Politics in "Borin' Warren" Certainly are not Boring

[Lowell]

The same might be said for all of Macomb County of late but the circus in Warren seems endless and the lawsuits are flying again and the lawyers are getting rich.

A more than six-decades-old city charter is at the center of a dispute between the council and the mayor of Michigan's third largest city, tumbling both sides into court and prompting a forensic audit. The Warren City Council has filed three lawsuits against Mayor Jim Fouts since 2020, the most recent one filed this month, with Fouts filing one against the council in late February. Several of the lawsuits reference the city charter, with each side arguing, among other issues, that the other is not following parts of the document.

Full story here:
https://freep-mi.newsmemory.com?publ...fa8b6b_13483c0

[Scottathew]

Jim Fouts is not a good person. He's power-hungry and wants to preside over his kingdom until the grave.

I wish he'd just retire, he certainly has more than enough in retirement income to do so.

[Danny]

Jim Fouts is the "Vladimir Putin" of Warren. Anytime now he could invade Center Line.

[Ray1936]

Jim Fouts is the "Vladimir Putin" of Warren. Anytime now he could invade Center Line.

Centerline, of course, would surrender immediately.

[Richard]

'Diversion' and'distraction'But some council members say Fouts isn't interested in compromising or communicating with them and is, in some cases, doing things they believe are illegal.


The council's retention of Plunkett Cooney as its legal counsel violates the charter and that any ordinances drafted by the firm and adopted by the council are null and void because they were done in violation of the charter and a Jan. 13, 2021, stipulated order regarding the partial settlement [[from the 2020 lawsuit).

So the council says the mayor is doing things that they believe are illegal.

But yet it was determined that the council actually did something that was illegal.

What a world

[Honky Tonk]

Centerline, of course, would surrender immediately.

We'd let Centerline join the TRI-CITY alliance.

[softailrider]

The man is required to run for re-election when his terms are up. He keeps getting re-elected, handily I think. He must be doing something right.

[JBMcB]

The council's retention of Plunkett Cooney as its legal counsel violates the charter and that any ordinances drafted by the firm and adopted by the council are null and void because they were done in violation of the charter and a Jan. 13, 2021, stipulated order regarding the partial settlement [[from the 2020 lawsuit).

Is it common for a city to retain a private law firm to draft ordinances? That seems weird. I would think a city the size of Warren would have a full, or at least, part-time legal council specializing in drafting ordinances. It looks like Plunkett Cooney is a general law firm. They cover everything.

[Richard]

Is it common for a city to retain a private law firm to draft ordinances? That seems weird. I would think a city the size of Warren would have a full, or at least, part-time legal council specializing in drafting ordinances. It looks like Plunkett Cooney is a general law firm. They cover everything.

Apparently in this case,the city council declared the office of city attorney vacant,then turned around and hired another firm that represents them.

https://www.cityofwarren.org/wp-cont...ty_Council.pdf

Normally a full time or contracted attorney represents the city according to the law and according to the city charter,in an unbiased nature in regards to the mayor or the city council.

It’s supposed to be that way so either party does not have their own personal pet of an attorney,the laws are spelled out in the charter.

This appears to be more of a hostile takeover of sorts on the council’s behalf as they go about trying to do a power play.

As an example,a lot of city councils got on the defund the police campaign and set things in motion,and succeeded,until they had to reverse those decisions based on the standards set out based in their city charters which had already spelled out at what levels the police were to be funded.

The problem is there is a massive uptick in those changing or implementing laws that they have no legal authority to do so,there is a reason that laws and policies are made,maybe okay if it works in your favor but it always seems to be the little guy that ends up bearing the negative ramifications.

The mayor is the CEO of the city.

[jcole]

We've already gone to war with Livonia; why not Warren?