Dorr learns good public servants are hard to find

ACHTUNG: The following is not a “fair and balanced” article. It is an editorial by the editor.

It certainly is no secret that employers are having a hard time these days finding employees, particularly jobs that don’t pay well.

All you have to do is drive around and you’ll see “We’re hiring!” Signs outside of restaurants, industries, retail stores and just about any other business. The trend started early in the Covid-19 pandemic and more than three years later, it’s still a problem.

So why should anyone be surprised that local government units also are having a hard time finding people to serve, sometimes at no pay? Perhaps Dorr Township Trustee John Tuinstra is surprised.

Tuinstra last Thursday night introduced a six-point proposal to the Township Board to set policies on hiring or appointing people to serve the township in a variety of capacities. His contention is that he hardly knows anything about some appointees or hires and he wants the township to insist on a detailed resume or application or an interview for anyone to be selected.

So just when governments, like businesses, are reporting a difficult time finding people to work or serve, Tuinstra wants to make the process more cumbersome. And once again, he wants to extend his penchant for micro-managing local government.

He and former Trustee Patty Senneker, it should be remembered, insisted on interviewing potential new firefighters, taking away or lessening that responsibility from the fire chief. That would be a process made in micro-management heaven.

But there was another telltale sign of Tuinstra’s relentless and tenacious politics among the six proposals. One of the items called for all appointed officials to step down after serving for 20 years, or alternatively three consecutive terms (which Tuinstra will have completed himself next year on the Township Board).

Hiding in plain sight is yet another attempt by Tuinstra, with the blessing of Trustee Chandler Stanton and Clerk Debbie Sewers, to oust Bob Wagner as chairman of the Planning Commission. Wagner has served since since 1975 and has been chairman for more than 40 years.

Yet the last three times Wagner’s term has expired, he has been reappointed on a 4-3 vote. On one occasion, a special meeting had to called because Trustee Josh Otto was absent, causing a 3-3 deadlock.

Tuinstra, and now Sewers and Stanton have been beating a dead horse and wasting township government time. They would do well to give up on their crusade against Wagner and expend more time and effort on more important matters.

Aside from Tuinstra’s term limits arguments, which he personally ignores, I cannot figure out why they want Mr. Wagner gone.

And another thing. Supervisor Jeff Miling last Thursday night outlined reasons for not making volunteer applicants and officials go through cumbersome interviews or compile detailed resumes or applications just to secure the privilege of serving their community for little or no compensation. All you have to do is drive around town and you’ll realize why.