MANTON, Mich. — A special meeting of the Manton City Commission convened Tuesday morning to address a lawsuit filed by Mayor Joe Grzybowski against the commission, which had recently moved to elevate Mayor Pro-Tem Sue Fullerton to his role. The suit was prompted by a resolution issued on September 16, asserting that the mayor was neither “absent” nor “disabled,” which are prerequisites for the resolution to remain valid according to the city’s Charter.
In his legal action, Grzybowski is seeking to prevent the enforcement of the commission’s resolution through an injunction. He is also requesting a court ruling that deems the resolution either “unlawful and/or in excess of Charter authority” and asks for “costs and such other relief as is just.”
Commissioner Jessica Wilkins, who authored the power transfer resolution, argued that Grzybowski has been largely absent from his duties for over four months. She referenced several instances where he required repeated reminders to sign important documents related to a splash pad project, the TrueNorth gas station, and the new library, prompting the need for the resolution.
The resolution received significant support, passing with a 5-1 vote; Commissioner Dick Raymer was the sole dissenting voice. While Grzybowski missed the commission’s meeting in August, he attended meetings in June, July, and September.
“We have responsibilities that need to be addressed within the city,” Wilkins said. “We can’t fulfill our obligations if we have to chase down responses from someone who often doesn’t reply to at least five out of six of us.”
Grzybowski responded, stating he could only recall a couple of occasions with delayed document signings and insisted that there haven’t been any significant project delays or funding loss.
“I’m willing to contest this resolution on principle,” he stated. “If the commission can unilaterally define absence, where does that leave us? Are they saying someone is absent just because they miss an email by a few minutes?”
During the meeting, the commission decided to hire attorney Gregory R. Grant from Cummings, McClorey, Davis and Acho, P.L.C. for the defense, a decision that passed with a 4-0 vote, as Commissioners Nichole Johnson and Dick Raymer were not present. Grzybowski will be representing himself in the lawsuit.
After the meeting concluded, Wilkins expressed her disapproval of the mayor’s approach to city matters.
“This behavior is immature and unnecessary,” she remarked. “His intentions to ‘rake us over the coals’ are quite embarrassing.”
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