Dear Editor and Residents of Lima Township,
When I learned in May that Mr. Hensel was appointed to the Lima Township Board after long time trustee Don Laier’s death in April, I thought, “Who is this guy? Never heard of him.”
Afterwards I would hear things that greatly concerned me. Then in Mr. Hensel’s September 16, 2020 Letter to the Editor introducing himself to the residents of Lima Township those concerns were confirmed in his own words. RED FLAGS.
At that time, I commented, in great detail, on one red flag regarding the township hall quoting him and then pointing out his errors as they weren’t factual or were half-truths. He had only been on the board five months and his comments were sounding a lot like they came from the out-going township supervisor Craig Maier.
With the election a month away, I want to address other red flags. Mr. Hensel is seeking a permanent position as trustee. Mr. Hensel states he is “President of D.J. Hensel Consulting Services and am a consultant to Lombardo Homes of Southeast Michigan, with a focus on Land Development.” Lombardo Homes is the largest builder of new homes in Michigan, one development being Thornton Farms, which completed phase two with phase three on hold. Mr. Hensel has lived in Thornton Farms since its inception.
Lima Township has continually dealt with developers to keep the rural flavor of the township. It would be a developer’s dream to get one of “their people” on the board to speed things up…. going from a slow trickle to opening up the flood gates. (Even though it’s not the planning commission…just getting one toe in the door.)
Mr. Hensel states he “came to the Chelsea area and Lima Township in 2012.” With Mr. Hensel’s ties to Lombardo Homes, being a resident for only eight years living in a Lombardo Homes development, makes me suspicious of his motives for wanting to be on the township board. In his letter to the residents, Mr. Hensel goes on about his family coming “from the farm fields and coal mines of Central Pennsylvania…” Reminiscing about his childhood with his grandfather and dabbling in farming as a young man…he’s now 68 years old.
I feel Mr. Hensel is trying to ingratiate himself with the voters just to win the trustee position…as so many politicians do. Then once they get in, things change…
Dale Luick is the real deal. He has lived here a lot longer than eight years and works the land today along with having his own business, Luick Services. He was born and raised in Lima Township. Not only has he lived his entire life (age 31) in Lima Township, his ancestors have been well established in Michigan arriving in Scio Township in 1831 and establishing the current Luick farm in 1879…. totaling 189 years! They were a pioneering farm family that still farms to this day…. uncle, cousin, father, as well as himself…even though they all have other businesses.
Like Supervisor-elect Duane Luick, Dale will listen to the residents. How refreshing! Dale is running because he is fed up with the board majority being continually disrespectful to the residents and not being fiscally responsible. Most recently was at the September 14th monthly board of trustees meeting and first zoom meeting. Residents were very vocal about putting a hold any more decisions regarding the town hall until after the election…right around the corner. To no surprise, the board majority…. Maier, Bater, and Hensel…. disregarded the residents once again and did what they wanted.
But the monthly meeting had to be redone the following Monday on September 21st due to a violation of the Michigan’s Open Meeting Act…. which “ensures that the governmental decision-making process would be accessible to Michigan residents.” The error was pointed out by a resident which board members initially questioned. The September 14th meeting wasn’t posted correctly…. only on the website and no other spots resulting in residents showing up at the town hall for the meeting which was a zoom meeting. BUT in redoing the meeting, it was déjà vu…. adding insult to injury.
Residents once again objected, and Maier, Bater, and Hensel voted their own agenda again. Thus, immediately spending $18,000.00 on the town hall controversy. Shameful. Take note: Maier is the out-going supervisor. Bater is running unopposed as clerk. BUT Hensel is showing BAD judgement going along with Maier and Bater as he’s running for a permanent trustee position. That says A LOT!
Mr. Hensel is just dead wrong for Lima Township. Being a temporarily appointed trustee who has only been on the board for five months, his statements and actions have shown he is a Craig Maier “mini-me.” We need to clean house for a better board.
We need a resident-respectful, long established, thoughtful trustee that will not put personal desires ahead of the residents…the taxpayers and their money. That’s Dale Luick. Additionally, his youth is a plus as a representative for the younger voters and the future voters to come. The “Old Guard” needs that infusion of new blood. Dale is committed to seeing “Lima Township flourish as a rural community but open to change.”
On November 3rd, let’s bring a fresh new era to the Lima Township board. A board that listens and is fiscally responsible…. which the current and past boards hasn’t/haven’t done…. not years, but decades.
Florence (Twinkie) Beach
Lima Township
