Augusta Township voters reject recall of township Clerk Kathy Giszczak
Augusta Township voters rejected a recall of township Clerk Kathy Giszczak on Tuesday.
Unofficial results on Washtenaw County's elections website show the effort was defeated by a margin of 606 to 202.
After the results were in, Giszczak called for the three board members who voted against her to set aside personality differences. She said progress on township business has been significantly slowed during recent months because of the recall effort.
“I’m very happy that people came out and voted, and voted for us to keep doing the good work that we're doing,” she said. “We’ve lost a lot of time because several board members were supporting this, and we couldn’t do township business.”
Trustee Mike King, Supervisor Pete Hafler and Trustee Dan Lula supported the recall effort. King said he was surprised and disappointed by the results.
“I’m not sure how we resolve the issues, quite honestly,” he said. “You still have a clerk who is difficult, at best, to work with at the board level. We have to deal with deception and mistrust, so I’m not sure how we contend with that. It won’t get easier by any means.”
The special election was run by Washtenaw County Clerk Larry Kestenbaum and cost the township roughly $6,000. Giszczak has been township clerk since 2004 and was most recently re-elected in 2008. Another recall effort against her failed in 2006.
The recall language submitted by Augusta Township resident C.J. McDonald charged that Giszczak refused to honor verbal requests to inspect original meeting minutes on 10 separate occasions. Giszczak said the allegations were untrue.
In her 200-word justification filed with the county clerk’s office, Giszczak said requests to view original minutes are available through township board-approved FOIA forms. She said state law requires those requests be made in writing.
Giszczak said she repeatedly made appointments for McDonald to view original minutes, but he often didn't show up or left after he was informed a third-party would be in the room with him. She added unofficial copies of the minutes are posted online and in the township hall the day after meetings.
Giszczak has a personal protection order against McDonald, but it was a group of residents and political rivals who led the recall effort, along with their family members.
Those involved with the recall effort who have served with Giszczak, both in the past and presently, contended the clerk is contentious and intentionally interferes with their township-related business. They charge she has not effectively served the residents since taking office.
Giszczak disagreed and said the “playground” behaviors that are a part of conducting business at the township hall must end.
“We need to start working on the merits of the issues we discuss at board meetings instead of focusing on personalities, and that seems to be the big problems we face right now,” she said. “I hope this recall sends them that message so we can start doing the township’s business.”
Tom Perkins is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2530.
Comments
Raleigh Prater
Sat, Feb 26, 2011 : 4:15 p.m.
Why do we need a Twp government anyhow? I have always voted againt recalls and I ask what about the time of the 606 who had to show up to stop the madness.. Remember this come next legitimate election and throw Em all out enough is enough!
Susan Burek
Sat, Feb 26, 2011 : 3:54 p.m.
I find it highly ironic that those behind the recall are so concerned about what they allege Kathy Giszczak is costing this township, yet they are wasting thousands of our money, once again, on recalls. May we send you all the bill? Judging by the repeated high marks Kathy has gotten from every election, defeating every recall, you people need to get it into your heads that this township wants her there and that we think she is doing a great job. And what was of earth-shattering $6000 importance that this recall be done? Because Mr. McDonald wanted to make sure the original minutes were on-site (and do we even want to know WHY?), not to mention the unofficial minutes are posted in two places nearly immediately, and he was probably at the meeting and heard it all first hand anyway! This whole recall was a travesty. People have to understand recall language does NOT have to true, only clear in its statement. What a great loophole for those who want to abuse the election process in hopes you really don't understand what is really going on. And what of supervisor Hafler, and trustees King and Lula? Backing a recall against a fellow board member is now going to make your relationship better for you to work with clerk Giszczak? Kudos to Kathy for extending the olive branch in moving forward, but how is she supposed to feel about your very public lack of support? It takes two to tango, and this is not just about Kathy's personality, it is about yours as well. As a board serving EVERYONE in the community, it is professional and inclusive to show a united front to reflect that you are in fact, serving everyone. It ruins your credibility (at least with me) that your are incapable of looking at the bigger picture of this community. We are all very tired of this divisiveness and of these repeated recalls. Susan Burek Augusta township resident
Bull Dozer
Fri, Feb 25, 2011 : 3:46 a.m.
Giszczak has you all fooled
Jon S
Thu, Feb 24, 2011 : 1:07 a.m.
As an outsider, I visit the township quite regularly. It is so very sad that a tiny band of vagabonds can repeatedly cause such a fine community to be up in arms over a duly elected woman of integrity who is merely doing her job in accordance with the written rules. Apparently, these ingrates have no qualms causing a little township to embarrassingly incur $6,000 not once but twice, in failed attempts to further their wanton and vengeful vendetta. What's next for these childish troublemakers?? It seems that they just can't take "no" for an answer. What is the frustrated resident of Augusta to do? Here's an idea.....call up Edison and complain that this Mr. C.J. McDonald is placing illegally sized and poorly handcrafted political signs on private utility property. Yep! The dude is trespassing with his oversized junk zip-tied to utility property. Is this the sort of blight the residents want for their community? I believe that these animals can be shamed into total submission to the point where they will not come out of their spider holes by daylight. So now you have reason come out to the local board meeting and show a rallying solidarity in support of Mrs. Giszczak with two thumbs up for her honest efforts and two thumbs down for the negativity expressed by her supposedly civil comrades who endorse the crazed antics of a stalker.
T. Kinks
Wed, Feb 23, 2011 : 11:03 p.m.
The people have spoken again. The residents think Kathy Giszczak is doing a good job & want to keep her in office. Shame on the board members & all the people that voted against he. You should all be ashamed of yourselves. Terry Heiss Carpentry
clownfish
Wed, Feb 23, 2011 : 5:22 p.m.
Interesting... A school system has an election to request capital improvement bonds and people on .com get angry because of "the waste of taxpayer money to hold an election in February" yet no comments on a special election to remove someone that has survived a previous recall and has been re-elected.