Didn't the idea of sending the towing contract out for quote preclude any recall? Couldn't the Township Board then sue Nightingale's Towing for starting a recall in retaliation for putting their 50 year no bid work up for outside bid?
Just more cry babies that want the old corrupt ways of Shelby Township back.
Wait, what about the report that staes Nightingale's overcharged hundereds of people by thousands of dollars, probably for decades.
So, it's crybaby crooks suing the taxpayers for what they feel entitled to, nothing more.

Dick Stathakis and Viar are magnets for lawsuits. Huth must be bummed he's not getting paid bank to defend the King.

Look who’s crying now. Matt G. the unofficial spokesperson for Shelby Township. LOL!!!!!!!!

From what I can gather, this is going to be more than suing the taxpayers through the insurance company. The suit is going for both compensatory and punative damages against not only the Township, but the five individuals themselves. Does the insurance cover them as individuals? Or will they have to foot part of the bill for damages and legal fees themselves? Not sure how that works. This is guaranteed to drag on long after some or all of them are voted out this fall.

Here’s a prime example of what goes around comes around. Stathakis is not above the law. Now it’s time to pay. The other four will also pay for being part of the corruption. I’m sure there’s more to come.

The insurance covers all actions done in the official capacity of an elected official unless it's illegal.
This is King John who did what he wanted in Shelby Twp. For 50 years getting a wake up call and whinning about it. King John collected the majority of signatures for candidate Leman, who is also suing the township. Niether suit will go anywhere because nothing illegal was done. The towing contractor overcharged hundred of people for decades... it's in an official report. How can you sue for losing a job after you were caught stealing?

There were far more numerous and costly lawsuits brought against the township in the 4 years prior to Stathakis. The problem then was that they were legit and the insurance just paid out. I wonder if the insurance will pay out on a claim by a vedor who overcharged it's customers?

This may take him a while to twist a few facts for you.

Leman was sued in Federal Court for sexual descrimination and we paid 40 grand. Maccarone was sued for sexual descrimination/harrassment... and paid out, again during the deposition phase because it was so damning. The police dept was sued and paid out 1.95 million because the testimony during the information gatthering part of the trial showed officers were improperly trained and the leadership was inept. There are about 6 to 12 more, your weloce to FOIA them or just get a PACER account and look them up.
I consider the past lawsuits as having some merrit. Maccarone was a bully and seemed kind of a swindler, look at old meeting recording, which by the way Macarrone wanted to stop and then tried to have tall video of the meetings he was envolved in destroyed after 30 days..... There was some transpeancy for you.
When your legacy is bad, you try to cover it up, maccarone did by wanting to destroy public video record, Leman is trying by starting a lawsuit so his old work record can not be discussed or brought up in this election, not even the written reasons he was fired. Nightingale's is a business sueing the municipality it is located in after it was shown they swindled hundred or possibly thousands of citizens for decades... My policy, ... if you sue where you live, it's like a child sueing parents for denying them an allowance increase... I don't stand for it, I will boycott you and call you a spoiled rotten self entitled cry baby that you are...

Sorry for the typos.... sleepy rant but factual.

Nightingales Service provided towing to Shelby Township citizens for over 50 years (by their own admission). John Nightingale said in a televised meeting "We've been doing business the same way for over 50 years and no one has said anything about (the) overcharges in the past". Is that not an admission that they have been overbilling citizens for over 50 years?

Tom, as usual they start out as legitimate comments then they are twisted unbelievably.
I hope John and Nick Nightingale sue the pants off of Stathakis. It’s what he deserves!
Stathakis and a few other board members need to learn that you can’t mess around with a mans business and a mans reputation and a mans family for political gain. That man will fight back! John and Nick Nightingale are mad and they ARE fighting back. I wish them swift justice.

I will not go to Nightingales again either, i frequented them for gas, repairs and towing services. They are the closest station to my house. They lost the contract after being asked to do a few things, one was get a bigger truck so they wouldn't have to wait on one to come from another station further away and one was to properly fence in their impound lot so the corner didn't look like a junk yard. They instead stuck green strips in the hurricane fencing they already had and it didn't look any better. This stuck with me, they want to get the contract based on the fact that they had it for 50 years but werent' willing to invest a little of that money into making their business which sits in a very visible spot look better for the community. Then they got the contract back and lost it due to the audit, which should be done to all twp contractors. I have seen them on tv at the meetings behaving like a bunch of idiots during hearings that had absolutely nothing to do with them. Call that freedom of speech or call it harassment whatever you want, but it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Pretty much they don't give a shit about the community only themselves. And now they are going to sue the board and cost us all more money!! They won't get a dime out of me or anyone in my family.

Why when I research the last name Battice they don't pay any taxes in Shelby twp.

Well that man and his family and his business should not have taken for granted that he was a lock on the contract. All contracts must be rebid and it is almost unheard of that the same company has the best bid for 50 years straight, sounds to me like he had somebody in his pocket and now that person is gone and whats best for the citizens of Shelby Twp is being considered instead of what is best for one family in Shelby Twp. Hey, if he had done what the board asked of him and put up a fence that wasn't an eyesore I might have some sympathy for him, it was that simple, and for some reason he didn't think he had to follow the rules like everybody else. That alone proves he felt entitled to that contract not that he had to earn it like everybody else.

These people and their lawsuits are WRONG, plain and simple. BOYCOTT NIGHTINGALE'S and don't forget to vote AUGUST 7th 2012, That is the election we can send a clear message to the selfish self-entitled babies.... GET OT OF OUR TOWNSHIP!! By voting for the candidates who have done right by the taxpayers in our community.

That audit was a damn scam created by R. Stathakis and everybody knows that.
It doesn’t take a Rocket Scientist to see that the Nightingales were railroaded by a crooked politician.
John and Nick Nightingale are men who are proud of their family business and are standing up to defend it. I would have done the same thing when my Dad and I were in business together in our three generation business. Having a family business is a special thing. For someone like R. Stathakis to come along and attack them is really low . He doesn’t care who he hurts along the way as long as he has personal gain. He’s shown over and over that he doesn’t support small business owners in Shelby Township. I can’t wait to see him gone form office.

Thank you John Lang.
I think the Nightingales have a really good case on all counts of their law suit.

Bill it’s just plain fun to beat up on Matts gRaMmar! This is what we do on Sunday nights!

HELLO, Jeffrey Berz is not listed as a taxpayer anywhere in Shelby Township, he is a paid comment poster for Nick Nightingale whose job is to try is get me to be quiet..... Right Jeff?

Tell ya what, no one pays me but I feel so strongly that the Nightingale's are crooks that anyone who contacts me and want's it will receive, free of charge, a "BOYCOTT NIGHTINGALE'S" sign erected on their land this election cycle. I will put it up where you ask, and take it down when the cycle is over. I will clearly place my contact information on each sign so you get no adverse effects from this placement. My money, my work, my responsibility, you just let me borrow your yard for a month.~~ MATT (and I am not looking for your endorsement or running for any public office). I just want all the past corruption in Shelby Township GONE!!!

OK guys i hold my house in my previous married name. I have lived less than 1 mile of the station for 16 years and pay my taxes every year on time. Why would you research my name? My points are valid and you Nick instead of giving your side you research my name? Really

So i've been thinking about the 2 of you who researched my name. why would you do that to discredit me, like a politician would? To scare me from making any more comments? I am stating what a citizen of Shelby sees, and if you want to win an office in Shelby, i would think that investigating a citizen and posting lies about them without knowing the facts is not a good way to earn a vote. I considered putting my previous name on here for you Nick, because you will know me, but after yours and your buddies behavior i don't feel it is in my best interest to do so for fear of the type of harrassment you have shown in the township meetings being targeted at me. Good luck all in whatever you do

Being for or against the Nightingales, attacking or defending the Nightingales, berating each other on this thread still completely misses the point. If you don't like the Nightingales, don't shop there. If the Township wants them out, re-bid when the contract is up and go with someone else. No problem whatsoever.

Again, what this is about is clear breach of contract. You can't end a contractural pact by telling someone that, well, we see this, that, and the other thing and we're breaking our contract. Doesn't work that way, that's the law. No matter who you like or don't like.

What kind of country would we have if people were allowed to violate contract law just because somebody doesn't like somebody else any more, for whatever reason? Whether this was because of the recall effort, or because someone said something about the other, or because someone doesn't like they way someone looks, the law is the law. This is what will be decided in Federal court, not the court of public opinion.

I want to send out a huge thank you to Matt for hosting a spectacular BBQ and picnic event on Sunday to support Bob Leman for Supervisor. Everyone had a great time. Some of the folks who attended were Tom, Jeff, Bob and his wife, Lisa and her husband, Richard and his wife, Gary and his wife, John and Marsha, Nick and Nicole, Clarence and his wife, Dave and his wife, Sassy the Clown and so many young children we didn’t know.
All along we thought you didn’t like our group. This event showed us different! Thank you Matt for your support!
By the way many of the wives would like your meatloaf recipe. It was very good!

The people also have the right not to do business with dirty politicians. That’s whey there are terms in office and elections.

Matt if you are indeed registered in Shelby then all I have to say is that “I’m very proud of you!"

I am just a regular citizen and have no interest in politics (although I do vote)! I'm not a fan of Strathaskis, definately not a fan of Leman (Please someone else run for Supervisor) Hopefully, the people of Shelby Twp will realize that Nightengales are trying to cost the taxpayers of Shelby Twp money will their frivolous lawsuits!! I say boycott them and put them out of business. I'll never go there again!! And I will never vote for a Nightinale for Trustee!

I kind of feel the same way Mr. Webber does. If none of the "Sue Shelby" slate stays or gets in I will have about 300 dollars of my own money and time invested into signs and websites that would be obsolete....and unless Nightingales continue to make fools of themselves at meeting I might lose interest all together in blogging.....

$300 that could have been better spent at the Golden Corral!

Wow. Having gone to school with a couple of the nice Nightingale boys I found it hard to discredit the family when this news began to come out. After reading other reader's comments and seeing that Nick Nightingale is researching residents who disagree with him in this thread I'm dumbfounded and have lost respect for him completely.

@ Jeffery Berz, if you think that you are doing the Nightingales any good with your obnoxious comments on here you are dead wrong. You are just giving those who are voicing their concerns reason to believe they are right about the situation. If I were the Nightingales I would PAY you to shut up and stop sticking up for me because you are only digging their grave for them.

Thank you for the compliment!
I will continue to defend my friends Nick and John Nightingale.
Thanks for your great comment!

Regarding the comment directed to myself and John Lang I’m not going to FOIA all of that information for you. I’m not the judge or the jury. If you have something to prove in writing then put it in a pdf so everyone can read it.
By the way where is that proof that the State Police wanted to see your website? I’ll bet the dog ate it RIGHT?

The Federal Court will be a great court to have this case presented in.
I’m glad I’m retired so I can go watch the case every day. It’s going to be(as Ed Sullivan used to say) “A Reeeally Grrrrrrrrreat Shhhhow!"

How do you know what the Nightingales or I care about? Have you ever met me?
If I didn’t care about Shelby I wouldn’t be on here all of the time correcting your babble.

I just want to know ... If you sign a contract and itemize everything you will be billing for is it legal to arbitrarily add "misc." charges or "collision wrapping" charges on bills when no one has ever seen a "collision wrap" and "Misc." was not an allowed item to be charged for in the contract that was signed?
This is what Mr. Nightingales yelled was "none of your business" about at a meeting. Shouldn't un-allowed, unexplained charges be a good enough reason to stop using them especially when their response is "none of your business" and to attack the process, never once explaining the charges,,, they would only speak of oil dry charges but what about the other charges? This won't go to court, the judge will laugh them out of there.... so after losing the election they will get a double whammy of court rejection... and a citizen boycott... kind of sad.

And still the same old droning monologue continues like a broken record.
Come up with some facts other than "I feel that......." or "my opinion is....."
Everyone has an opinion but it doesn't mean that it's right(except in Matt G's mind)

I did give facts and nobody has responded to them, instead they researched my name and those same people just keep throwing out childish insults.

I can’t wait to see the Nightingales get a huge settlement in punitive damages from the 5 board members who are being sued.

You mean from the citizens of Shelby Twp!! What's the matter with you people.

That's where it's going to get interesting. I would really like to know more about how this works. What I think happens is that the insurance company for the Township will be called in to litigate this matter on behalf of those named in the suit, which is not only the five individuals, but the Township itself. The Township Attorney stated as much in the body of this article.

Consider this scenario: by the time this matter is either settled out of court through arbitration or if it actually makes it into Federal court, any number of these people might have been voted out. Well, hopefully all of them, but that's a topic for another thread. In the event that they are no longer on the Board, is the insurance company still responsible for some, all, none of the punitive damages if they are found liable? Or is each individual responsible for some, all, or none of said damages? Very interesting as to how this will unfold over time.

Do you have to live in Shelby to run for the board?

I’m not a betting man but I can surely see this "conservative board" voting to cover their derrieres with township funds. Forget all of that junk they said about fiscal responsibility and keeping a balanced budget for the people of Shelby.
The kingdom is falling! The ship is on fire and the rats will soon be jumping ship!
They should have thought about this before they drew on the Nightingales in an illegal manner. Now it’s time to pay the piper! You reap what you sew.
Thanks for coming down!

I am willing to bet the Nightingale's will lose. If we just got the money the Nightingale's overcharged citizens for the 50 plus years they did the towing we could pay cash for a new rec center and court house. Sadly, the Nightingale's would rather spend this money suing the citizens of Shelby Township instead of helping us out. How greedy can one family possibly be.....

Remember the only complaint was the letter from Mr.Turner.As I recall the letter never said that he was personnally over charged.So taht is a BIG FAT ZERO !!!

@ Mr. Lang: Why did the Nightingale's get away with conning people for over 50 years?
Simple, a con man will continue to con his targets until he is caught and his targets are warned to look out for him. The confidence man (con man), not knowing any other way to make a living then moves on with a new con, in this case, politics. I believe Nightingale’s behavior fits into the category of “con man”. Study “Irish Travelers” and you will see the exact same actions fit this pattern. The attacking of the process, never answering the charges, now playing the victim. The whole family mobbing together to intimidate opposition.
The question still remains. Where in the signed contract are “misc.” and “wrapping” charges allowed? Where was the price list posted in the store? Where are the lot improvements John Nightingale promised, “giving his word”, would be done in 12 months (nothing 18 months later).
All actions a confidence man would take. We are dealing with people who are raised to be con men like “Irish Travelers”. They have no legal leg to stand on in court, once put to any jury with comparisons to other Irish Traveler” family actions they will be exposed for what they are.

There it is!