TRAVERSE CITY -- A handful of Acme residents and others who led a failed February recall of the township board had plenty to say while they were being directed by a Meijer, Inc. public relations firm, but these days, mum's the word.
In the months leading up to the recall, its supporters wrote Forum columns in the Record-Eagle, sent dozens of letters to the editor, signed their names to campaign election literature and were quoted in stories. They always contended Meijer wasn't behind the push to remove Acme's elected leaders, but a lawsuit filed by Acme Treasurer William Boltres against Meijer exposed the truth:
Meijer's money -- at least $30,000 -- funded their efforts, and the retailer's public relations firm crafted recall language, set up a pro-recall Web site, managed the recall campaign, and wrote forums and letters to the editor that residents signed as their own.
Now, other than directing a few profanities at a Record-Eagle reporter, none of the local recall leaders want to comment on the Meijer revelations.
Recall leaders who refused comment or did not return calls include:
•Jim Goss, an investor in the Village at Grand Traverse development on M-72, did not return several messages left at his home.
•Ron Reinhold, a member of Acme Taxpayers for Responsible Government, declined comment.
•Dan Rosa, treasurer of Acme Taxpayers for Responsible Government, did not return messages left at his home.
•Rob Roden, director of Acme Taxpayers for Responsible Government, was out of town and did not return a message left on his cell phone.
•Lewis Griffith, treasurer of the Acme Recall Committee, responded to a reporter's phone call with profanities and hung up without additional comment.
•Former township clerk Noelle Knopf could not be reached.
Stacie Behler, Meijer, Inc. vice president of communication, said the retailer would not comment, citing ongoing litigation.
A message left for Scott Nowakowski, Meijer's director of real estate, was returned by Behler who declined to comment when asked if Nowakowski is still employed by Meijer.
Attorneys Tim Stoepker and Peter Webster of Dickinson Wright PLLC, worked on the Meijer campaign, according to invoices, and did not return messages left at their office and on cell phones.
A reporter's e-mail message to Dickinson Wright that notified it of upcoming Record-Eagle stories was cited by Meijer in a court request to place a gag order on Traverse city attorney Grant Parsons, who represents Acme Treasurer William Boltres in his harassment lawsuit against the retailer. Meijer unsuccessfully attempted to stop Parsons from releasing documents detailing Meijer's involvement in the recall.
Dan Spaulding of Seyferth, Spaulding, Tennyson -- the public relations firm that devised and managed the recall campaign -- said his company would not comment, citing ongoing litigation, though Seyferth, Spaulding, Tennyson is not named in any Meijer-related lawsuit.
Additionally, several township residents who worked with the firm on the recall campaign declined comment.
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