acting really arrogant, and I told him as much.  It's not that I really minded too much, because truth be told, I am pretty abrasive towards him when he insults my intelligence, but he's a guy who always lectures me about how I treat him so disrespectfully, so I wanted to let him know that respect goes both ways.

I communicated to him that I knew he was lying at the meeting, and he replied that he has taken my calls in the past.  I replied by informing him that the only time he takes my calls is when I manage to trick my way past his secretary, which to her credit, is quite a challenge.  I continued by reminding him that he has refused to return every single call but one, up until that day.  So that made him a liar.  He basically admitted to me that his statement may not have been completely factual as far as I was concerned.  I said, "Mr. Reaume, you lied."  He didn't deny it.

Mr. Zantop?  The Plymouth Township Supervisor lied to you, and every other person watching that meeting.  He owes you an apology.  Good luck with that one.

I took the opportunity to ask a few more questions.  I asked why they are spending 2 million dollars on air conditioned pavilions and amphitheaters when we have only 4 firefighters on duty. He answered by reciting the qualifications of a firefighter.  I tried to press him for a real answer, and he told me that he had given me ten minutes of his time, and we were done.   I told him to have a nice day, and we hung up.  I didn't mean the last part, but I said it anyway.  I almost threw up, but I said it.

This brings us to today.  I decided to make some calls to the Township Hall to see what kind of response I would get.  I wanted to test Mr. Zantop's statement.  To be fair, I tried every department, except for the Police & Fire, as they have better things to do than answer a call from me.

I did this to be fair, and so nobody at the various departments could dispute my findings.  When you call the main number at the Township Hall it gives you a menu to choose from.

Lets take them in order:

#1. Public Service: Trash, Water & Sewer.  No answer. Went to voicemail.  I didn't waste their time by leaving a message, so I can not honestly say that they didn't call me back.  Suffice it to say that they did not answer their phone.

#2.  Treasurer: Tax Information:  No answer. Went to voicemail.  Left a message.  No return call.

#3. Clerks Office & general information:  No answer.  Left a message.  No return call.

#4.  Assessing Department:  I received an answer here.  Finally, I was able to contact a human being at the township hall!  Having had a question about grant money, I asked for Jana Radke's number, and was given it, as well as being put through to her direct line.  I got voice mail, and related the nature of my question and left my number.  My message was polite.  I have received no response.  I will say that Tracy, at the Assessors office was very polite and helpful.

#5.  Building Department:  No answer.  Went to voicemail.  I did not leave a message, so as not to waste their time.  See #1.

#6:  Police Business line.  I did not call them, as I would not want to waste police time for any reason.  They have enough on their hands, and should not have to waste their time on me.  They get a pass.

#7:  Fire Department Business line.  The same goes for the Fire Department as the Police department.  I am not going to waste their time.

#8:  Supervisor's Office:  Called and left a message.  Mr. Reaume returned my call, and was again, very condescending, and he of course threatened me with police and legal action.  I will get to the meat of our conversation in a minute.

#9:  Computer Service:  No answer.  Went to voicemail. I did not leave a message. See #1

Let's review.  It was a pain in the butt to do this, but I thought it only fair.  In all the time it took, I was only able to get one person to answer a phone, and it was the assessors office.  Kind of ironic if you ask me.  The assessors office.  Taxes.  Money coming in.  Priorities.

I only got one call back from the big three, and that was from Mr. Reaume today.  Holy moly!  Two return calls in less than a week!  I love this new 24 hour return call statement that our fearless Supervisor made!

I have left several messages for Nancy Conzelman as well as Deputy Clerk, Michelle Lozier, in the days since the meeting, but not one response.  The messages I left were looking for comments on the accusations made by several people that they both verbally attacked a Plymouth Township resident after the meeting.  My messages were possibly condescending, but the only threat I made was to call the local news media and tip them off on the story.  Never a physical threat, or anything like that.

I left a message for Mr. Ron Edwards as well.  I have left many messages for him over the last year or so.  I have left many angry messages for him too.  I'm not gonna lie, I have left some doozies when he has ticked me off with his nasty tactics.  He is not a nice human being.  He has done some terrible things to people, and I have left the man some angry messages.  One thing I have never done to him is physically threaten him.  I have threatened to expose his bad behavior.  I have called him bad names.  Every one of which he deserved in my opinion, but I have never threatened him.  I hear that he runs around town saying that I am crazy, and that I stalk him, which is not only a lie, but quite funny coming from a guy who tried to beat the daylights out of our former Plymouth Township Clerk.  Didn't hear about that?  

Click here for the news story.

So now we get to Mr. Reaume.  Yes I left a message for him.  It was a polite message.  Well, it was as polite as I can possibly be.  I simply asked him about a trip that he, Nancy Conzelman, and Ron Edwards made to the Grand Traverse Bay Resort for a seminar.  Seminar is a Richard Reaume code word for taxpayer paid weekend of fun in the sun at a Gold Coast Resort.

Anybody notice the golden tan he was sporting at the last Board of Trustees meeting?

I simply asked in my message, who went, and how much did it cost the taxpayers for this trip.  Apparently, I struck a nerve.  I struck a very big nerve.  I know I struck a nerve because it took him less than an hour to return my call.  Less than an hour, and he was in a very threatening mood.  

The first thing he asked me was if I considered myself a journalist, or some kind of a rent-a-journalist.  Really?

This is exactly what those liberals at MSNBC try to say to folks like Michelle Malkin and other conservative bloggers, and writers who sometimes contribute to Fox News.  Liberals who cannot argue a point with logic, accuse conservatives of being faux journalists to try to tear them down.  This is exactly the tactic Reaume used with me.

Well Mr. Reaume, I am nothing but a pissant blogger.  I am also a resident, and taxpayer of Plymouth Township though, and you are paid to serve me.  Never forget that.  If I don't like the job you are doing for me, I am going to tell you that, and tell it to you in no uncertain terms.  

You may be wealthier than me, you may have a fancy house, a fancier car, a six figure salary, and a high priced degree.  You may have, and be all of that, but you have no right to call me a liar, which you did in our conversation today.  You have no right to treat me in the condescending fashion that you treated me today, and above all else, you have no right to lie to the people of Plymouth Township.  I'll give him credit for one thing.  He took back the liar accusation, and apologized for it.  Smart move on his part, as I never say anything to him without proof to back it up.

So Mr. Reaume?  You do not return all calls within 24 hours.  You do not even return all calls.  You only return the calls you want to return.  That my friends, is much closer to the truth.  Mr. Reaume, you lied at the Plymouth Township Board of Trustees meeting on the 20th of August.  You lied at a public meeting for all to see, and you admitted that lie when we spoke on the phone, so I would suggest that you stop acting all high and mighty when we speak.    

So now we get to the part where the Rino (Republican In Name Only) Richard Reaume threatens me.  

Hold it!  Rino Richie?  Lionel Ritchie?  Rino Richie!  Ha!  I have a new nickname for our fearless leader!  Rino Richie!

So anyway, Rino Richie returns my call today, not to discuss the Grand Traverse boondoggle, but rather to poke fun at me for my journalistic skills, or in his opinion, lack of said skills, and to inform me that he has turned over all of my messages and calls to the police.  He told me that this is now a police matter, because I am calling everybody and threatening them.  He further informed me that he has also referred the matter to the Plymouth Township legal counsel.

It seems that I have to change the theme song.  Care to guess what the new theme song for my blog is?  

Click here for the new theme song.

Well, once I got done laughing, I asked if said legal counsel would be Mr. Tim Cronin.  Because if it is Tim Cronin, he will most certainly have great motivation to hang my sorry butt from the highest tree in Plymouth Township.  You see, a couple months ago, I exposed Mr. Cronin in a bit of an ethical faux pas.  It seems that Tim "The Toolman" Cronin was moonlighting.  It seems that he was representing the township in a zoning matter for a property that was to be sold to a certain charter school.  The problem?  He was double dipping.  I found out that he was legal counsel for that certain charter school.  YIKES!  The end result of all of this is that he "chose" to resign his paid position for the charter school after I made this information public.  

Gee, for a pissant blogger, I'm pretty good at ferreting out the facts aren't I Rino?

So let me get this straight.  Supervisor Reaume is sick of me calling, and making mean with him and his stooges, so he calls the police, and refers my case to a lawyer who has an ax to grind with me.

Is it too late to say that I am sorry Tim?  Oh heck, who am I kidding?  I'm not sorry.  The dude was obviously gaming the system, or he would not have resigned his position.  Right?  If he had the ethical high ground, why would he give up that money?  He resigned within days of my pissant blog.

Getting back to our conversation, I asked Rino Richie if he really thought it was wise to threaten me with jail, as I would be glad fight that battle with him.  I've got a whole lot less to lose in a public pissing contest than he does.  You wanna throw me in jail, go right ahead.  I'll survive.  I'll not only survive, but I'll eventually get out.  And when I get out, I will not double my efforts, I'll damn well triple my efforts to expose your lies, your cronyism, and your hypocrisy.  Your call Reaume.

Look, I'll be the first to admit that I am not a perfect person.  I have many warts and flaws.  I have lived a rather colorful life, and that is putting it kindly.  I have personally exposed many of my flaws for all to see.  The thing is, I am not the one asking for the public's trust.  I am not the one taking the public's money.  I'm just a pissant blogger.  Whatever I have done in my life, does not change your truth Mr. Reaume.  You still lied.  You still cheated.  And yes Mr. Reaume, you still stole.  Remember the campaign signs? 

Do I leave angry messages when these clowns do their dirty dealing?  Hell yeah I do!  They won't answer a phone, won't return a call.  They hide out inside their offices. People get pissed. They get ticked off at their bunker mentality.  People get ticked off when they sit up on their thrones at the meetings, and talk down to those residents who have the temerity to question their decisions.

That group of angry people is growing too.  That group is growing, and they are Republicans too.  Good Republicans are coming out of the woodwork, and making their displeasure known.  Good Republicans are finally seeing these people for who they really are.  Good Republicans are vindicating the words I have been writing for over a year.  The truth is catching up with Mr. Reaume, Mr. Edwards, Ms. Conzelman, and Mrs. Arnold.

Maybe that is why Reaume & The Gang are coming after me with their own personal police department, and their high priced lawyer.  Maybe by my exposing their dirty deeds, they are starting to feel some heat from their voting base, and they need to shut me up.    

I get in their faces demanding truth, and they don't like it.  I am not above calling their personal phones when they won't answer the phones we taxpayers pay for, and they most definitely do not like that.  The thing is, I have never called a number that wasn't publicly available.  Trustees phone numbers are listed in their biography on the Plymouth Township web site.  If they don't want a call at home, then they shouldn't put the gosh darn number on the web site for all to see.  It's their choice.  When you put your phone number on a public web site, that leads me to believe that you don't mind me calling that number.  

Not all of the elected officials are that way though.  Mr. Chuck Curmi has never failed to take my call, or return it if he couldn't take it right away.  The man is always honest with me irregardless of the questions.  Sometimes I like his answer, sometimes I don't, but always I respect him because he treats me with respect, and he is straightforward and honest.  

Respect begets respect.  Condescension just makes me mad.    

So do I make calls?  Yes.  Do I leave angry messages at times?  Yes.  Not every time, but guess what folks?  You ran for the office, you gladly accept the money and benefits, so you better be ready to suck it up buttercup, and deal with the people who pay your salary!  We're not all gonna be happy. 

Going back to the subject of our elected officials returning phone calls.  I did as I always do, I try to compare Plymouth Township with our neighboring communities.  Who knows?  Maybe it's the same way with Livonia, Canton, and Northville?  Maybe you can't get them on the phone either?  Seeing as how this is the Plymouth-Canton Patch, I chose to try Canton first.

I called the main number.  I listened to the menu, and pressed the proper button for the extension for the Treasurer's Office.  The phone was answered on the first ring.  It was not answered by the treasurer's secretary though.  The phone call was answered by the Canton Township Treasurer.  The first ring.  In person.  Are you reading this Ron Edwards?  

How many citizens does Canton Township have, and how many does Plymouth Township have?  Don't tell me you are too busy to answer the phone Mr. Edwards.  Do not try to blow that smoke up our butts.  Just answer your damn phone!

Shortly after my call to Canton, was when Rino Richie called and gave me the bad news about jail.  At that point, I gave up on the rest of my calls.  I needed to find some comfortable clothes and clean underwear just in case a black and white showed up with a warrant and the cuffs.

Does the clean underwear rule apply to jail too?  A quick call to my Mom confirmed that yes, the clean underwear rule applies to jail as well.  Now my Mom is gunning for Mr. Reaume too.  Truth be told, if I was Richie Reaume, I'd be more afraid of her than me.  

Look, I am actually taking this seriously.  The odds are not in my favor.  Reaume and Edwards control the police, and anybody who does not believe that, only need listen to that 911 call Mr. Edwards made when he felt like he wasn't getting out of the fireworks quick enough.  He threatened the police, and made no apologies for it.  So if these two want me in jail, I'm as good as gone.  Clink City.  They got the high priced lawyer with an ax to grind, and they control the police.   

Link to Edwards 911 call.

While I have no fancy lawyer, and couldn't afford one even if I did, I am not without a few cards up my sleeve.  I know some inconvenient truths about some of these folks, and no matter how this shakes out, the one thing these folks can never run from is their truth.  There will be political collateral damage to be cleaned up, and I am not above going all scorched earth on them.  

Who knows?  I already have another blog ready to go.  Maybe, I'll pull a Houdini, and post a blog while sitting in the pokey.  I wonder how that would affect my treatment? I wonder if I could quickly train my faithful dog Deucey to hit the send button on a blog if needed.  The Deuce is a smart dog, and a quick learner.  hmm  Maybe I'll call it my jailhouse blog.  Care to guess the theme song for that blog?

It would have to be this!  Click here for jailhouse blog theme.

Look, here's the deal.  Some folks may not like my tactics.  I can tend to get in people's faces, but the thing I came to learn, is that seems to be the only way to get their attention.  The only way I got Rino Richie to call me so that I could ask him the questions that needed to be answered, was to hound him unmercifully until he finally got mad and called me.  

I didn't think he was gonna get jail mad.  I didn't think he was gonna lawyer up, but that's not the point.  The point is that his way, is no way to run a township.  What kind of leadership is that?  What kind of transparency is that?

I never thought I'd say this, but at least he had the stones to call me, even if was only to gloat about fingering me to the police.  Turns out that he has bigger stones than Ron Edwards.  Yikes!  Who woulda ever thunk that?  

Remember one thing though.  These people fight every bit as dirty as I do.  They have called me horrible things.  They gloated unmercifully when they won their election.  The only difference is that they do it while hiding behind phony names.  At least I have the testicular fortitude to take accountability for my words.  I sign my REAL name to my words, and let the chips fall where they fall.

I've written more stories about these people than I can count on my hands and feet, and not once have they ever been able to deny a single thing I have written.  Not once.  Not bad for a pissant blogger.  It drives them nuts too, and that is what will give me great peace should they choose to go down the path that Rino Richie has threatened me with.  

In the end, I found that Mr. Zantop's words were mostly correct.  Once they used him to accomplish their political goals, they threw him to the curb like yesterdays trash.

Everybody always says that you can't fight city hall, but in our case, here in Plymouth Township,  folks can't even get in touch with them...

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