Treasurer Breaks Ranks, Says Payne Appears Ready to Try 'Double-Dipping' Taxpayers

Just days from making his own case to colleagues on why he should replace Bloomfield Township Supervisor Dave Payne, Treasurer Dan Devine has accused the outgoing leader of trying to "double dip" taxpayers.

In a Letter to the Editor sent to Bloomfield Patch, Devine asserts that Payne appears ready to start consulting with the township after his retirement Aug. 1, while drawing a full pension and benefits following a 41-year career that started in the road department.

He said there is no official township record documenting the possibility, but he believes comments made to local media and his own knowledge of Payne's retirement plans lead him to believe it's true.

"Why would you appoint someone for $140,000 per year plus benefits who would need the retired Supervisor to be paid to negotiate consolidation agreements when the current Treasurer, a candidate for the position, is a licensed attorney with expertise in municipal law?," Devine wrote. "It doesn’t pass the 'Smell Test'."

Devine said he also believes strongly that his personal opposition to retaining Payne as a paid consultant after retirement cost him Payne's support in his bid to to become the township's CEO.

Devine and Township Trustee Leo Savoie are scheduled to present their qualifications for appointment to the supervisor position at Monday night's meeting of the Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees.

"Loyalty is a strong trait for me, and I love Dave Payne as a person, but it's just greed," he said in an interview with Bloomfield Patch. "I can't believe he's succumbed to that on the way out the door."

Payne disheartened by accusations

Payne flatly denied having any formal discussions with board members about the possibility of consulting after retirement. But he did say more than one person did mention it because of the groundwork he laid with other municipalities on consolidation issues.

"It's disheartening when people want to suggest things that are false," Payne said. "I'm doing what my family and I feel I have to do."

Despite having more than a year left in his term, Payne, who had heart surgery in 2002, said he decided to retire over health concerns. He has no official plans to work, but said he would not mind continuing his efforts to help the township remain financially sound.

He said any perception of wrongdoing suggested by Devine is jumping to the wrong conclusion. He said he would consider consulting with the township on a volunteer and contingency basis depending on the time requirements.

"How can you have a perception problem when no issue has even been considered by the board? That part is totally baffling to me," he said.

'Smooth transition' gets rocky

As he did upon announcing his retirement, Payne said Thursday he was committed to a smooth transition for his successor and will help in any way needed, for free. He said he has stayed neutral in the process and already excused himself from voting on a successor to avoid the appearance of impropriety.

But in Devine's letter, the three-term incumbent said Payne did interject himself into the decision-making process by shooting down Devine's suggestion for a public vote.

At the July 7 study session, Payne said the board would have seriously considered a special election if the candidates were to be nominated in the traditional sense by petition signatures and primary wings.

Under Michigan law, the chief political parties in the township would control the nomination process if a special election were needed to replace a supervisor. At that same meeting, the board decided to limit the candidate field to current board members only.

Savoie publicly declared his interest in the supervisor position that night. He denies any deal with Payne, and said the call for a vote would only hamper local control of the process.

"We heard about how this would be decided and I think the light clicked on for everybody," Savoie said. "It's a decision that should and is going to be made by the board. We have six people that are highly qualified and committed to the board and the process."

Devine acknowledged the timing and tone of his letter could appear as some to "sour grapes," but insists his motive isn't personal.

"At a minimum, the issue of hiring back the retiring Supervisor should be discussed in this 'appointment process,'" he wrote. "It shouldn’t be allowed to fly under the radar as the Board clearly attempted to do by rushing the process, closing it to only allow Board members to apply and shutting out the voters."

Devine himself backed away from the notion of a vote later in the July 7 study session after several residents and board members stated concerns over a partisan-controlled process.

Devine said he took the majority of this week off and was not working in the office so he could focus on his presentation. Payne said he has not spoken to him and has not tried.