If these people are surprised and glad you're meeting with them, I think
that speaks volumes as to how nice this woman is.  Sure, it's tough to teach
the new guy what you do for a living, but graciousness has to go beyond the
headlines.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lawrence Kestenbaum" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, November 11, 2004 07:26
Subject: [BP] Rocky transition


> 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
>
> ---
> 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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>

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