In this second conversation with former Mayor Jerry Ellis, we get into the structural safeguards that have kept Farmington Hills stable for decades - and why they're being undermined right now. Jerry explains the "weak mayor, strong city manager" system our charter established: the mayor runs meetings and cuts ribbons, period. No administrative power. Seven equal votes. It's worked "to perfection" for 25 years by keeping partisan politics and power grabs out of city operations. So what changed between the November election and December 17th? Jerry heard the same rumors I did - that the mayor wants to consolidate power, extend her term to four years, and replace not just the city manager but potentially the police chief, fire chief, and city clerk. "I was sick when I heard it," Jerry tells me. He also confirms what's been nagging at me: City Manager Gary Machin received positive performance evaluations and yearly raises. There's no documented cause for termination. When you schedule secret meetings over the holidays, cancel the strategic planning session where department heads get their annual direction, and exclude council members from knowing what's happening, you're not governing - you're grabbing power. Jerry spent 20 hours a week as mayor during the Great Recession, took a pay cut from his law practice, and never once tried to run the city's daily operations. That wasn't his job. Public service means respecting the system that works, not breaking it to serve your own ambitions.

In this episode, I sit down with Jerry Ellis, attorney and former mayor of Farmington Hills who served our community for 25 years. Jerry doesn't mince words - scheduling a Friday afternoon meeting at 4pm without telling all council members the purpose is "totally unacceptable" and "like trying to do something behind everybody's back." As someone who helped structure our city charter and steered Farmington Hills through the Great Recession, Jerry knows what good government looks like. We discuss how secrecy and exclusion destroy the foundation this city was built on - nonpartisan cooperation and mutual respect among council members. Jerry shares stories from his time in office, like having a vigorous public debate with Councilwoman Nancy Bates over childcare facilities, then taking her out to dinner afterwards. That's how it's supposed to work. When council members can disagree respectfully and still break bread together, you have healthy governance. Jerry also addresses what happens when employees see their city manager targeted in a clandestine manner: "If they can do this to the city manager, they can do it to me." Morale goes to the floor. For someone who managed workforce reductions during the recession without mass layoffs - treating employees like family while saving the city $2 million annually - Jerry understands that trust flows downhill. Break it at the top, and you've broken your entire organization.

In this second conversation with former Mayor Ken Massey, we get into the nuts and bolts of how Farmington Hills government actually functions - and why that matters to your wallet and your property values. Ken explains why the mayor has no administrative power beyond running meetings, how the city manager oversees everything from our Triple-A bond rating to snowplow routes, and why political disruption at the top doesn't just stay at the top. We discuss real examples: how stability helped attract Nissan's $45 million crash test facility, why our police department ranks as one of the safest in the nation, and how creative solutions like brine pre-treatment saved taxpayers money while cutting salt usage by 60%. Ken also addresses something that's been bothering me - if City Manager Gary Machin received a positive performance evaluation and a raise back in March, why the sudden push to terminate him just weeks after an election where management changes weren't even mentioned? The disconnect is troubling. When businesses are deciding whether to invest millions here, when your property values depend on the commercial-residential tax split, and when department heads are questioning their job security, government instability isn't just a political inside-baseball issue. It affects every resident's quality of life and financial bottom line.

In this second conversation with Eugene Greenstein, we dig into what happens after the coup attempt - the lasting damage to city governance. Eugene doesn't sugarcoat it: "We've destroyed the working relationships in council. It's gone beyond a decision on a city manager." Drawing on his experience managing major organizational transitions in the auto industry, Eugene explains why bringing in an outsider as city manager creates "jump ball" chaos - employees who spent years building relationships and reputations suddenly face uncertainty about whether they're next on the chopping block. He makes a critical point about process: if Gary Machin wasn't meeting goals, council members would know because their constituents would be calling. "This is the fourth week in a row the garbage hasn't been collected" - those complaints would reach every council member. But that's not happening. Eugene also addresses the practicalities nobody's talking about: Who becomes interim city manager? How long will a national search take? What happens to major decisions facing the city - like the senior center renovation that needs careful financial analysis? When you break trust at the top through secret meetings and exclusionary tactics, you can't suddenly come together to make wise decisions on complex issues. Eugene's assessment of Mayor Rich is blunt: "I have no reason to believe Theresa knows how to manage her way out of a paper bag. She's a lawyer." Running a law firm isn't running a city. We elected council members to hire a city manager who meets their goals - not to become managers themselves. Eugene's final warning: this chaos makes it impossible for council to do the hard work our city needs.

In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Ken Massey, former mayor and council member of Farmington Hills with over 20 years of public service experience. Ken brings both his political background and academic expertise from Wayne State University to help us understand what's really at stake when government operates in the shadows. We dissect what happened with that hastily-called December meeting - why excluding council members and hiding the agenda violates not just the Open Meetings Act's spirit, but the fundamental trust required for effective governance. Ken explains how Farmington Hills' council-manager form of government is supposed to work, why nonpartisan cooperation is essential at the local level, and what happens when that breaks down. He also addresses a critical point: if the city council can't work together with mutual respect, how do you attract quality professionals to serve as city manager with seven bosses who don't trust each other? This conversation goes beyond procedural complaints - it's about preserving the well-functioning government that's given Farmington Hills its strong reputation for decades. Ken stepped away from political life after serving his community, but like Cincinnatus, he still cares deeply about what happens here.

In this episode, I talk with Eugene Greenstein, a long-term Farmington Hills resident with extensive private sector management experience at a major automobile company. Eugene doesn't hold back - he calls what happened on December 17th exactly what it is: a coup attempt. "We just had an election where Theresa told us in glowing terms how great everything was. Then all of a sudden, we're going to get rid of the city manager under very strange circumstances." Eugene spent his career building high-performing teams by fostering trust and relationships across diverse groups of skilled professionals. He knows what happens when you destroy that foundation with secret meetings and exclusionary tactics - the work simply can't get done. Drawing on his management experience, Eugene explains why you can't be an expert in every department you oversee, but you can create a culture where experts communicate openly and challenge assumptions. When the mayor excludes council members from knowing about a termination meeting, when there's no documented performance problem, when campaign literature never mentioned management issues - "this just smells to high heaven," Eugene tells me. He makes a powerful point: if Gary Machin had been stealing money or doing something illegal, every council member would have been notified simultaneously. But that's not what happened here. This was selective communication designed to orchestrate a specific outcome. Eugene's bottom line? Everyone should be asking the mayor to resign unless she's got a good story - which she certainly hasn't told anybody.

In this third installment, Brian Burtka and I get to the heart of what really matters when government leadership fragments. We talk about broken chains - how excluding council members from critical communications doesn't just violate transparency, it shatters trust throughout the entire organization. From City Hall down to the snowplow drivers, everyone feels it when credibility erodes at the top. Brian draws on his private sector experience to explain what happens when management loses the confidence of their team - rumors spread, performance suffers, and good people start questioning whether they'll even have a job next month. With Mayor Theresa Rich recently reelected with over 59% of the vote and newly seated council members joining the team, the stakes are high. We explore why the hasty special meeting about our city manager's future wasn't just a procedural issue - it's about whether our seven council members, all elected by the same voters, can work together with mutual respect. Because when that chain of trust breaks, it doesn't just affect City Hall. It affects every service you depend on.

In this second part of my conversation with Brian Burtka, we dive deeper into how Farmington Hills government actually works. Many residents don't fully understand the distinction between the mayor's ceremonial role and the city manager's critical administrative responsibilities. Brian and I break down what the city manager actually does - from overseeing our police and fire departments to managing our Triple-A bond rating and every city service in between. We discuss why this position is the "hinge point" between policy and operations, and why transparency matters when major personnel decisions are being made behind closed doors. If you've ever wondered who's really running the day-to-day operations of our city, or why the mayor doesn't have administrative authority, this conversation will clear things up. This is about understanding the structure of your local government and holding it accountable.