Editorial
Written by John Face
Photo Credit John Face
September 24, 2021
As Dr. Mathew Johnson’s supporters spread out over social media and the community it’s worth me taking time to address that as best I can. One person I spoke with in all my interviews said “Johnson is good at insulating himself by having others do the dirty work even if it makes those supporters look like fools”. Now that is hard to prove but it has become clear that Johnson supporters are in full frontal attack.
I released a story that dealt with the connections of Albion City Council members and Johnson. I started with the no bid contract that Vicky Clark received from Albion College for cleaning services at four buildings on campus. Clark at the time was the Precinct 1 Council member and has resigned her seat since the release of the story as she has moved out of the precinct. In this story never did this writer state it was illegal for her to receive the contract, but the question is does this contract appear appropriate.
The fact is Johnson knew Clark was going to receive the contract prior to it being signed. The issue that needs to be answered without smoke and mirrors is wouldn’t it have been better to put the contract up for bid for all minority cleaning services before giving a no bid contract to a sitting member of council? If this had gone through that process, whether the way it was ultimately done is legal or not, suspicions would have been easily dismissed.
Despite what you are being told, it is a no bid contract that Clark received because the contract was given to her and no one else had a chance at it. Poor legal arguments describing it as anything else is just smoke and mirrors.
As far as the other members of council allow me to address Lenn Reid. I am not really sure why Ms. Reid would be upset with the writer. If she or anyone else actually read the article they would have seen that this writer never questioned her actions regarding the Holland Park project and did not bring her up to Johnson. No that would be Dr. Johnson who demanded that she be added to my list of questionable relationships between the college and Council members “because people in the community are saying that was done for influence”, he said. This writer has defended Ms. Reid and the project as far as what was done by the college regarding Holland Park.
There are real questions that need to be answered by Johnson and not by his defenders that are beholding to him financially.
Such as where does the college expect to find money for his Washington Gardner project? Is what City Watch NEWS heard that Johnson has told different leaders in the community if the Marshall Public School Bond fails his plan is to build and open a Charter School at the location he wants a Marshall Elementary School built true? It is public knowledge that Johnson wants an Elementary school built there.
Why couldn’t he or his attorney that handled the WG Construction application to the state actually use the College address instead of his address? Psst took me less than 30 seconds to look it up, 611 East Porter Street. Is it a good idea for him to hire the Law firm that the Marshall School board President works for? Is it a good idea for him to have that school board president go to residents asking to purchase homes for cash for an anonymous buyer that turns out to be the College is the buyer?
These are a few of many questions that Johnson needs to answer, not his defenders. The public has grown tired, with proof of many text messages and phone calls I have received, of Johnson supporter’s lip service while he hides and doesn’t answer any more tough questions in public. So when the Johnson defenders, especially those who are making money off the college, try to answer these questions I would ask you politely ask them to shush, and tell them to tell Johnson it’s his turn to talk to this writer.
I will be back in a couple days with more.
City Watch News Blog 
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