TOWNSHIPS IN WEXFORD COUNTY
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Cadillac News, Monday, Dec. 15, 2008
HOW WILL RECREATION DOLLARS BE DISBURSED?
By Matt Whetstone
Beginning in 2009, Wexford County will have between $90,000 and $100,000 to invest in recreation programs.
How that money will be distributed and who it will go to are the questions that need to be answered as winter tax dollars begin coming in.
The money is being made available through a voter-approved recreation millage of 0.25 of a mill.
Recreation millage
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What: A voter-approved tax of 0.25 of a mill to support recreation programs in Wexford County.
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Amount: The millage should generate about $250,000 per year from 2008 to 2011Dedicated money: About $150,000 of the millage is dedicated for operations at the Wexford County Civic Center.
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Available money: $90,000 to $100,000.
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How it will be dispersed? Wexford County is working to develop a recreation authority that will take applications for funding and make decisions based on yet-to-be-developed criteria.
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Cadillac News, Dec. 15, 2008
HOEKSTRA WON’T SEEK 2010 RE-ELECTION,
MULLS RUN FOR GOVERNOR
By Matt Whetstone
Hoekstra
Other things are ahead for a long-time west Michigan congressman.
Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland, said he will not seek re-election in 2010.
Hoekstra will have been in the U.S. House for 18 years at the end of his newly elected term.
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Who: Rep. Pete Hoekstra
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Position: U.S. Congressman for west Michigan; ranking Republican on the House Intelligence Committee
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Party: Republican from Holland
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Experience: Hoekstra was elected to his ninth term in Congress in November
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Future: Hoekstra said he does not intend to seek a 10th term in Congress; Hoekstra and his wife, Diane, plan to explore other opportunities, including a possible bid to become Michigan’s governor in the 2010.
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Cadillac News, Dec. 16, 2008
PUBLIC GETS CHANCE TO SPEAK ON TRASH PLAN
By Matt Whetstone
The public will get a final chance to offer opinions on Wexford County’s trash plan.
The Board of Public Works is holding a public hearing at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Wexford County Circuit Courtroom.
Public hearing
What: Public hearing on Wexford County’s proposed Solid Waste Management Plan
When: 7 p.m. Thursday
Where: Wexford County Circuit Courtroom
About the plan: The Solid Waste Management Plan lays out Wexford County’s plans to import waste to its landfill while expanding recycling options and waste diversion
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Cadillac News, Dec. 18, 2008
SCOTT REAGAN WRAPS UP FOUR YEARS AT WEXFORD
By Matt Whetstone
CADILLAC – Scott Reagan’s service was appreciated.
After four years as a Wexford County commissioner, Reagan attended his final board meeting Wednesday.
Beginning in January, Reagan said he’s ready to focus on his roles as a husband, father and business owner.
“I’m a little disappointed and sad to leave, but I’m also excited that I can spend more time with my family,” Reagan said. “Just the time that it was taking away from my business and my family, I could feel the effect of it.”
Reagan, 39, is the owner of Cadillac Chiropractic. He and his wife also have two children, who have been born since he began his political career six years ago as the Cadillac City Council member.
Since May, commissioners have been taking a greater role in county management following the resignation of Administrator Cya Stambaugh.
As a member of the ¨ Finance Committee, which developed the county budget, Reagan has been busy with near weekly meetings since summer.
Often, the meetings lasted an hour and sometimes several hours. Reagan said he made efforts to attend every one, but it proved difficult with a busy professional and personal schedule.
“It’s a busy job,” Reagan said. “Unfortunately, being on the finance committee, you are obligated to be on the budget review committee. Besides your normal duties, you have to go to budget meetings.”
Since beginning his service in 2004, Reagan said the landfill and problems with groundwater contamination have seemed like endless issues. However, he said there is light at the end of the tunnel as a sale of the landfill is potentially ¨ possible in the new year.
“Maybe the biggest accomplishment is we’re able to still function with a changing administrator,” said Reagan, who has worked with two administrators since being elected.
He credited county staff with being able to function, keep the doors open and do more with less money each year.
While Reagan’s immediate goals are to focus on his life, he said public service in the future is something he won’t rule out.
“I have plenty of time ahead to continue public service,” he said. “If I’m bold enough to try something bigger, I may do so in the future.”
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mwhetstone@cadillacnews.com | 775-NEWS (6397)
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KAYLA KILEY | CADILLAC NEWS
KAYLA KILEY | CADILLAC NEWS
KAYLA KILEY | CADILLAC NEWS
KAYLA KILEY | CADILLAC NEWS
KAYLA KILEY | CADILLAC NEWS
KAYLA KILEY | CADILLAC NEWS
KAYLA KILEY | CADILLAC NEWS
Who: Scott Reagan
Age: 39
Position: Wexford County Commissioner
Experience: four years on the Wexford County Board of Commissioners, two years as Cadillac City Council member
What’s ahead? Reagan attended his final meeting on the board Wednesday. He plans to focus on his family and his business and see if other opportunities for public service emerge in the future
Successor: Terry Beck of Clam Lake Township was elected on Nov. 4 to serve as Reagan’s successor.
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Dec. 19, 2008
Cadillac News
By Kayla Kiley
MANTON – For about 10 years, Manton kindergartners have delighted Manton seniors with a Christmas concert.
On Wednesday, about 85 kindergartners sang songs such as “Jingle Bells” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” to an audience full of Manton seniors and parents at Manton Senior Center.
After the kids finished singing the song “Here Comes Santa Claus,” on cue, Santa popped through the center’s back door and greeted the children with a “Ho, Ho, Ho!”
The kids exploded in smiles and laughter, and when Santa asked the children “Who has been good this year?” all hands went straight in the air.
After the children sang more Christmas favorites, they handed out handmade cards to all the seniors at the center.
The seniors said they look forward to next year’s performance.
[Photos of Manton kindergarteners at Manton Senior Center Christmas party.]
KAYLA KILEY | CADILLAC NEWSManton kindergartners were all smiles when Santa walked into Manton Senior Center Wednesday.
KAYLA KILEY | CADILLAC NEWS
Santa visited Manton kindergartners while they gave a Christmas concert at Manton Senior Center. Santa Claus appeared after the children sang “Here Comes Santa Claus.”
KAYLA KILEY | CADILLAC NEWS
All Manton kindergartners raised their hands after Santa asked them “Who has been good this year?”
KAYLA KILEY | CADILLAC NEWS
At left, Manton kindergartner Jake Zanavich watches his interpreter and does sign language during the kindergartners’ Christmas concert at the senior center.
KAYLA KILEY | CADILLAC NEWS
A Manton kindergartner tells Al Dowell that she made the Christmas card. After the kindergartners’ concert, the children handed Manton seniors handmade Christmas cards.
KAYLA KILEY | CADILLAC NEWS
Dave Browne reads the handmade Christmas card a Manton kindergartner gave him.
KAYLA KILEY | CADILLAC NEWS
Two Manton kindergartners watch Santa Claus read Christmas cards they made.
[Editor's note: For those who thought he looked familiar, the guy in the red suit is
Joe Fuscone !]
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Dec. 19, 2008
Cadillac News
RATES, SALE OPTIONS ARE MAIN CONCERNS OF TRASH
By Matt Whetstone
CADILLAC – Groundwater contamination doomed Wexford County’s last attempt to pass a Solid Waste Management Plan.
This time around, it seems landfill rates and sale options are sticking points for people.
The Wexford County Board of Public Works entertained public comments on the plan from 12 individuals Wednesday during the final public hearing on the plan.
From residents to government officials to businesses interested in purchasing the landfill, the public spoke for about 40 minutes.
The plan essentially calls for expanding the market area for the landfill in order to bring garbage to Wexford County from neighboring northern Michigan counties.
That by itself might be OK, but some residents worry that they are being held captive by rates, so the landfill is a more attractive property to buy.
Cedar Creek Township resident Rita McNamara said the plan essentially outlaws shopping around for cheaper trash disposal service and “overcharged residents are dangled like bait to try to bring in a buyer.”
While Wexford County residents pay $63.75 per ton for disposal service, haulers who dispose of Missaukee County waste in the county pay less than $35 a ton.
McNamara criticized the county’s disposal data and said the plan only tries to strongarm people to support it or face paying groundwater cleaning bills for years to come.
Cadillac City Council member Tom Dyer, who spoke on behalf of the city, said rate control is a big sticking point for the city.
“I must caution you not to do it on the backs of residents or those who employ the residents,” Dyer said.
If the landfill is sold, the plan should clearly state that in-county residents will pay the same rate that residents from other counties pay, Dyer said.
The business community echoed similar sentiments.
Bruce Schafer of Rexair in Cadillac said the plan should address high rates and allow an exit scenario should the landfill close or rates become too excessive. He also encouraged the BPW to put forward more business options, such as sale and closure scenarios.
Phil Potvin, a retired businessman, said the county should make sale its No. 1 priority, otherwise he cannot support its current direction.
Sale and closure remain options. Several parties who have expressed interest in the landfill, including Waste Management, TransGreen and American Waste were present Wednesday. However, only TransGreen spoke publicly about the plan.
Joseph Kelly, president of TransGreen, said the company is interested in solving the county’s waste management, energy, jobs and green energy generation issues. However, if the solid waste plan fails, it would be a serious detriment to those plans.
Several residents encouraged the county just to continue business as usual.
Anita Fagerman of Haring Township and Steve Kitler of Clam Lake Township said they would be willing to pay more for trash disposal if the county did not open the landfill to outside counties.
Absent an increase in rates, Kitler said he would support the plan.
Fagerman said keeping the landfill open to only in-county residents would extend its life while allowing the county to move toward closure in the future.
The county plans to take the comments and determine if changes to the plan are necessary. The next step is a Solid Waste Management Planning Committee meeting, followed by a decision on the plan by the Wexford County Board of Commissioners.
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mwhetstone@cadillacnews.com | 775-NEWS (6397)
