If you follow Michigan politics and current events at all, I’m sure you’ve heard the name Dennis Lennox (R-Topinabee) mentioned several times. In case you haven’t, here’s a little background story: in 2008, Dennis Lennox, a politically active politician and conservative from my unversity, Central Michigan University ran for Cheboygan County Drain Commissioner on the platform of getting rid of the position becuase he thought that it was a waste of government money.
He was elected, and in February 2009, he launched Fire Dennis Lennox. There, he said, “Seriously, there’s nothing to do.” He was able to get the Cheboygan County Board of Commissioners to pass a resolution that effectively eliminated his position if the Michigan Legislature and Governor agreed to pass it as well. That proposal changed drain commissioners to being required only if a municipality has 35,000+ people (currently the law requires it if it’s 12,000+). The legislation was introduced into the state legislature where it stalled.
Lennox continued his campaign to get fired on various radio and media outlets, including a few national broadcasts on FOX News.
Now, I commend Dennis for what he was trying to do there – he was trying to save taxpayer dollars. Or was he? What happened over the next few months showed that maybe it was more of a political stunt to bring media attention to his State House campaign than to actually save taxpayer money.
In May, Lennox posted a blog post on his campaign blog apologizing for not updating his blog: “Sorry for the lack of updates over the past five or six weeks, but I have been busy with my duties as drain commissioner.”
If he was busy for 6 weeks, that sure makes it seem like there must be something to do. But I ignored it, giving him the benefit of the doubt – maybe it was just a brief period of time where there was a lot to do.
But in early June he began doing more drain commissioner work, launching a program where residents could report clogged ditches and drains. Commissioner Lennox told the local TV 7&4 news that “the vast majority of constituent complaints to my office and the Road Commission deal with drainage ditches. Many of the ditches in Cheboygan County are very old and this service will provide much-needed maintenance.”
Again, I commend Lennox for starting a program like that. It’s putting his office and position to good use. But that also means that the drain commissioner has something to do up there – if he’s getting complaints, that means that the commissioner has something to do.
It was at this point that I began to see the Dennis Lennox that I’ve seen time and time again – somebody who’s just interested in performing stunts to get media attention rather than somebody who has the taxpayers’ and constituents’ best interest at heart.
In June and July, Lennox gained international media attention as he filed a lawsuit against a pipeline proposal from Genesee County. Considering the fact that he was in media stories in both the U.S. and Canada for a few weeks, this is again evidence that he isn’t just sitting in his office doing nothing. Now, I’m not here to debate whether he is right or wrong about the pipeline proposal, but I think it’s clear that there’s more than “nothing to do” as drain commissioner up in Cheboygan County.
In late June, the Heritage Foundation ran a story about Lennox’s crusade to get fired, but at that point, I think it was apparent that he had somewhat given up on getting fired. He hasn’t updated Fire Dennis in months, and we’ve heard little from him on the subject.
Again, the individual things that Lennox has done here aren’t bad – he’s doing his job as a drain commissioner, and that’s good! The only problem is that he campaigned on a platform that there’s “nothing to do,” and that’s just not true.
Now, some people may say that I’m being to harsh on Lennox, after all, he’s just doing the job that he was elected to do. But then the Cheboygan Daily Tribuneran a story saying that Lennox had already used up most of his 2009 funds. Unfortunately, I don’t have access to the full story, since I don’t subscribe to the Daily Tribune, but even if Lennox has only spent 32% of his budget (as he claims in a comment left on the article), that still means that he isn’t doing nothing.
I just don’t think that Lennox is being honest with his intentions here – either there is “nothing to do” as a drain commissioner, in which case he should be spending no money, or he overstated the fact that there’s “nothing to do,” and maybe he should reexamine his proposal to eliminate the position.
Done Ranting,
Ranting Republican
Tags: 105th District, 2008 Election, Central Michigan University, Cheboygan County, Cheboygan County Drain Commissioner, CMU, Dennis Lennox, Dennis Lennox II, Drain Commissioner, Fox, Legislature, Michigan, Politics, Republican, Topinabee
July 14, 2009 at 11:59 PM
(This was published in today’s Cheboygan newspaper)
To the editor:
When the Tribune expressed interest in writing about the operations of the office of drain commissioner, I took time the time to write a nine-page statement detailing how the office functions, how it is funded as well as sources of revenue, what I have done since taking office in January and clarifying that there is no budget deficit.
I was forced to write this because the Tribune failed to tell its readers the entire story regarding the finances of my office.
The office of drain commissioner is not out of money nor is it running a budget deficit, according to the latest budget numbers provided by the Finance Department on June 30.
It also hasn’t been reported that I have asked Prosecutor Daryl Vizina to investigate how taxpayer dollars were spent in violation of Public Act 40 of 1956 on the rent of the previous drain commissioner’s house in Grant Township.
It is true that the office does face fiscal challenges due to years of neglect and mismanagement by former drain commissioners and county officials. I ran for drain commissioner — and defeated the two-term incumbent — last year because I wanted to reform government by starting with my position.
Without significant increases in appropriations or a sudden need for a full-time drain commissioner in Cheboygan County, the office should be abolished with the duties and responsibilities devolved to the Road Commission. What the article failed to mention is that I am working with Sen. Jason Allen and Rep. Kevin Elsenheimer to eliminate the position, which I believe is not needed. Until the position is eradicated, I am still obligated to perform my duties related to protecting, managing and overseeing water resources throughout the county.
The Tribune also failed to report that this office primarily operates off the revenue collected from special assessments on county drains and reviewing permits for land divisions, site condominiums and mobile home developments. There are also fees for landowners to build a crossing — whether it’s for automobiles, farm equipment, cattle, or pedestrians — over a drain or connect to it.
Unfortunately, the county and the previous officeholder was unaware of this function of the drain commissioner and no revenue has been collected in recent years, according to official records.
Besides collecting revenue from permit fees, there are special assessments for the construction as well as ongoing management and maintenance of county drainage districts and the operation of the office.
My bosses, the people of Cheboygan County, own at least 12 drains. I say at least because records covering the period from just before World War II and 2001 were never turned over when I took office.
So without complete records I have had to complete an inventory of the drains to determine their status and condition. This had involved numerous inspections on top of the normal constituent services, including inspections of drains upon request, that are offered during by my office.
I have also took steps to cut costs even more while working with Sheriff Clarmont and the Road Commission to implement a first-ever program that has non-violent inmates in the community corrections program available to remove obstructions from county drains and roadside drainage ditches.
I believe my record of providing services as the county’s most efficient and effective department speaks for itself.
I am willing to go anywhere and do anything to serve the people of Cheboygan County and speak out for their interests as we work on twenty-first century solutions to the twenty-first century challenges plaguing our community and our great state.
It wasn’t reported by the Tribune, but I traveled to Washington — at my own expense — on June 25 to meet with Northern Michigan’s two congressmen, Republican David Camp and Democrat Bart Stupak, to present a list of shovel-ready projects that will put our friends, neighbors and family members back to work and improve our community at a time when unemployment rates in Cheboygan County have soared over 20 percent in recent months.
Just as the sheriff, clerk-register, treasurer and prosecutor act independently to serve their bosses, I will continue to be a voice for my constituents until my office is abolished. I have never been, and never will be, a pawn for the entrenched interest groups that oppose the reform that government at all levels needs so desperately.
I do all this without taking my salary because I believe in serving Cheboygan County and working to improve our local community.
For me it isn’t about how much money I make — it’s about making a difference and working to ensure that the next generation has the same opportunities that I was blessed to have while growing up. And because the county won’t let me reduce my salary to nothing, I donate what I receive to local charities and schools.
Sincerely,
Dennis Lennox
Cheboygan County Drain Commissioner
July 15, 2009 at 4:38 AM
Those are all fantastic things – and I commend you for doing them (I had actually meant to mention the community corrections program but forgot to include it as I wrote the post), but I think that you yourself made it clear when you said, “I am still obligated to perform my duties related to protecting, managing and overseeing water resources throughout the county,” that there must be something to do as drain commissioner.
If you ran on a platform of, “Seriously, there’s nothing to do,” how do you explain everything that you’ve been doing?
July 15, 2009 at 5:15 AM
I agree with Inks. Either you are in a job that has nothing for you to do or your position is a busy job that is necessary for the country. You can’t try and have it both ways. SO pick one story and go with it. If you really think it’s an unnecessary position stop expecting people to feel sorry for you when your workload picks up.
July 15, 2009 at 7:21 AM
Dennis,
Seeing you on TV and then reading your antics in the news makes me believe you are grandstanding. You should have done your research on the job before you ran for it which tells me you were NOT qualified to run. You even boast that you beat the incumbent who really got tired of the idea of running against someone who ran a smear campaign. So, you didn’t win, Cheboygan County lost.
You weren’t honest to yourself or your constituents of Cheboygan County or Senator Allen and Rep. Elsenheimer and you have blamed everyone else for your troubles. You have never taken one ounce of responsibility since you took office. By the way, you announced your intentions to run for the 105th State House of Representatives BEFORE you were sworn in as County Drain Commissioner. You stated that your record speaks for itself – you got that right! Your record stinks!
I wish I could write something positive but you seem to get into more controversial issues on purpose to get your name and face on TV, whether it’s locally or nationally. You truly give politics a very bad name.
July 15, 2009 at 8:17 AM
Actually, my platform was never “Seriously, there’s nothing to do.”
I have always said there isn’t enough for the drain commissioner to do for a standalone office, which is why I reduced it to part-time status upon taking office on January 1.
While I have always made my stated objective of reforming local government clear, I have also always made it clear that until that happens I took an oath and I will fulfill the oath.
The duties that are performed could be devolved to the Road Commission, as Cheboygan County cannot afford to have a full-fledged drain commissioner.
July 15, 2009 at 8:18 AM
And I won’t respond to ridiculous accusations from anonymous commentators.
July 15, 2009 at 6:21 PM
“While I have always made my stated objective of reforming local government clear, I have also always made it clear that until that happens I took an oath and I will fulfill the oath.”
How can you make a statement like that when you have announced to run for Elsenheimer’s open seat before you faithfully swore in as drain commish?
You got my vote (curiosity killed me at the time) because you said you would take change to clean up an office that wasn’t needed. But since then;
You’ve accused those associated with a AUW resort about not paying their taxes (when we all have that right)
Finger pointed John (ex-drain commish) on your current woes,
Somehow ‘goat-roped’ your way into a very slimy robo-call issue that I believe may bring charges against you – or the organization you represent?
You threatened a lawsuit with Genesee County about a water issue without a county resolution,
I agree with Observer Voter…. Good intentions can go wrong, but Dennis, you have to step back and weigh your options and consider your talent within the county because you are certainly not winning any votes with your name in the news as much as it has been.
The public has a mind and we are smart. If you do something good, we pass it along to a buddy or a friend. But if you screw up, that goes to 10 friends and it exponentially grows from there. And you are driving what little respect you have worked so hard for, out the window.
What’s even more damaging is your relationship with those who are trying to get you elected to the House – losing their credibility. Remember the saying: Birds of a feather flock together.
You have great energy and always moving. For every 1 step forward Dennis, which is a good solid step of hard work and dedication, you slide 9 feet back and create so much damage in your wake that it will take a few years to repair. I am not one keen on the idea of you being elected to any other office for fear you’ll screw up 10 times more. You are just plain dangerous in politics.
I don’t expect a reply to this because every reply by you is a way to shuffle blame on others. I’ll call you “Teflon Lennox” from now on.
July 15, 2009 at 6:28 PM
Let me clarify on taxes…
You’ve accused those associated with a AUW resort about not paying their taxes (when we all have that right to petition for a reduction of taxes.)
July 15, 2009 at 9:39 PM
Dennis, you say that “[t]he duties that are performed could be devolved to the Road Commission” but you also in a blog post on Fire Dennis Lennox said “Seriously, there’s nothing to do.” If there are duties to be performed, then there logically can’t be “nothing to do.”
And I never said that your platform was “Seriously, there’s nothing to do.”
I said that your platform was to eliminate the position because there’s “nothing to do” – that’s a quote from Shepherd Smith who was quoting you (1:30 in the video).
August 8, 2009 at 7:33 PM
Yes, but did he get rid of the stupid haircut?
August 25, 2009 at 8:35 PM
UPDATE!!!!!!
August 25, 2009 at 11:03 PM
Not much to update. Senate Bill 758 was introduced into the Senate by Jason Allen (R-Traverse City), cosponsored by Judson Gilbert (R-Algonac), Roger Kahn (R-Saginaw), and Jim Barcia (D-Bay City), and was referred to the Committee on Local, Urban and State Affairs.
Other than that, not much happened. Dennis updated his campaign blog and Fire Dennis a bit, (no vandalizing Wikipedia though!), and now we wait for the bill to come out of committee.
Although, he “spent this week [August 12th] in my role as county drain commissioner at the Cheboygan County Fair,” but I’m not sure if that counts as official county business or not (I don’t know if it was getting one of the drains cleared for the county fair or what).