Written by John Face
October 11, 2023
An hour after City Watch news posted this opinion online article at 11:35 A.M. (CLICK HERE TO READ OPINION STORY), Interim Economic Development Corporation (EDC) Chair Jerome Harvey emailed leaders in Albion along with Council members and EDC. In this letter, he stated he was appointing fired Virgie Ammerman as acting EDC President based on the authority Harvey claimed he had from a resolution passed back in March of this year by the EDC Board.
The letter clearly states Harvey MAY have that authority, but ONLY if the EDC Board authorizes it, which, according to EDC board members, they still need to approve. He reads it differently and says she can now do everything the EDC President legally can do because he said so. Unfortunately, the city attorney and EDC attorney are unwilling to disagree with Harvey’s version of the rule. This makes it impossible for the City Manager to intervene because her city attorney lacks the courage to stand up to this blatant corruption.
So Ammerman forced the landlord of the building to open it for her so she could seize the office and begin “working.” Board members Vicky Clark and Harvey told Albion police, whom Ammerman called we have been told, that Ammerman was authorized to be in the building and office, which is untrue. The EDC board still needs to meet to allow Harvey to take this action. Harvey opens the door to do this, leaving Ammerman with records that she may be emboldened to do more damage than she already has.
Ammerman is under investigation by the Michigan State Police for trying to delete emails and remove confidential files after her firing on August 10 this year. Harvey wrote the letter in question on October 9, 2023, and it was not sent to the above leaders until today, an hour after City Watch posted our Opinion story linked above. At no time in the last few months since Ammerman was fired has Harvey attempted this take-over of the EDC using this resolution of the EDC, which makes one wonder why now.
City Watch News asked and received this statement from Albion Mayor Vicky Snyder:
As the Mayor of Albion, I am deeply concerned about the blatant disregard for the rule of the law and ethical board governance demonstrated by Jerome Harvey’s unilateral decision to reinstate the Director of the EDC today. The EDC executive committee voted to terminate her employment; and later a vote to reinstate her failed.
Although Mr. Harvey is fully aware that Ms. Ammerman is under criminal investigation for alleged malfeasance, he decided to act in a vacuum and reappoint her this afternoon without any input from other EDC board members. That decision flies in the face of ethical board governance and it is bad business for both the EDC and our community. Enough is Enough. I am consulting with legal counsel to determine next steps to undo this unethical and undemocratic action.
Mayor Victoria Garcia Snyder
Here is the best copy we can get of the Harvey email:
ALBION
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
October 9, 2023
Mayor Victoria Snyder
Albion City Council Commissioners Albion Economic Development Corporation
Board of Directors
Delivered via email
Press Release
Colleagues,
As the Albion Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors continues to accomplish an Interim President / CEO employment agreement with Virgie Ammerman, it was necessary to appoint a Contracted Interim President / CEO to manage the day-to-day operations of the organization as it is, indeed, a full-time position requiring strategic and operational commitment at a level no one board member can perform.
The attached Board Resolution allows for this contract to be executed and these day-to-day operations include, but are not limited to:
Partnering with and supporting MAEDA’s efforts to continue to attract major investments and industry, such as the Ford BlueOval EV Battery Plant.
Partnering with and supporting Tier II supply chain needs incentivization.
Land accumulation and development necessary to attract resources from the State of Michigan so that industry can be incentivized to locate in the greater Albion area, thus creating both construction and long-term jobs.
Partnering with and supporting WODA Corporation with their MSHDA tax credit application for 50 units of workforce and/or senior housing located on North Eaton Street. This application is due in November and requires extensive support from the EDC and the City of Albion. You will recall Mr. Craig Patterson appeared before the EDC Board during the September 28, 2023, board meeting to detail their needs and confidence in Virgie’s capacity and ability to link them with the City of Albion. Partnering with and supporting a confidential housing developer committed to developing housing on the outskirts of Albion City. This MSHDA application is due this winter and needs significant support from the EDC and the City of Albion. Partnering with and supporting a confidential developer preparing a MSHDA tax credit application due this next spring and significant early development work is critical to the success of this application in the spring.
Partnering with and supporting several restaurateurs interested in expanding or locating in the City of Albion.
Strategically creating the calendar year EDC Budget to support the vision and goals of the EDC in support of the vision and goals of the City of Albion and surrounding townships.
Albion Economic Development Corporation, P.O. Box 725, Albion, MI 49224 517.629.3926 http://www.albionedc.org
Partnering with Mark Gettel, Business Solutions Manager, with Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center, on the Going Pro Talent Fund fall round.
Partnering with Dale Carnegie and the Michigan Manufacturer’s Association on the Industrial Led Collaborative fall round to continue to bring leadership training to our region.
Oversee and manage both employed and contracted staff.
Managing grant awards and programs allowing the EDC to maintain compliance and ability to attract future funding while currently serving Albion residents.
Strengthening relationships with the Calhoun County Land Bank opening opportunities for City of Albion residents to procure and develop available properties.
Virgie Ammerman has been contracted beginning Monday, October 9, 2023, through such time as the President / CEO role is filled permanently. She is uniquely qualified to fill this role both efficiently and effectively as she has been performing these duties and is responsible for the early development steps in these projects. In addition, as we will be holding Virgie accountable for the successful execution of this role moving forward, it makes the most sense to have her in this contracted role.
We are most grateful to Virgie for agreeing to this intermediate volunteer step and trust she will dedicate herself to the best interests of the City of Albion and the Economic Development of Albion and surrounding areas.
Thank you for your support and continued work toward alignment of our vision and goals on behalf of the City of Albion, Sheridan and Albion Township, our region, and our state.
In partnership and appreciation, Jerome Harvey
Chairperson of the Board
Albion Economic Development Corporation
cc: Nelson Karre, EDC Board Counsel
cc: Cullen Harkness, City of Albion Counsel
Cc: Kevin Brozovich, HR Consultant
cc: Virgie Ammerman
Attachment: Resolution from March 2023 EDC Board Meeting
Resolution:
ALBION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, ALBION TAX INCREMENT FINANCING AUTHORITY, AND ALBION BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY Michigan municipal corporation and Authorities
Resolution- Authorization for Board Officers and the President to Execute Business
Contracts and Leases
March 2, 2023 The undersigned certifies: the undersigned is the duly elected and qualified Secretary of Albion Economic Development Corporation (EDC), a Michigan municipal corporation, the Board of which serves as the Board of Directors for the Albion Tax Increment Financing Authority (TIFA) and for the Albion Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (BRA); the following resolution was duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation at a duly called meeting of the Board at which a quorum was present held on March 2, 2023:
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Corporation bylaws allow for the Board to authorize board officers and agents to enter into contracts and to execute and deliver instruments in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation. The Bylaws further state such authority may be general or limited. Any contract or other instrument executed in the name of the Corporation shall be signed by such officers or agents of the Corporation as the board specifies, and in the manner the board authorizes by resolution.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Board of Directors grants general authority to any of the Board Chair, the Board Secretary, and the President for business contracts and leases that are needed in the normal course of business.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Board authorizes any of the EDC/TIFA /BRA Board Chair and the EDC/TIFA/BRA Board Secretary, and the EDC/TIFA/BRA President to execute on general business contracts and leases needed in the normal course of business.
The undersigned further certifies that the above Resolution remains in full force and binding upon the Corporation, that the Board of Directors has the power and authority to authorize the acts set forth in the Resolution, and that the Resolution has not been amended or revoked as of the date of this Certificate.
DATED: March 2, 2023
Annette Marria
Annette Norris, Secretary
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