It was rough watching the latest city commission meeting.

Rasor is a cancer to the our city.

The anger generated among the commissioners as a result of Capello's sudden introduction of an ethics pledge was palpable. I haven't seen this level of wrath at the table since Drinkwine used to go at it --all guns blazing -- with some of his colleagues. And while I think Capello's intensions were good, perhaps she didn't think through how her colleagues would feel when presented with this "insulting" oath.

I've dealt with Capello before and one thing you can be sure of - she did not have good intentions. Furthermore, the only thing she knows how to do is block progress. So, instead of getting any meaningful work done this 'ethics pledge' will be discussed ad nauseum and she will try to fashion herself the hero of this whole time wasting mess. This commissioner needs to go and we need more productive business people on the commission.

"...doth protest too much, methinks."

Aspersions aside...the simple business placed in front of our elected officials was to affirm the absence of any conflict of interest. UNBELIEVABLE that we would have elected officials bombastically claim IMMUNITY from the very ethics standards that are in place to protect our interests.

As a result of the apparent position of the majority of our elected officials, the only interests guaranteed protection are those of their own. This in the name of PROGRESS? This very approach has brought the City of Detroit to its knees and the former Mayor to his second trial.

Our city must grow and robustly. What is taking root now will destroy this city not further its growth. How is it possible for our staff to have confidence in our elected leadership when their intentions are to potentially further their own interests? This environment stifles open deliberation and lends itself to attracting developers who believe they can influence the city through "ATTORNEY CLIENT PROTECTED" relationships.

If our elected officials are unwilling to state clearly that they are free of potentially conflicting relationships regarding business in front of them they can go back to being private citizens. Leaders who will put our interests first should fill those seats.

It also speaks volumes that the first act was to attack the messenger. Poor form and bad show. It's time to put citizens first in Royal Oak that appears easier said than done.

Terry G so in your world, only business people who fear an ethics ordinance and will vote for anything as long as they are somehow profiting from it should be on the commission? Bring in the Feds. RO is in serious trouble with this attitude.

-Rasor started this latest fire by his unexcusable personal money grab on the parking lot scam. He put his personal financial gain in front of the city's. The city controled the two Fresard lots for the last two years, prior to Rasor trying to gain control.
-Capello has been put in the position to respond to Rasor's activities, because no one else on the commission will. And it deserves a response. Unfortunately, she mucked her attempt up preety badly. It came off as a grandstanding excercise.
Right intention. Bad delivery.
-Ellison hides from the tough issue as usual. When Royal Oak needs leadership, where is he on this issue? More than anyone, he should be mentoring Rasor on how to govern. He doesn't. Rasor is his boy. Why isn't he counseling Rasor, so that Rasor doesn't get himeslf (and the city) into these idiotic positions. If Ellison was leading. many of the Rasor problems could be minimized and mitigated.
-Fournier and Dubuc, members of Rasor's "dream Team" haven;t said "boo" about Rasor's parking lot scam. Why not? In fact, they said more in defense of Rasor at Monday's rotten city commission meeting. Sad.

continued

-Poulton's position is based on which way the wind is blowing. He has been voting identical with Rasor on many issues, especially bar expansions, but is trying to distance himself on the parking lot investigation. Completely useless.
-Goodwin. I didn't vote for her, but feel sorry for her, because she is surrounded by a bunch of useless colleagues on the city commission

This editorial on Rasor has summed it up best so far.

http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20120909/OPINION/209090324/What-Jim-Rasor-thinking-?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|South Oakland|s

Wow! The editorial puts the hammer down on Razor.

Thanks for providing the link Bill. :>)

Is anyone starting a Recall Rasor petition?

Brenden, while I agree that Rasor's ill-advised business transaction was nothing less than a 'money grab,' I take issue on some of your other points.

1. With Rasor's situation undergoing investigation, neither Capello, Ellison, or anyone else on the commission should be commenting about it. Wait until the investigation concludes before suggesting an ethics pledge and what not. I do agree, however, that a certain amount of grandstanding took place on Capello's part.
2. In my opinion, Ellison and the majority of the commissioners are honest, honorable people, who want to do a good job. And remember, they are essentially volunteers and being paid a pittance for an extraordinary amount of time they devote to the job.
3. Ellison is THE mayor, not the "mentor in-chief." He is not responsible for tutoring commissioners, particularly ones with strong opinions of themselves, if you know who I mean? And as I asserted earlier, Ellison should be making no comments about the Rasor affair until the investigation concludes.

Again, I believe that 95% of our commissioners are honest people, trying to do what's right for the city. It's a shame, however, that the acts of one member of the board can make all of them look bad.

The best thing for the city and residents is for Mr. Rasor to resign immediatley.

As a Royal Oak resident, I was embarassed after watching the replay of Monday nights city commission meeting.

Symes-- Thank you for your spot-on assessment—Having just viewed the meeting video I find Debuc and Rasor’s appalling comments and behavior to be extremely revealing—
Thank you Commissioner Capello for being a champion of transparency.

http://www.ci.royal-oak.mi.us/portal/meetings/city-commission/2012/09/10/city-commission-meeting

Royal Oak deserves better than this. Recall them all!

The fact that anyone has a problem with a pledge of ethics is enough for me. Rasor has been a cancer for too long. First the ZBA, then sleazy campaigning, tieing up the CC with his marijuana clients and now this.

This is serious folks.

JD It was Rasor who totally flipped not Pat Capello. On your posting of the Capello-Rasor agenda that you quoted did you notice the last bullet of their campaign promises : *Demand total transparency."
Now please re-itterate what is your problem now with Pat Capello? I occasionally have problems with her but they are not related to duplicity or dishonesty.

After reading that campaign lit, and her enthusiastic endorsement of Mr. Rasor, my problem with her would be her judgement. In politics, all one has is their reputation. One shouldn't endorse anyone, unless they are completely comfortable with the other person, and that person reputation.Rasor's rep wasn't stellar in 2009 (or prior).

Don't get me wrong, I'm pleased that Mrs. Capello is leading the charge on getting to the bottom of the Rasor business dealings. That is the primary issue. But, I also find it ironic and interesting, that it boils down to that she is now in the untenable situation of trying to abort someone that she helped give political birth to.

Mr. Wolf, I reject your premise that Mr. Rasor has somehow turned. He kas had a tarnished and sullied reputation prior to being elected in 2009. That is why he finished dead last the first time he ran for city commission. The only reason he barely gained a seat, finishing third in 2009, is because Capello generously offered her good name to his political mailing.

Also, both Capello and Rasor have failed miserably on the first two points. They have worsened respect and civility at meetings. They both lied about "stopping any attempts to raise taxes". Promise three is debatable. And Rasor absolutely fails point 4, and I'll hold opinion until the investigation results are in on Capello and transparency.

Why waste the city's money ($5,000.00) pursuing an investigation, everyone with a pure heart and mind KNOWS that Mr. Rasor and his PARKING LOT SCANANDAL is WRONG!!!! Please Mr. Rasor RESIGN so that the city can move on and save $5,000.00. If Mr. Rasor is found guilty he should have to reimburse the city $5,000.00

Does anyone know if the city(residents) financially gain from the ABE event? And this of course is after all the expenses are paid out. How much, financially goes to the city(residents) and where? This was the third year, if this years numbers are not in yet, what about the past two years? It seems that the ABE event waste a lot of the citys time such as DDA, Comissioners, etc. A good article for Patch to post. Thanks.

From listening to the ABE financial reports of over the past few years, the city typically breaks with this event. If I remember correctly, we came out slightly ahead in year one, but lost some money in year two, as a result of the bad weather. According to Don Johnson during last Monday's commission meeting, early reports show the city may have gained a bit this year. The final numbers will be available in about 3 or 4 weeks.

Financially, it may be a wash, but is this where the city should be expending their staff time, and employee time?

I would prefer that their time be spent maintaining neighborhoods instead of putting up barricades for streets, and erecting no parking signs for a festival that a private individual profits from.

DPW workers and police officers are burnt out after Dream Cruise week and ABE. They aren't burnt out from patroling, or maintaining our neighborhoods. That is where I think the city has the priorities for our community backwards.