[Southsider2k12]

http://www.michigancityin.com/articles/200.../news/news3.txt

Council members spar over comments

By Jason Miller, The News-Dispatch

Left to Right: Joe Doyle, Phil Jankowski



As election season begins to heat up, so has the rhetoric between two Michigan City Council members a feud that became public two weeks ago on a local cable access television program.

At-large Councilman Joe Doyle last week defended himself against what he called an “attack” on his character, levied by 6th-Ward Councilman Phil Jankowski on the cable access program “News and Views.”

According to Doyle, Jankowski hinted of a possible conflict of interest by Doyle in the wake of a vote Doyle didn't make in 2002 as a member of the Michigan City Park Board.

According to transcripts, Jankowski said on the April 7 show, that there appeared to be a conflict of interest with Doyle, who was asked to abstain from a 2002 vote in which the park board chose a company to make signs for fields at Patriot Park.

The company, Direct Marketing, is owned by Tom Thomas, Jankowski's current opponent in the Democratic primary race for the 6th-Ward seat.

Jankowski's contention, according to park board minutes, was wrong, in that Doyle was asked to abstain because at the same meeting, the board moved to name the last unnamed baseball field at the park after Doyle. Currently a sign hangs on the fence at the field honoring Doyle.

Jankowski said Tuesday at the City Council meeting that he had retracted the statement on the next episode of the show - on which Jankowski is a regular panelist - after he realized why Doyle abstained.

He also complained, however, about a $5,000 retainer and free memberships to Michigan City Municipal Golf Course paid to Direct Marketing that seemed - he said on the show - “somewhat unusual.”

Jankowski Tuesday said he was simply doing his job.

“I have a fiduciary responsibility as liaison to the Park Board and I was doing my job,” he said after Tuesday's meeting. “I saw something I thought wasn't right and I brought it out.”

Since leaving the Park Board for a seat on the council more than three years ago, Doyle has been the council's liaison to the Park Board, attending meetings and working closely on most park projects.

This year, however, under new council president Willie Milsap, Jankowski was appointed a “co-liaison,” and also attends many board meetings.

Jankowski, council vice president, and 2nd-Ward Councilman Paul Przybylinski have been at odds with the Park Board and the department for more than a year, scrutinizing their handling of funds and accusing the board of nepotism and racial discrimination.

Doyle is running for re-election on a pseudo slate, with Thomas and current park board president Bob McKee, who has lashed out publicly in the last year against several council members.

After what McKee called “attacks” by 3rd-Ward Councilman Ron Meer, Jankowski and Przybylinski, McKee took the fight to the media with a guest editorial bashing the council.

The public discourse between McKee and the three councilmen forced Mayor Chuck Oberlie to publicly ask for decorum. Until Tuesday, Doyle had managed to stay out of the fray.

“It's just wrong to have another council member say those kinds of things on a television show or anywhere else,” Doyle said after Tuesday's meeting. “I don't play those games and I don't think anyone else should, either.”

Contact reporter Jason Miller at jmiller@thenewsdispatch.com.

[Max Main]

this is a tempest in a teacup.

[Ang]

Then there's this:

http://www.michigancityin.com/articles/200.../21/news/n9.txt

Political Notebook

Dave Biela, a Democratic candidate for an at-large seat on the Michigan City Common Council, issued a statement Friday accepting the apology to him from the Michigan City Area Chamber of Commerce.
During Wednesday's candidate forum sponsored by the Chamber at City Hall, Biela touted his support of the city's original Enterprise Zone effort, and pointed out where Lighthouse Place is was a part of that plan. Those on the chamber forum questioning candidates challenged Biela's fact and said his recollection was wrong.
Biela, however, insisted he was right and collected material from City Hall on Thursday proving he was correct.
Biela said a public apology was given Thursday night at the chamber's final political forum.
“Mistakes do happen, oversights will accrue,” said Biela. “To publicly acknowledge their error shows respect. Misinformation which led to an inaccurate question which had a direct impact on one of the planks in my platform was asked of me during the Chamber's second forum.
“To set the record straight for all who are unaware, the area which includes from William Street on the west side of town and north from Eighth Street is in the Urban Enterprise Zone and has been since its conception.
“This diversion knocked me off point of defending my position on additional questions and my closing remarks. Apology accepted,” said Biela.

[Max Main]

I hope the correction gets at least as much play as the original incident.