Larry Shaffer fist bump. About to butt heads with the Mayor
Former Amherst, Massachusetts Town Manager now Jackson, Michigan City Manager Larry Shaffer had a hilarious quote in yesterday's local paper: "I don't give up easily" asserted Shaffer in response to the city council reversing a yes vote he supports on an expensive solar energy project for their waste water treatment plant.
Mayor Martin Griffin strongly opposes the initiative saying, "I hope the project is dead." Interesting power struggle. Since Jackson has a Council/Manager form of government, the Mayor is apparently more of a figurehead than actual CEO. But, nevertheless, Mayor Griffin looks like a strong guy who takes tough stands (slumlords want him recalled over a rental registration law he supported).
Mr. Shaffer, on the other hand...
Let's see, he took a strong stand on requiring Boy Scouts pay a tax on Christmas Tree sales, a beloved annual (tax free) town tradition for 60 years. He tried to withhold the parade permit for the privately organized July 4 Parade to create a competing municipal parade that would embrace war protesters. And he supported the Select Board's annual refusal to fly 29 commemorative American flags in the downtown to remember the horror of 9/11.
Best of all, he railroads the Select Board into giving him a two year extension on his contract and then only a few months later, suddenly, decides to "retire," to Michigan, leaving behind his wife here in Amherst. Meanwhile his secretary concurrently vanishes with a $25,000 taxpayer payout nobody wishes to talk about.
Doesn't give up easily, eh? I guess it depends on how you define "easily".
speaking of solar, greenfield's solar over old landfill is nearing completion. story in the recorder recently.
ReplyDeleteYeah, we're supposed to hear any day now about the deal with BlueWave Capital for the project on our old landfill (at least that's what I've been hearing for, oh, a few months now).
ReplyDeleteWho cares about what Larry Shaffer is doing now? Once you get a bug up you a** about something, Larry, you just can't let it go. Earth to Larry - nobody cares about this. Let it go already.
ReplyDeleteFinally, where is your reporting about Ron Ferguson's visit to the Amherst Regional school system yesterday? A nationally renowned expert in the area of methods to address the achievment gap and you have nothing to write about it? Having Dr. Ferguson spend a day meeting with administrators, teachers, students and parent and other community members was a huge "get" for our community and not a peep out of you about it. Oh I know, it's so much more fun to just denigrate the schools and Ms. Geryk then to report on anything positive going on there.
Feel free to start your own hyperlocal news website.
ReplyDeleteThe schools could use one now that Catherine Sanderson is no longer on the beat.
To paraphrase Skynard, "A thinkin man don't need him round anyhow."
ReplyDeleteMy interactions with Shaffer were in line with this article, a limo liberal who felt the need to impose his views on the town and impressionable students.
Although he did get along just fine with a former UMass professor now teaching at Central Michigan University.
ReplyDeleteAmherst insiders and their Prozac tranquilized proteges could care less if it's Larry Shaffer or Jeffrey Dahmer, as long as they do the Ponziville shuffle.
ReplyDeleteCha cha ch-ch-ch cha!
Hmmm...why does "address the achievement gap" register in my brain as "get ready for another round of loud Prop 2-1/2 override demands"?
ReplyDeletelarry i hope you emailed the link to everyone in that michigan town. that scum needs to be outed
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2014/04/former_jackson_city_manager_le.html
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