by P.D. Lesko R. Bruce Laidlaw, the Ann Arbor City Attorney between 1978 and 1991 and an Assistant City Attorney for six years before that, sent an email on Feb. 25 to Ann Arbor's Mayor Chris Taylor, City Attorney Stephen Postema and…

by Patricia Lesko The majority of domestic abusers are poorly-educated, white men. In the case of Mitchell Irwin, the abuser is a 1 Percenter Poster Boy, an educated, rich, 68-year-old white man, a former Michigan State Senator,…

by P.D. Lesko The Ann Arbor Independent submitted a March 21, 2021 Freedom of Information Act request to the Ann Arbor Police Department for the body and dash cam footage from the January 13, 2021 911 call at the home of Ann Arbor…

by Patricia Lesko NextDoor is a city-wide listserv where neighbors can post everything from requests for babysitters to football tickets for sale. Neighbors have also taken to posting information about local city government. In Feb.…

Asst. City Attorney Says Postema’s Office “Represents” Detroit City Employee Ann Arbor Public Services Administrator Sue McCormick left in 2011 to head the Detroit Water and Sewerage Dept. In a March 2015 email regarding depositions in…

by P.D. Lesko A PENDING LAWSUIT against Ann Arbor for its Footing Drain Disconnect program begun in 2001 has the potential to cost taxpayers tens if not hundreds of millions in damages. Ann Arbor’s City Attorney once predicted the suit…

by P.D. Lesko Download a copy of Ralph Welton's Separation Agreement here. While City Administrator Steve Powers announced Welton’s “resignation” in Jan. 2015, the Separation Agreement signed by Welton and city HR Director Robyn…

CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS fell down on the job between 2011 and 2014. The job performances of City Administrator Steve Powers and City Attorney Stephen Postema went without review. The Charter calls for Council members to evaluate only two city…

by Rob Smith 1992 WAS QUEEN Elizabeth II’s “annus horribilis.” Prince Charles and Prince Andrew’s marriages both broke down, Princess Anne divorced and large parts of Windsor Castle were destroyed by a major fire, which destroyed many…

by P.D. Lesko THE ANN ARBOR Charter requires City Council members to evaluate two of the city’s 690 employees: City Administrator Steve Powers and City Attorney Stephen Postema. City Attorney Postema, whose total compensation package…