The People's Charter Project

The live page headline is “The People’s Charter Project: Restoring a Government Accountable to the People in Lake City, Michigan.” It lists the status as active and the next milestone as phase 2. The hero on this page is the public People’s Charter graphic from the live projects list.

Summary

The public page says Michigan law requires the voters of a home-rule city to choose their form of government. It says that in Lake City, Michigan, appointments to local offices reassigned powers the city charter had apportioned. It describes a request for a writ of quo warranto.

The page says Mayor Cheryl Sellers-Seger leads an effort asking a court to remove Patrick Smith from the office of city administrator, which the page says was newly created and changed the form of city government without an election. It also asks the court to remove former Mayor Craig Ardis and city employee Robyn Niles from the Lake City Planning Commission. The page says those memberships violate the commission’s bylaws, the city charter, and Michigan law.

The page says the suit asks whether:

• The city administrator’s appointment complied with the charter and Michigan law.
• Creating and filling that office changed the voter-approved form of government.
• Certain Planning Commission memberships violate Michigan law, local ordinances, or the commission’s bylaws.
• Relief should restore compliance with that law.

It says supporters are asking a court for guidance on charter compliance, conflicts in public appointments, and Michigan’s quo warranto process when state officials decline to act. Gifts to this project are donations to Five Stones Legal Defense Fund.

Milestones listed on the public page

1. Exhausting government remedies. Marked completed. The page says a memorandum with legal authorities, city records, ordinances, charter provisions, and meeting minutes went to the Michigan Attorney General and the Missaukee County Prosecutor, and both declined to pursue it.
2. Preparing and filing a petition for leave and a complaint. Pleadings, exhibits, the application for leave, filing, service, and the record. The page lists an estimated figure of $10,000.
3. Court review and early litigation. Standing, leave to proceed, jurisdiction, and legal sufficiency. The page lists $15,000.
4. Discovery and evidence development. Records, appointment documents, and meeting records, if the court allows the case to proceed. The page lists $20,000.
5. Summary judgment. The page says the issues may be resolvable on the charter, ordinances, statutes, and public records. It lists $15,000.
6. Trial and final judgment. If factual disputes remain. The page lists $50,000.

Counsel named on the public page

The page names Erick G. Kaardal and Elizabeth Nielsen, and Mohrman, Kaardal & Erickson, P.A.