July 5-2018 email to Cheboygan County Commissioners

Dear Commissioners,

I see again in the Cheboygan Tribune that the County of Cheboygan and specifically Administrator Jeffrey Lawson is planning to participate further in this ruse of alleged mediation meetings perpetrated by some members of the Inverness Township Board. I had previously requested the Board of Commissioners suspend Cheboygan County's involvement in the dispute until the Inverness recall situation was legally resolved.  

Last year Mr Lawson had publicly stated in a Board meeting he was "fully qualified" to mediate a meeting between the city and township. In response to a FOIA request seeking proof of his certification or training Mr Lawson stated in writing he had "no qualifications" as mediator. The series of secretive meetings attended by Mr Lawson have had only partial participation by the Inverness Board and the City of Cheboygan Council. To the best of my my knowledge, these secretive closed doors meetings were also attended by the legal counsels representing the two parties.

Administrator Jeffrey Lawson, publicly admitting he is not a qualified mediator, is at best a third wheel that opens Cheboygan County to the possibility of increased exposure to litigation. The Inverness Board and the City of Cheboygan Council are both represented by their respective legal counsel and those lawyers have professional  experience resolving agreements. Mediators do have some legal definition in Michigan and especially mediators acting pre-trial.  The Community Dispute Resolution  Act  260 of 1988 provides some protection from civil liability to a mediator trained and acting under that act. 

http://courts.mi.gov/administration/scao/officesprograms/odr/pages/mediation.aspx

This would all be quite a mess to sort out if Meijer still had any intention to build in Cheboygan County. Who gets sued for the deliberative delays that have created an unwritten moratorium blocking a Meijer store? Everyone and especially Mr Lawson posing as a "mediator". 

Carl Muscott

Excerpt from February 19, 2018 email to B of C.

Finally, after several years of inaction, Mr Lawson reversed his position and offered to mediate the negotiations between the parties. I heard, and the Tribune reported, "Both Cheboygan County Administrator Jeff Lawson and Community Development Director Steve Schnell are fully qualified to mediate a meeting between the city and the township." When I inquired, Lawson stated he had no certifications or training as a mediator and could not speak for Mr Schnell's qualifications. I see that as the head of the County's administration knowingly uttering a false statement. After almost four months of Mr Lawson's efforts conducted while he ignores his county responsibilities, neither party has sat down across from each other at a table.