Leelanau residents move to bounce racist road commissioner Tom Eckerle
From staff reports
According to Leelanau County officials, three paths exist to remove Tom Eckerle, the Leelanau County road commissioner who used the N— word just before the road commission’s monthly meeting on Tuesday night, doubled down and repeated his racist rants to the press today, and now faces a firestorm of calls that he resign or be forced from elected office.
Eckerle could be removed from the Road Commission by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who yesterday signed an order declaring racism a public health crisis. That order directs all state employees to undergo implicit bias training. Eckerle can be recalled by Leelanau citizens who would first need to gather 3,400 signatures from registered Leelanau County voters and force a recall election, albeit one that may not come until next May—it’s reportedly too late to get an Eckerle recall on the November ballot. Or he can resign.
(Whitmer was asked about the issue by the Traverse City Record-Eagle after she attended a memorial service today at Interlochen Center for the Arts for the late Gov. William Milliken. She said she has been asked to intervene in other instances when Michigan residents want someone removed from office. “Ultimately these offices are decided by the local community at the polls,” Whitmer said. “The process is incredibly long and cumbersome and is not one that is used frequently because of that.” A recall effort is a better option, she told the Record-Eagle.)
Multiple citizen efforts are already underway to gather steam for an eventual recall effort. An informal Change.org petition has launched to gather grassroots support. Meanwhile, attorney Ellen Fred, who lives near Cedar, plans to initiate a process with the State of Michigan—perhaps as early as next week—to certify recall language. The state would have 10-20 days to certify the language, after which signatures can be gathered over the course of 60 days for an eventual recall.
“We just heard of this yesterday and are digging into this complicated process,” said Fred tonight.
State Representative Jack O’Malley, who spoke with Eckerle today, has publicly condemned him and asked him to resign. Eckerle reportedly refused. Leelanau County Commissioner Ty Wessel has also called for Eckerle to resign, but the County Commissioner has little sway in this matter.
“The Leelanau County Board of Commissioners has only limited oversight — approval of proposed millages, number of board members to serve on the Road Commission, and financial oversight,” wrote Wessel on Facebook today. “I hope the County Commissioners will explore options under Michigan Compiled Law Section 224.6 Section 6 that gives some authority to the County Board of Commissioners in regards to Road Commission operations. Next week’s County Commission Executive Committee has the topic of Road Commission on the meeting agenda.”
On Friday morning, Eckerle’s colleagues on the Leelanau County Road Commission released a statement calling on Eckerle to resign for his racist rant on Tuesday night and to reporters in subsequent days.
“We do not condone the racist comments that you made in the Leelanau County Road Commission meeting room on August 4th,” their Aug. 6 statement reads. “We will not tolerate any kind of racism in our meeting room or in our organization. This behavior has had a serious effect on our excellent Road Commission, and we are asking that you resign immediately.”
Signed by chairman Bob Joyce, vice chairman Greg Mikowski, and members Jim Calhoun and John Popa.
How it all started
Leelanau Enterprise reporter Eric Carlson reported the news of Eckerle’s racist rant in this week’s paper. Carlson listened to the “remote” social distanced meeting by phone. He confirmed with three other commission members after the meeting that Eckerle had used the racial slur.
Eckerle was asked by a fellow commissioner why he wasn’t wearing a mask. “Well this whole thing is because of them (n—–) down in Detroit,” the Enterprise quoted Eckerle as saying, apparently in reference to the Coronavirus, which has killed more than 150,000 Americans and all but shut down much of the world. Road Commission chair Bob Joyce tried, and failed, to keep Eckerle in line. Instead, the rogue commissioner went on to criticize the Black Lives Matter movement.
Eckerle was elected in 2018 to a six-year term on the road commission. According to the Enterprise, he is a retired farmer and Team Elmer’s gravel pit manager who won his seat after frequently attending road commission meetings the previous year to gripe about actions the commission had allegedly taken against a relative. The Leelanau County Road Commission happens to be located on Eckerle Road.
Reached by Interlochen Public Radio (IPR) today, Eckerle said he didn’t know that his comments before the meeting Tuesday night were being recorded and audible to those outside the room.
He did not back down from the language he used.
“No, I don’t regret calling it an n—-,” Eckerle told IPR. “A n—- is a n— is a n—-. That’s not a person whatsoever.” He went on to say it was the same as saying he was German, or “Polack.”
“No, it is not racism,” Eckerle told IPR’s reporter.
Eckerle told IPR he will not resign from the road commission.
