When the Circles Overlap: Conflicts of interest in the Community!

Start connecting the dots around Greenville, and a pattern of overlapping relationships begins to emerge. For those who don't know, we are a small City in Montcalm county with slightly less than 10,000 people. A county full of corruption and issues well documented, like many places. But, this web of people who serve is so well connected, you don't know where one organization starts and the other ends at times.

Let's start with Dave Seppala, who serves on Greenville City Council, Rotary Club Sergeant-at-Arms and is also the Danish Festival treasurer. He is employed by Isabella Bank, which is a Danish Festival sponsor. The Rotary Club for what it's worth is directed by the Daily News general Manager Amber Rood, as she is the group's President for '26-'27 term according to the groups website. Keep that part in mind for what makes it into the newspaper and what doesn’t.

Seppala also briefly just served on the Greenville Public Schools Board of Education as treasurer, but resigned days later after questions were raised about the legality of his appointment. It appears he could not serve on the city council and board of education because of overlapping contracts between the school and city resource officer. That history makes his current role as a City Council member and Danish Festival treasurer worth examining even more closely. Why Dave Seppala, always and everywhere?

Jim Barrus serves on Greenville City Council, is the Danish Festival's City Liaison, and is employed by Dicastal, another major Danish Festival sponsor. He is currently having his road going under major repairs, though no reported favoritism has been proven, there are many roads that were up for an upgrade and they had to select only a few. Coincidently as he prepared for reelection, his road received a selection.

Then there is Greenville Mayor Jeff Scoby, who is a plant manager at Dicastal. His father, Lloyd Scoby, was previously on the Greenville City Council as well. Does nepotism appear to be a factor in Greenville and Montcalm politics? Lloyd was also on the Greenville Compensation Commission with the term ending in 2023, this is at the same time his son is Mayor. His son reappointed him, until it was deemed invalid." The same city manager, George Bosanic has served both Scobys.  Mr. Bosanic has been in service of the city for over 30 years as management and has made millions off of the taxpayers.

"Mr. Clean in a Dirty Town" - https://www.facebook.com/reel/874391062146720

We reached out to Mr. Bosanic for comment on the current status Loyd Scoby. this was his reply in its entirety... "Lloyd changed his voter registration in December of 2023 and was advised at that time that his reappointment was invalid as he was no longer a resident. The Compensation Commission has not had a quorum of members predating Lloyd’s tenure so it never met with him being appointed to it. I would have to look back at when it actually did meet prior to that.  We have had a standing offer for members for many years with no interest from the public to serve. Their purpose is to set compensation for the city council. Consequently, the current compensation of the Council has remained as it for many, many years.  They do not set the compensation for the City Manager."

None of these relationships automatically means anyone has done anything wrong. People can serve their communities while working for local businesses. But when elected officials, festival leadership, commission appointees and major corporate sponsors overlap this heavily, the public has a legitimate right to ask questions about conflicts of interest, nepotism, disclosures and accountability.

The Dicastal connection deserves particular attention because the company, a Chinese-owned manufacturer, has previously been the subject of federal scrutiny, including an FBI raid. There are also records and FOIA matters that warrant further examination as we have previously reported allegations. 

Dicastal Story here... https://www.facebook.com/reel/1326389506256741

That brings up another question: What happens when matters involving a major local employer or people connected to that employer reach the legal system?

Greenville has a paid relationship with the Montcalm County Prosecutor for legal services. The City Council has a role in that relationship as they had to approve that paid appointment. Reminder, two Dicastal employees sit on the council including the mayor himself. If a matter involving Dicastal or individuals connected to the company ever reaches the prosecutor's office, what safeguards are in place to prevent a conflict of interest? Add to this, the former county prosecutor sits on the Danish Festival board as well. What a web of conflicts we weave and are those conflicts going jeopardize accountability?
 

Then there are the Danish Festival's finances. I reviewed the festival's 2024 tax filing and found what appears to be discrepancy involving gaming revenue. The festival held a cornhole raffle, yet gaming revenue from that activity does not appear to be reported on the 2024 return. That does not automatically prove the festival improperly reported its taxes. There may be an explanation, and the underlying records should be reviewed before reaching a conclusion. We reached out to Danish for comment and clarification and have not heard back.

But it raises a simple question: If gaming revenue was generated through a cornhole raffle, where was that revenue reported? And when the festival treasurer is also a sitting City Council member, shouldn't that make financial transparency even more important?

This isn't about claiming the Danish Festival is corrupt. It isn't about saying Isabella Bank or Dicastal sponsorships are illegal. And it isn't about accusing individual council members of wrongdoing.

It's about following the relationships and following the money. When the same names appear in City Hall, the school board, the Danish Festival, major local corporations and the legal structure serving the city, Greenville residents have a right to ask whether proper disclosures, safeguards and accountability are in place.

We won't even rehash how the vile vice chair serves on both the Montcalm Board of Commissioners and the Montcalm Twp. Fire Board. Conflicts everywhere and we had to stop because this article got to long.

The Petersen Files here... https://montcalmvibe.com/thepetersenfiles

Who oversees the money and who makes the decisions? And when conflicts arise, who is making sure the public's interests come first? These are accountability questions...and Greenville residents deserve answers.

We will have more to come on local issues as we are not trying to be adored. we are trying to show you the conflicts that consume this town when it matters and impacts lives.