An online activist in Flat Rock who has been using Facebook to post commentary and links to news stories about a Ford Motor Co. gas leak claims he has been the target of a disinformation campaign paid for by city hall.

Sean Gillaspie started his Flat Rock Times page in 2014. On Tuesday, Gillaspie made public a memo from the public relations firm hired by the Wayne County city’s government at $210 per hour.

The memo was part of a Flat Rock city council packet he had obtained, and had been written by Bsharah Public Relations in Royal Oak. It stated, “Importantly, we will read and evaluate social media posts from residents and, particularly those of Shawn Gillespie [sic]. Mr. Gillespie [sic] appears to be an irresponsible gadfly intent on achieving recognition for personal political gain. His credibility must be eliminated while, of course, emphasizing the City’s positive response to the Crisis. ...”

Commenters criticized Flat Rock officials for being focused on one Facebook page during a crisis that saw 1,200 families evacuated in early September, with most still unable to return to their homes. Some residents are just now beginning to go home.

“WOW!!” one Facebook commenter posted. “So the Mayor’s major concern right now is to make sure his image looks good during this crisis in this city??!! Election coming soon Flat Rock.”

Gillaspie said the city government has blocked people from leaving comments on its Facebook page.

Before September, most of the posts on the Flat Rock Times website were of links to low-impact news stories about the community. The website sometimes went weeks without a post.

But then on Sept. 5, it was reported that Ford discovered the gas leak at its assembly plant in Flat Rock, which led to the evacuations.

Since then, the Flat Rock Times’ commentary has been receiving a lot more attention from residents who are angry and confused.

The Flat Rock Times now has 1,464 people who follow it, in a town with a population of 10,000.

Some of the posts on the site are critical of the mayor. For example, on Sept. 15, the Flat Rock Times posted a link to the Monroe News. That story reported Flat Rock Mayor Mark Hammond had retired from his position as the emergency management director for Monroe County.

“BREAKING: WE FINALLY HAVE A FULL TIME MAYOR,” The Flat Rock Times stated.

The Flat Rock Times also cautioned residents about cashing the $500 certified check Ford gave to those families who evacuated.

“I would consult a lawyer before cashing it. It may make it impossible to sue later. We will find out about that ASAP.”

“Stay tuned,” the Facebook page stated.

Flat Rock Mayor Mark Hammond and Bsharah Public Relations didn’t respond to emails seeking comment.

A Michigan teachers aide who belongs to the Anchor Bay Paraprofessional Association, an arm of the state’s largest teachers union, says union members were given wrong information about pay hikes in a tentative contract agreement. She reports voting in favor of the agreement, along with other staff members at the St. Clair County school district, based on the bad information.

Union member Nancy Walczowski says that during an Aug. 3 Zoom meeting, a Michigan Education Association Union Representative, Elizabeth Pyden, stated that all Anchor Bay paraprofessionals would be bumped up to the next highest seniority-based pay step. Pyden also said there is a 5% increase between each step.

But when Walczowski did the math, she discovered no 5% step-to-step pay hike. Instead, pay rates between the 12 steps on the union-negotiated contract range from 2% to 5.1%.

Pyden was asked in an email if a new wage scale had been created before members learned how much their seniority-based step increases were really worth. She replied:

“I am not sure what wage schedule you are looking at. Last contract, the salary schedule was smoothed and there is a 5% increase between every step. Please share what you are looking at because that does not mesh with your latest contract. I can guarantee that no one was provided inaccurate information.”

Union members provided a screen shot of Pyden's response during the Zoom meeting in a chat message where Pyden said there was a 5% increase between every step.

Neither Pyden nor Kevin Marvin, a zone field services director at the MEA, responded to request for comment.

A copy of the actual pay scale confirms that raises were not 5% for every step.

Michigan law prevents anyone from being fired for choosing to not be a member or pay dues or fees to a union. Tens of thousands of former union members have left the Michigan Education Association since the state’s right-to-work law went into effect in 2013, many through the website Michigan Union Optout. That optout website is produced by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, the publisher of Michigan Capitol Confidential.