Witnesses Say Plymouth Township Treasurer Ron Edwards Challenged Resident To A Fight At A Bar

The very necessary disclaimer. This is a blog, and it tells the accounts of several witnesses. The opinions expressed are my own, and they are protected by our nation's 1st Amendment. I do not work for Patch, I am not compensated by Patch in any way, and my OPINIONS do not reflect Patch's opinions in any way. Nuff Said

The latest in a string of controversies, and bad behavior involving Plymouth Township full time elected officials happened shortly after the Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday, May 17th. It happened at a bar, and according to witnesses that spoke to me, almost ended up in a barroom brawl between Treasurer Ron Edwards, and a member of our community.

According to several accounts from eyewitnesses, Mr. Edwards stormed up to a table of patrons, and called them a “table full of losers.” He then addressed Plymouth Township resident, Mr. Ed Haggerty, and called him “the biggest loser of all.” According to multiple witnesses, Edwards then proceeded to challenge Mr. Haggerty, who is an Air Force veteran (64-65) to a fight, challenging him by yelling, “hit me, go ahead and hit me.” According to multiple witnesses, Mr. Edwards was so loud, that the whole bar could hear the altercation, and everybody became silent, just waiting for a fight to ensue.

The above pictures were taken from a phone by a Plymouth Township resident. According to the resident, the first picture was at the moment when Treasurer Edwards was said to be challenging Mr. Haggerty, who is medically disabled, and retired from the Michigan State Police, where he served as a Labor Relations Representative, to “go ahead and hit me.”

According to witnesses, Mr. Edwards behavior would have ended up in a brawl, except for the incredible restraint shown by Mr. Haggerty, and others present.

This description came from another patron of the bar, “At one point Mr. Edwards looked like a rabid dog, with spittle flying out of his mouth, and his eyes bulging, it was really bad.”

All six witnesses that I spoke with, had the exact same story, so in my opinion, there is no way that somebody with an ax to grind could have concocted such an incredible story. In my opinion, when you have six different people telling you the same exact story, I am inclined to believe that story. In any event, the picture above basically tells the whole story about Treasurer Edward's behavior at the bar that night. He looks angry, and he looks like he's itching for a fight. Just my opinion.

So why did this happen? Who caused the altercation? It all seems to stem from earlier in the evening, at the Board of Trustees meeting. As has been the case, since Shannon Price was controversially appointed to be Supervisor a year ago, folks have been highly critical of his lack of leadership, and politically motivated decisions, and have made it a point to mention this at meetings, and it happened at Tuesday night's meeting as well.

Mr. Haggerty, along with several other township residents, was critical of Supervisor Price during public comments at Tuesday's meeting, and apparently Mr. Edwards was not happy about it. It is the opinion of many people in Plymouth Township that Mr. Edwards was the guy who recruited Price to quickly move from Canton to Plymouth Township, so that he could be appointed Supervisor a month or so later, and apparently Mr. Edwards doesn't take kindly to his protege being criticized.

So when Mr. Edwards saw a group of meeting attendees sitting at a table in the back of the bar, I am told that he “marched right up to that table, and called them a table full of losers.”

There is another aspect to his possible tirade as well. It has been indicated to me that someone put a copy of my last blog on Mr. Edward's table, and a couple of the witnesses stated that Mr. Edwards “walked up to the table, threw the piece of paper at one of those sitting at the table, and began yelling at them.”

The blog in question was written by me, and was very critical of Mr. Shannon Price, and Mr. Carl Berry, who used to be the Plymouth Township Police Chief, and I am told, is good friends with Mr. Edwards. Mr. Berry is currently suing to have Kurt Heise, and Don Schnettler removed from the August 2nd primary based on a technicality, involving them forgetting to fill out a box stating what voting precinct they live in. If Mr. Berry is successful, Plymouth Township residents would have no choice, but to vote for Shannon Price in the August 2nd primary for Supervisor. Mr. Price would be the only candidate on the ballot, and a great many Plymouth Township residents are none too happy about that. According to the Plymouth Observer, Berry is a supporter of Price, and introduced him when he formally announced his candidacy for Supervisor.

So apparently, my blog, and the public comments of many Plymouth Township taxpayers at the meeting that night, threw Mr. Edwards into a rage, and he took it upon himself to confront members of our community, and challenge a medically disabled veteran to a fight. Of course, this is only MY opinion based of several witnesses who have spoken to me, and of course, the picture. The picture is really bad.

I wonder how former Plymouth Township Police Chief, Carl Berry, feels about his alleged friend and cohort, behaving this way towards a retired Michigan State Police employee. I know how I feel about anybody disrespecting a law enforcement officer, or a veteran for that matter, much less challenging him to a fight.

I am disgusted by this behavior towards one of our veterans, and I think Mr. Edwards is a dirtbag. I think he should resign immediately. Of course, he will not take my advice and resign.

He'll not resign, because he will get away with this awful behavior. He'll get away with it because in my experience, and opinion, Supervisor Shannon Price condones behavior like this. Supervisor Price not only condones this behavior, but it is the culture he has brought into our township when he took over for Richard Reaume. I have seen Shannon Price himself verbally attack a fellow member of this board, and the Plymouth Observer reported on this incident, including Mr. Price directing an F'Bomb towards the fellow board member, and in front of constituents. That is a fact, not an opinion.

The full time elected officials never cruised the bars after meetings under the Reaume regime. This stuff didn't start happening until Price took over. Now, Price, Edwards, and Clerk Conzelman, are constantly seen at the bar after Board of Trustee meetings, according to many residents in our community, and I can't help but think that this incident is a direct result of that.

Why do they head to the bar after the meetings? Who knows? My guess is that all three of them need a few stiff drinks after the constant shellacking they receive every single meeting from a very angry constituency.

Another question I have, is why didn't Price have Edwards leave the bar? I know that Price was not present when the assault took place, but I am told that he arrived 10 or so minutes later, and I would guess that he soon became aware of the incident. So why wouldn't Price just have the group leave, and find a more private place to go drink?

Here is my guess. I have heard that these three frequent this place, so my guess is that they think this is their turf. I believe that in Edward's mind, the Plymouth Pub is his turf, and he became enraged when folks who are critical of him invaded his turf. He then became what I have called him for years. The bully on the playground.

I believe he became the bully on the playground, and he picked out a guy who has a medical disability, and began bullying him. He didn't pick on someone his own size. He picked on someone he thought he could beat up, and challenged him to a fight. Mr. Edwards has a long history of doing this, and he always makes sure to bully folks who can't, or won't fight back. In my opinion, that is his way, and it will never change.

Well I'll tell ya what. Had Mr. Haggerty not shown the restraint he did, had he took Big Ron's challenge, I am absolutely sure that medical issues or not, Ron Edwards would have gotten way more than he bargained for. My guess is that eventually, Ron Edward's mouth will get him in a situation that will get him hurt. Or as the saying goes, his mouth will write a check, that his fists can't cash. I truly believe that it's inevitable. The only thing that saves him, is that most folks, me included, are not willing to go to jail for a scumbag like that.

So here is the bottom line. Plymouth Township has a Treasurer who can easily be described as a bully at best, and an enraged lunatic at worst. Most folks say that it depends on which day you come into contact with him. We have a Supervisor who it seems, absolutely condones his behavior, and would not return a phone call to comment on his Treasurer's antics. Instead, our Supervisor, Shannon G Price sat down and drank with the guy. What did he drink? I don't know, but you can look at the two pictures above and decide for yourself. I'm guessing it wasn't a Shirley Temple. All I know is that it doesn't really look like he's too concerned about Edward's behavior that night. Just another day in Plymouth Township politics. No big deal. Move along. Nothing to see here.

As for me, I tend to agree with the witness at the bar. This is bad. This is really bad...