My opponent and predecessor as County Clerk and Register of Deeds, Peggy
Haines, is invariably described as a nice lady, and the headline in the
Ann Arbor News after the election was "Haines gracious in loss to
Kestenbaum".

I had imagined a transition in which I would have some time to study the
office, get to know the staff members and vice versa, choose the chief
deputies, etc.

But that was too optimistic.  Instead, she has instructed the staff not to
talk to me, and has told me to stay away until January 1st, the day I take
office.  I only learned about this on Monday.

I have heard that the staff is terrified.  Peggy herself says the staff is
"devastated".  Obviously she is doing all she can to fuel this.

Deprived of any opportunity to learn about the office directly, I have
been meeting with the other county officials, every member of the county
board, the circuit, probate, and district judges, the head of the Board of
Realtors, the heads of personnel and finance for the county, and so on.

These folks generally seem glad to meet with me, even a little surprised
that I would favor them with a private interview.  I have avoided whining
about Peggy's behavior to the other officials, but maybe that's a mistake.

Meanwhile, in Northfield Township (located north of Ann Arbor), the
defeated incumbent township supervisor has announced a very similar
no-transition policy.

I suppose this is what happens when there is a change in party control.
When Democrats gained control of the Michigan House in the 1970s, the
outgoing Republicans gathered up and burned every record, so that the
other party would have to start over from scratch.

But during the campaign, Peggy said she was not a politician ...

                                Larry

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Lawrence Kestenbaum, [log in to unmask]
The Political Graveyard, http://politicalgraveyard.com
Polygon, the Dancing Bear, http://potifos.com/polygon
Mailing address: P.O. Box 2563, Ann Arbor MI 48106

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