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Due to flooding, the pool at the Warren Community Center will be closed until further notice. The remainder of the community center is open.
Warren City Council Refuses Payment of Nearly $5 Million For City Bills Placing Delivery of Essential Services in Jeopardy
City Council Puts Needs of Plunkett Cooney Law Firm Ahead of Critical Needs of Community
At its meeting on Tuesday, December 8, 2020 the administration presented the Warren City Council with a list of bills to be paid to vendors that have provided essential and legally secured services to the city. This is a routine responsibility exercised at every meeting of the city council to ensure that vendors are paid for services rendered to the community. The only reason given by the council for not paying the city’s bills was the fact that the administration has refused to pay the Plunkett Cooney Law firm for a contract that the administration believes was entered into in violation of the Warren City Charter and Warren purchasing ordinance. (Attached is a letter the Warren City Attorney sent to Plunkett Cooney on May 28, 2020 outlining the illegal hiring and non-payment for any services by Plunkett Cooney)
I released the following statement on my personal Facebook page immediately after the Council refused to pay the city bills of nearly $5 million:
“This accidental and dysfunctional city council just added another descriptive term to their actions and that is an irresponsible city council. As tonight they just refused to pay the general fund bills. This could place city services at risk for not getting taken care of. These bills are payments to various vendors for services that take care of the city of Warren on a daily basis. if the city vendors don’t get paid, they will not perform vital services! This is outrageous because Plunkett Cooney did not get paid. Clearly Plunket Cooney is in complete control of the Warren City Council. The Macomb Daily article on Sunday pointed out that Plunkett Cooney was illegally hired yet the council continues to allow them to do disservice to our hard-working citizens! This council continues to do destructive things to get what they want for their special interests supporters such as Plunkett Cooney! Unprecedented tonight!“
As Warren resident Jason stated at the council meeting:
“Merry Christmas, small-business owners, because this city council cares more about their hand-picked lawyer than they do about you.”
I agree with Jason that this is a hell of a gift to Warren residents in the midst of a pandemic and the holidays.
Editor’s Note:
Video of the City Council unanimously approving to not pay the bills of the city of Warren until Plunkett Cooney, their illegally hired and handpicked Oakland County marijuana lawyer, is paid:
5:48 – 6:12:
Council Secretary Melinda Moore: “Next item is approval of bills, 8A General Revenue Funds. Umm, Mr. President, ummm, We, ahhh, approved payment to Plunkett and Cooney, the administration is refusing to issue the check, so I make a motion to table the, ahhh, ahhh, General Revenue Funds bills, ahhh, at this time until that bill is paid.”
Motion seconded by Ron Papandrea and approved unanimously.
The net result is contracts that have been legally entered into for services needed by the community will not be paid during this holiday season.
