At the April 28, 2015 joint Oakland Township Board and Oakland Township Parks and Recreation meeting, the attorneys for both bodies presented their findings regarding the investigation into whether any Township Officials had improperly, and potentially illegally, forwarded “Privileged and Confidential” material to others. Their findings indicated that both former Trustee Maureen Thalmann and current Parks and Recreation Commission member Ann Marie Rogers had forwarded multiple documents. In some cases this information had been shared with an individual who is part of a lawsuit against the Township, the wife of one of our Zoning Board of Appeals members.
The Board and the Commission agreed that the attorneys’ findings would be made public, and that the information would be forwarded to the Oakland County Sheriff’s office for possible further investigation and legal action.
As previously reported, Maureen Thalmann resigned from the Board a few weeks after the investigation was initiated by the Board. Park’s Commissioner Rogers continues to hold her seat as one of our seven elected Parks Commissioners.
Here are video excerpts from the April 28th joint meeting:
Here is a copy of the results of the investigation by Township Board’s attorney:
Investigation results from Township Board’s attorney
Here is a copy of the results of the investigation by the Parks and Recreation attorney:
Investigation results from PRC attorney
Here is a link to an Oakland Press article published on April 30. The article states that Thalmann claims she was told the issue would “all go away” if she resigned.
Oakland Press article dated April 30, 2015
Why is this important to the citizens of Oakland Township? This website has been reporting on many inappropriate actions by some of our Board members. This most recent confirmation of inappropriate actions certainly indicates that “all is not well” in Oakland Township. The elected officials of Oakland Township need to pursue potential legal charges, to the full extent of the law, so we demonstrate that Oakland Township has a governance body that obeys the laws.
Former Trustee Thalmann apparently feels that there was no wrongdoing, since she believed the issue would “all go away” if she resigned. Really??
Former Trustee Thalmann has resigned! Current Parks Commissioner Ann Marie Rogers should do the same!
Here is an earlier post pertaining to this subject:
Trustee Thalmann’s resignation and legal investigation
Richard Michalski
Oakland Township Watchers 
One cannot overlook Supervisor Gonser’s and Board appointed ZBA member John Markel’s roles in this, as their names were mentioned as part of this privileged and confidential email breech (and in the case of John Markel, his wife as well, who was a plaintiff against the Township at the time of these public trust breeches and who is also mentioned as the resident plaintiff by the attorney, which there is only one). They too need to step down as they have lost all credibility, trust and relevance in the public domain. If not, censure and removal, respectively. The Board has the authority, they need to use it.
As for Parks, requesting a resignation is in order of Commissioner Ann Marie Rogers, if she declines, censure.
Both the Board and Commission has a duty to protect the constituents, and like Chairman Andy Zale stated, “damage has been done.” Supervisor Gonser, Commissioner Ann Marie Rogers and appointed ZBA member John Markel can never be trusted with privileged, confidential or closed session documents or information ever again. They cannot allow these named individuals to undermine the dignity of the public office in which they hold, nor can they grant these individuals future opportunities to disregard their sworn and public oaths that violates the public’s trust and permit them to continue with their “cabal” any longer.
The citizens of this community hair on the back of their necks should be raised! The named individuals have continually declared transparency not only to the citizens, but to the board and commissioners. while all along violating The Rules of Engagement and their own sworn oath. They have been deceptive role players! What an embarrassment.
Judging from past observations, they will undoubtably point fingers away from themselves.
Perhaps more tax dollars have been spent on union negotiations as a result of these inappropriate communications.
Will any citizen thinking of making a request to the Z.B.A. be confident with their decision knowing Mr. Markle is sitting on this Board?
Watching the meeting online, I listened to a citizen who has never been to a meeting before, approach the podium several times. Interesting to learn it was Supervisor Gonser’s daughter…..
Sharon McKay
Past Oakland Township Trustee
2008-2014
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