Montmorency County First - The World Afterward
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PAGE 16
DNR holds open house
on October 16
The Department of
Natural Resources
hosted an open house
at the field office inAt-
lanta on Oct. 16. Each
year, DNR personnel
evaluate one-tenth of
the state forest. The
forest is inventoried
approximately two
years in advance, and
treatment activities on
lands being reviewed
this year will actually
begin in 2015.
PAGE 5
Hillman school
district may have to
levy more in taxes to
cover expenses
Hillman's school
district will likely levy
more in taxes in order
to keep up with ex-
penses. At the regular
school board meeting,
Oct. 14, Mark lanke,
auditor, said the dis-
trict is paying out
$30,000 more each
year in costs for the
debt fund than it is re-
ceiving in local rev-
enues.
PAGE 7
NICO TUCKER, transportation director for the Northeast Michigan Council of Govern-
ments, shows his graph depicting the conditions of roads. His presentation took place at
a recent membership meeting for NEMCOG.
Federal funding is now allowed for
use of preventative road maintenance
Ya.e Sw w There might be fewer
Staff reporter roads in poor condition
now that federal funding is allowed to be
used for preventative road maintenance:
At a membership meeting for the North-
east Michigan Council of Governments
on Oct. 17, Nico Tucker, transportation
director for NEMCOG, said his organiza-
tion has been working with the Michigan
Department of Transportation and local
road commissions to get roads rated.
Transportation asset management, he
said, is an ongoing process of maintain-
ing, upgrading and operating assets cost-
effectively based on a continuous physi-
cal inventory and condition assessmert.
In 2013, 1,580 miles of roads were rated.
Tucker said he is in the process of post-
ing data online with interactive maps. He
used graphs at the meeting to illustrate
the current conditions of roads. A high
percentage of roads are in poor condi-
tion, and he said one factor is that federal
funding was not allowed to be used for
preventative maintenance until the last
coupl e of years.
"Maybe we won't see so many poor
roads," Tucker said.
Rick Deuell, project planner for
NEMCOG, discussed the importance of
the development of master plans as the
responsibility of planning commissions,
and he also explained the Thunder Bay
Riverscape plan.
According to Deuell, that plan respects
and embraces the working waterfront,
mixed uses and recreational featres and
will be used to access funding for im-
provements to the river corridor.
National
The plan recommends an integrated
treatment of shoreline areas that will take
into account wildlife habitat, fish habitat,
invasive plant species, water quality and
resource conservation.
Denise Cline, regional planner for
NEMCOG, gave an update on the Heri-
tage Route 23 and Lip North Trails initia-
fives. Heritage Route 23 will be renamed
Michigan Byway, she said, because
people are more apt to discover it under
the term byway.
A website for Up North Trails is in the
process. Currently being developed is the
mapping of secondary asset points.
Northern Michigan has more than 4,000
miles of trails, and some are ranked the
best trails in the United States. About
50,000 road and trail bicycling guides
were recently printed for distribution.
Governor Rick Snyder is on a mission to
create 10 regions that all state offices will
conform to, including NEMCOG. Diane
Rekowski, director for NEMCOG, said
there are currently 14 such organizations
and there will soon only be 10 with her
organization taking on three more coun-
ties.
Rekowski said NEMCOG is looking at
having to develop a five-year prosperity
plan that includes economic develop-
ment, workforce, adult education and
transportation. Things are changing in
the state, she said, but she's open to the
change.
"Obviously, things haven't always
worked-how we've been doing it, so
they're looking at new ways of doing
things," she said.
chance of rain an snow. NIWit 28
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7 2
Month
Refinancing obligation bonds will
save Village of Hillman money
Yvonne Swa_[ The decision by the village council in
Staff reporter Hillman to refinance the 2006 general
obligation bonds will save the village more than $20,000
over the next 12 years. The bonds were for infrastructure,
including water and sewer in the industrial park and
sewer lagoon expansion.
The Department of Public Works recently installed
storm drain onAdams Street between Second and Third
streets. The council is looking into applying for a grant
that would enable mapping of the storm water and sewer
systems as well as televised monitoring of those systems.
It was recently determined storm water authorities
have the ability to apply for grant funding. The amount
the village might be applying for has not yet been deter-
mined.
David Post, village manager, has taken on the indi-
vidual task of trying to construct a low-power FM radio
station to be located at the high school. He has another
month in which to apply because the deadline for appli-
cation was backed up because of the government shut-
down. The Federal Communications Commission will
determine the success of the application.
In other village business, John Fitzgerald has been ap-
pointed to finish the term of Jim Stoddard, who served
the village council on and off for more than 20 years.
Stoddard has relocated outside of the village limits and is
no longer eligible to serve on the council.
NEMCOG annual membership
meeting held on October 17
by Yme Smr Members of the Northeast Michigan
Staff reporter Council of Governments who attended
the annual membership meeting on Oct. 17 shared what
has been going on in their areas.
A motion passed in favor of application for a grant for
the covered pavilion planned for Presque Isle Harbor.
The pavilion will extend to the beach and provide access
for the handicapped.
The last three contracts in a downtown rental develop-
ment program in Alpena will be signed by the end of the
year. Greg Sundin, city manager, said there would prob-
ably be a hiatus in that program because of the costs
associated with phase requirements.
Sundin said one phase of one unit cost $17,000 and was
only possible because of a grant opportunity through the
Environmental Protection Agency that has now expired.
A neighborhood improvement project will also be
wrapping up the end of the year, but Sundin said that
program would probably continue. Since 2000, 22 down-
town units and 80 neighborhood units have been cre-
ated or refurbished in Alpena.
Alcona has a renovated 911 center, and the 911 center
for Otsego County will be under the control of the Michi-
gan State Police as of Jan. 1. It has been estimated the
switch will save that system $700,000 over the next six
years.
Emmet County might be acquiring a reproduction of a
sailing vessel from the 1800s that is 90 ft. long, 90 ft. high
and weighs 45 tons. Also in the works for Emmet are
projects to convert the headlands into an educational
museum and expand the park program there.
Representatives from Grayling have been working with
Camp Grayling to help develop a fire department for the
airfield. The camp is under pressure from the federal
government to have fire response that meets its require-
ments to protect the $100 million in camp projects that
were funded with federal money in the last 10 years.
Mackinaw City has acquired a church that was built by
German immigrants. The church has been refurbished,
and one wedding has already taken place there and a few
more have been scheduled.
David Post, manager for the Village of HiUman, said the
village is pursuing a storm water and sewer grant re-
Continued on page 5
ATLANTA NEWS 4-5
SPORTS 16
HILLMAN NEWS 6-7 I LEWISTON NEWS 10 I OBITUARIES 13
I FUN PAGE8 I LEGALS 9 I CLASSIFIEDS 14-15
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