Comments on: County Board Grapples with Court Budget

By: Susan Beecher

Susan Beecher — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 01:49:21 +0000

I am not sure why the commissioners are saying they don’t need any more office space when they are planning to move some departments, e.g. the Information Technology part of Infrastructure Management Department and the Public Defender’s Office to leased space.

By: Vivienne Armentrout

Vivienne Armentrout — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:10:04 +0000

Re MFCI, I found some documents on the county website from prior years which Axe wrote, identifying himself as the chairman of MFCI. Perhaps there was a reorganization after that (the one I happened on was 2008).

By: Kristin Judge

Kristin Judge — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:04:37 +0000

Thanks for catching my error on my Axe’s name. Typing on a phone! Kristin

By: Mary Morgan

Mary Morgan — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:57:45 +0000

John Axe is not an employee of Washtenaw County. His firm is Axe & Ecklund, based in Grosse Pointe Farms. Axe is an attorney who has been hired on a contract basis as the county’s primary bond counsel for decades, and who helped craft the state legislation that permits the type of bonding for retiree obligations that the county is now considering. Municipal Financial Consultants Incorporated is a separate company that also is frequently hired by the county as a financial consultant for bonding-related work. Axe & Ecklund provides a 15% discount on its fees if the county hires MFCI as the financial consultant. MFCI president Meredith Shanle is Axe’s daughter – although until recently, most commissioners hadn’t been aware of that relationship.

By: Vivienne Armentrout

Vivienne Armentrout — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:29:37 +0000

Please clarify: John Axe does not actually hold a county position, that is, is not a county employee or official. He runs a private firm (Municipal Financial Consultants Incorporated) which does most of the bond business with the county.

I recall that when I was on the Board of Public Works, at least one other bond counsel firm was employed. It is apparently a competitive business.

By: Leah Gunn

Leah Gunn — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:42:12 +0000

Kristen, it is John Axe, not Jerry Lax. Mr. Axe is the county’s bond counsel. Jerry Lax has no connection with the county.

By: Kristin Judge

Kristin Judge — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 01:23:41 +0000

If a software purchase needs an RFP, doesn’t a bond deal? I don’t remember the details, but I remember as I first was elected how thankful we all were that we did not listen the first time Mr. Lax suggested this idea in 2008. It may be good now, but if Commisioner Prater has concerns, they should be heard and fully addressed. He researched this issue for years!

By: Vivienne Armentrout

Vivienne Armentrout — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 13:44:11 +0000

The conflict between the BOC/Administrator and the courts (which, we note, does not include the 15th District Court, funded by the City of Ann Arbor) goes back a long, long way. (And Cmr. Peterson is a veteran of earlier discussions.) Basically, the judges and administrators of the court system do not want the commissioners to micromanage – or manage at any level – the courts operation. They have some substantive documentation to show that Michigan considers the court system to be independent.

But since budgets are a policy instrument – this means that simply by line-item decisions, the BOC could make policy. Therein lies the problem. Yet, in this current difficult economic climate, writing a “blank check” to the courts is objectionable, when all other functions are being cut.

I’m wishing the BOC the very best in cutting this Gordian knot.

By: Kerry D.

Kerry D. — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 23:57:12 +0000

The circuit court needs greater scrutiny – it is not run ideally.

Remember the deputy administrator a few years ago charged with embezzling from the juror fee fund?

Jeff Irwin and Chief Judge Archie Brown had a battle years ago over funding for security – which Irwin won.

I applaud Conan Smith for his efforts in ridding lump-sum budgeting in this instance.