FOR A CONSOLIDATED BEAVER ISLAND TOWNSHIP

[K.A. Pike]

IF the consolidation should pass do you know if the speed limit on Main Street in front of the hardware store and the ferry dock will change?

I would hope the new administration wouldn't mess with the speed limit as this could be seen as a health and safety issue.

[K.D. McBride]

Richie -
No argument here, as I stated, I rest my case.

[treehugger]

I have been sitting back watching and reading the pros and cons for joining townships. I am a Peaine township resident so it looks like my vote is important. I have watched islandliving post and post and post again. I am starting to smell a rat. Is there something that I don't know. Because I believe if there is smoke there must be a fire somewhere, so I have gotten off the fence and will now vote for consolidation.

[meadefamily]

ZONING

It appears zoning is something that needs to be considered.

From Kitty:

Attorney Bryan Graham and I had a phone conversation on March 20th. Here are
my notes:
 Brian indicated that biggest and most important first thing would be to make
sure that the Zoning Ordinance is solid as that is the most likely first place a
township would have an issue. Since we already have joint Zoning Ordinance
and common Master Plan, this would be simpler to revise than two
completely different ordinances. Creating a new Planning Commission
would be top priority, he thought.
 Ordinances of both townships would have to be reviewed; he stated that
current ordinances would still apply to the geographic areas they cover until
revised ordinances are adopted. He thought that regardless of whether the
townships merge, this might be a good time to review all ordinances and
bring them up to date.
 He indicated that the main reason for legal services is for zoning and
ordinance, and bringing authorities, commissions and committees into legal
compliance.

I believe that answers three of my concerns I asked. Cost, how zoning would be handled with merger and concerns. This is great information and I thank you for posting it on the other thread.

[Hunter]

I don't understand if the meadefamily is for or against consolidation. Must be two people (husband and wife?) using the avatar as one person can't be for and against at the same time. Very confusing.

[meadefamily]

Hunter,

I had posted a question that was neutral asking about zoning if consolidation happened. Hoping that someone with more knowledge could assist me. Although I suspect you already knew that.

I learned my lesson. Awesome job at your attempt to distract. I see now they are starting to come out of the woodwork again! Wagons circling.

Have a great night!

Kathe

[connor]

All I can say that if those people don't have fake names they would be in a heap of trouble with you. I will assure you that treehugger, bigbuck and hunter are fake names and that doesn't take a lot of learning to figure out. Who would name their kids treehugger, bigbuck and hunter. The trouble is that each one apparently lives and votes on Beaver Island and they are tired of the same ones posting over and over again. Like a bunch of children. I think the more you post the fewer people will vote the way you believe. I also agree with whoever said there must be something that smells for everyone to get so uptight about the consolidation. PS: Bryan O'Connor is not my real name.

[Gillespie]

The content of this public forum was excellent so I wanted to post it to the pro site, I think it answers many lingering questions especially that the island wide tax rate would go down amongst other things. There were a lot of good questions!

http://beaverislandnews.com/2018%20Apri ... eting.html

[medic5740]

I was challenged by someone the other day, before we headed to Petoskey for the cancer treatments to continue, to go to the Peaine Township Meeting Minutes for the last year and this year, and find ten things that were initiated by the Peaine Board other than approval of items presented to it. Approval of resolutions and motions given to the board were to be ignored.

I challenge you to do the same.

Joe Moore

[Gillespie]

Pay the bills, short talk and leave would be the general rule? Long term planning and discussion? I don't think so.

[beaverman]

It would take me longer to drive there to the meeting as the meeting would last. 20 minutes.

[islandliving]

[Gillespie]

Does anyone find it interesting there is a Committee to Save Peaine Township? They obviously care more about that than the long term best interests of saving Beaver Island! PLEASE VOTE YES ON CONSOLIDATION, the case has been made, the budget presented shows us saving money, no other budget was presented, isn't anyone curious as to why? We will all save money but more importantly we will at least all know-together- where our money goes! VOTE YES!

[Wkohls]

Hey, Rich . . .

Thanks for your post.

Please explain why consolidation is best for the Island? I have heard the repeated claims, but no one has provided any factual support for those claims.

Your budget arbitrarily slashes tax revenues for EMS while increasing spending. Please explain how and why this makes sense. Are ambulances and other equipment going to last forever because of consolidation?

Both of the townships as well as each of the authorities and commissions, etc. have formally adopted budgets and there is no need to produce additional budgets.

While we’re at it, please explain why Peaine property owners should pay higher taxes.

Best wishes . . .

[Gillespie]

The pack of lies being spread about the realities of consolidation are probably the most difficult thing to accept. The savings have been proven, only to have the Peaine Supervisor decry them by posting his own numbers, but few, in an attempt to confuse the issue (and you have). What is an arbitrary reduction, wouldn't all reductions be made in an arbitrary way? These reductions were made in a logical way leaving a 200,000. dollar surplus but you spit on that. You have no substantive reason to argue those numbers other than your "sky is falling" rhetoric! This is about a selfish few who will stop at nothing to keep the island community from working as one! Your "pack" is out spreading lies that taxes will skyrocket even though it is proven they will not.

You talk about both units having developed budgets, where is your projected budget of what the general public could save by having one budget? You don't have one! Your only focus has been to keep this from happening for selfish reasons and not the best long term interests of the island and the taxpayer! The entire proposal was based on factual criteria not a constant hammering of PT Barnum revelry.

Peaine property owners are NOT going to pay higher taxes! This had been proven until you created hyperbole suggesting it may not. But we all will save money, again, not a concern of yours. For the record, I am not on any town board and I have nothing to gain but trying to make a better community for the future. Boards and authorities and not supposed to hoard taxpayer money, they are supposed to keep a reasonable amount on hand to manage a yearly budget. If we need ambulances or other equipment the long standing process has always been to go to the voter and ask for their permission. People have lost their way and the trust of public bodies who keep ignoring this reality.

I found a clip of your comments since this started: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9izSl9euRc

Beaver Island deserves better, better goverenance, better service, lower taxes and a brighter future. VOTE YES ON CONSOLIDATION!

FOR THE RECORD, I PAY MORE TAXES IN PEAINE THAN I DO IN ST. JAMES!