This commentary was provided to The Lake Orion Review prior to the recent election, declining to publish it at that time. The information it contains remains relevant, regardless of the timing.
In a letter published in The Lake Orion Review by the Township Supervisor, on July 20, Mr. Barnett seeks once again to deceive the public. I have included with this letter a copy of an email that was sent to Mr. Barnett where I provided information to him concerning the notice that had gone in the tax bills. Even while possessing the correct information, he has clearly decided FOR YOU what you should perceive. Election or not, tax bills ALWAYS go out on July 1, the cited insert has been included in bills for two years and finally, the picture used is the same used for all Township business, including the website.
Mr. Barnett does not get a tax bill and is not an Orion taxpayer.
Sadly, to the detriment of our Township, Mr. Barnett has had a continuous problem with the truth, since day one. The unrelenting and compulsive spin and twist has been a problem that has been a constant and increasing challenge for me and the Clerk. I have been reluctant to bring much of this to the public eye, always clinging to the hope some level of decorum and respectability would return to our Township Hall. This is not what our government is meant to be.
This exchange is yet another example of Mr. Barnett using all resources available to him; your resources, by the way, to further HIS candidates, agenda and control of the board. During the recent televised persecution of our clerk, he used the term “inherent advantage.” What greater inherent advantage can there be than Mr. Barnett, himself, promoting and campaigning for other candidates in every event, gathering, discussion and article? The source of the widely recognized shame of the sitting Board becomes more obvious every passing day. In closing, readers should know I do not enjoy bringing items such as this to the press, however in each instance that I have, it has been due to misleading statements having been made, usually by Mr. Barnett, that demand a response.
Mark C. Thurber
Orion Township Treasurer
Editors note: We did not publish any letters relating to the Aug. 2 Primary Election the week of July 27, 2016. The emails referenced above were not printed but are available to view on our website (lakeorionreview.com) in a response by the Treasurer to Supervisor Chris Barnett’s letter of July 20 titled ‘Trustees get off track’.