TRAVERSE CITY -- Grand Traverse County commissioners haven't evaluated county Administrator Dennis Aloia's job performance in five years. But there's no apparent hesitation to critique fellow Commissioner Christine Maxbauer.
Aloia and Commissioner Larry Fleis were among those who unloaded on Maxbauer Thursday for publicly expressing her thoughts about the county administration in comments to local reporters.
"You are misusing your authority as a county commissioner," Fleis alleged. "You're a great disillusionment to me; you're grandstanding."
Maxbauer said comments she made about Aloia and a variety of county matters, including the red ink-soaked county septage plant, are nothing she hasn't previously expressed at board or committee meetings.
"When I am called by a newspaper or I am called by a television station and asked a question, I always answer it and I will continue to do that," Maxbauer said.
Fleis did not return a phone call from the Record-Eagle seeking comment.
Board chairman Addison "Sonny" Wheelock said he was "personally offended" by Maxbauer's comments about county issues. "I'm most offended she doesn't engage the county board in discussion," Wheelock said. "We hear all her arguments by way of the media."
The relationship between Maxbauer and most of the county board has been icy since she won a seat in the November 2006 election. She began videotaping board meetings in January 2007 and aired the tapes on local public access television.
The board for years resisted televising their meetings before Maxbauer's arrival.
Maxbauer subsequently sued the county board and alleged her fellow commissioners violated the state's Open Meetings Act when they prevented her from videotaping a May board meeting. The board eventually settled the suit by apologizing and paying Maxbauer's attorney fees.
Maxbauer has been in the news recently for exposing the administration's and board's slow responses in three areas.
The board repeatedly failed to review Aloia's job performance in writing, as called for in his contract with the board.
Maxbauer said she then was forced to file a Freedom of Information Act request to determine the county wasn't performing scheduled maintenance on defibrillators at the Civic Center pool or training life guards how to use the devices.
Maxbauer also criticized Aloia for "dragging his feet" on the board's October request that he find an independent third party to review the septage treatment plant.
Aloia said he resents and doesn't appreciate that Maxbauer didn't address her criticism to him before voicing it in the media.
"I am owed that degree of respect rather than to read it in the newspaper first," Aloia said.
Maxbauer said she didn't level a personal criticism against Aloia and there was nothing inappropriate about being critical of how a job is being done.
"I've tried talking to Dennis (Aloia) personally, I voice concerns at public meetings, and I always answer media questions," Maxbauer said.
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