MI County Will Return Their ‘Hazard Pay’ After A lot Of Bad Press

I inform my readers and radio audience all the time the path to righting our country’s direction from social and financial oblivion is the media. Due to the media completely giving up any sense of responsibility in their reporting, their liberal bias, slanted coverage, protection of liberal politicians and their supporters and suppressions of issues that may harm their Democratic candidates and politicians they are in the driver's seat of the destruction of this country as we know it. They must stand with us to cover all politicians and h

Something occurred last Friday that proved what I have been saying for years. Last week I reported on the Shiawassee County Board of Commissioners awarding themselves huge hazard pay bonuses and much smaller hazard pay bonuses to the County employees who actually interacted with the public. Shiawassee County is northeast of Lansing and west of Flint. The city of Owosso is right in the middle of the county.

The board Chairman Jeremy R. Root gave himself a $25,000 hazard pay taxpayer bonus from the American Rescue Plan funds. They also gave Commissioners John B. Plowman and Brandon Marks received $10,000 hazard pay taxpayer checks with the remaining four commissioners each receiving $5,000 hazard pay taxpayer bonus checks.

We also found out that not only did the Chairman give himself the maximum taxpayer-funded hazard pay in the amount of $25,000 he also gave $25,000 bonuses to:

Sheriff Brian BeGole
Building Grounds Superintendent Timothy Hill
Health Department Director Larry Johnson
Finance Director Tracy Bublitz

MLive reported that the board put out a news release last Friday. That release stated that “all seven members of the commission and all other elected officials in the county will voluntarily return the funds as has County Coordinator Brian Boggs”. The news release also stated:

“Since the payments were made, confusion about the nature of these funds has run rampant…The commissioners deeply regret that this gesture has been misinterpreted, and have unanimously decided to voluntarily return the funds to the county, pending additional guidance from the state of Michigan.”

Interesting choice of words, especially the word “misinterpreted”. What exactly was “misinterpreted”? You saw a chance to take advantage of the taxpayer and treat the employees of the county not in management poorly and you took it. Every one of you should have not only returned the taxpayer funds but with returning the funds you should have also handed in your resignation letters.

Apparently what they did was not only immoral but also unconstitutional. According to the Shiawassee County Prosecutor Scott Koerner the payments to elected officials violated the Michigan Constitution. According to Koerner Michigan's constitution “prohibits “any political subdivision” of Michigan from paying out extra compensation for public officers and contractors after services had already been rendered”. Koerner stated he was never asked for a legal opinion about the payoffs.

The question appears to be are they returning the taxpayer funds because it is the right thing to do or because what they did was illegal.

The American Rescue Plan passed last March is literally the largest slush fund in the history of the world. I believe we can safely say that most of the $1.9 trillion dollars were not needed and probably stolen or wasted like what was attempted in this incident.

Compliments to the media deciding to do their job on this issue now hopefully they will start doing their job fairly on all issues.

By the way, even liberal Michigan Democratic Congressman Dan Kildee believes the slush fund money was not meant to be used in this manner, although I have a different take than Kildee does. Please read my article on Kildee's position to find out what question I have for Rep. Kildee.