By Brian McGillivary
TRAVERSE CITY -- The man who stood up to Meijer is stepping down.
William Boltres said he's had enough of public service and will leave his position as Acme Township treasurer effective June 30.
Boltres, 72, said constant harassment, false accusations and threatened lawsuits that stemmed from would-be developments in Acme affected his health and peace of mind. In the last two years he's suffered two heart attacks and was diagnosed with lung cancer.
"The constant threats are more than my health can handle," Boltres said. "When I start waking up in the middle of the night worrying about stuff, it's time to get out."
Township officials credited Boltres' financial acumen and frugal spending for putting the township in a sound financial position since his 2004 election. But he's best known for exposing the illegal manipulations of two township elections by Meijer, Inc.
"I applaud him to the point of a standing ovation," said township Trustee Erick Takayama. "He's a single individual who stood up to a big corporation acting illegally and brought it all to light."
Boltres sued Meijer after it twice personally sued him and other township officials. Meijer alleged Boltres had a conflict of interest for belonging to Concerned Citizens of Acme Township, a group of residents who sued to stop the proposed Village at Grand Traverse development anchored by Meijer.
But Boltres never belonged to CCAT.
"He was upset and he was hurt by those allegations," said township Clerk Dorothy Dunville. "But he had more guts than most people."
Boltres' lawsuit uncovered billing and legal documents that showed Meijer paid a public relations firm more than $30,000 to secretly orchestrate a 2007 recall of the entire township board. The Grand Rapids-based retailer later admitted it used corporate funds in the failed recall and also may have violated campaign finance laws in a 2005 referendum to temporarily ban new big box stores.
Once exposed, Meijer settled Boltres' suit and dropped other pending suits against the township and its officials.
"If he hadn't sued, we wouldn't have found out about Meijer," Dunville said. "It made you feel a little better and breathe a little easier."
Because Boltres settled -- the agreement precludes him from commenting on the case -- it remains unclear which individuals associated with Meijer and the Village of Grand Traverse LLC may have violated state law. A criminal investigation is stalled and could be permanently blocked by Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land, depending on what action her office takes against Meijer.
Boltres subsequently sued the Village at Grand Traverse LLC, the corporation behind the Village at Grand Traverse, a massive mixed use development proposed along M-72. His case is based on the same alleged illegal harassment that prompted the Meijer suit.
He declined to discuss the pending litigation.
His attorney, Grant Parsons, of Traverse City, said Boltres wants to find the "puppet masters" behind the harassment campaign against the township. Boltres goal: a full-blown public trial.
Boltres said he believes his success against Meijer and the ongoing suit against the Village made him a target of the board's opponents.
"Maybe if I step aside, the harassment will slow down and the (Meijer supporters) will back off the other board members," he said.
Lawsuits, contentious elections and personal attacks against their integrity from political opponents have been constant and rough for the entire board, Dunville said.
Former township Supervisor Bill Kurtz resigned in 2006, citing stress-related health concerns.
"People don't understand how the last three and a half years has affected people's well-being," Takayama said. "Especially the full-time officials, they have suffered greatly from the acts of (Meijer)."
Boltres was elected when Acme residents broomed the previous seven-member board over its handling of the Village project.
The new board wanted to control growth, not stop Meijer, Boltres said.
"Growth has to be planned; you can't just give the developer everything they want," he said.
The township board will discuss the process for appointing a new treasurer when it meets at 7 p.m. May 13*.
Acme Township's board moved its regular meeting to 7 p.m. May 13, due to an Elk Rapids school board election. The board will discuss the process for replacing township Treasurer William Boltres during the meeting. The Record-Eagle story listed the wrong meeting date.
