Consolidation Update

Open Discussion - for our Readers, Islanders, and Web Site Visitors alike. Discussion regarding any and all aspects of Beaver Island are welcome here. Also a place for general Beaver Island conversation and discussion.

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islandliving
Posts: 526
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Location: Beaver Island, Michigan

Post by islandliving »

Cannot find any updates to the website?

John McCafferty
islandliving
Posts: 526
Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2015 9:10 am
Location: Beaver Island, Michigan

Post by islandliving »

We will all need seeing eye dogs to lead us to vote on May 8th. We will all be voting blind. The consolidation petitioners and supporters do not even have the respect to give us answers of any kind.

John McCafferty.
islandliving
Posts: 526
Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2015 9:10 am
Location: Beaver Island, Michigan

Post by islandliving »

White canes will also be available.

John McCafferty
islandliving
Posts: 526
Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2015 9:10 am
Location: Beaver Island, Michigan

Post by islandliving »

I was referring to the positives I have seen of being able to support the Island as a whole unit. Diversity is good division is not.

I see where having a significant say in the transportation, possibilities of the marina, and launches are really vital needs for our community.

The benefits of unity with boards like the Planning Commission, Board of Review, lawyers and accountants for all and I know there were a lot more of those pointed out.

The ability to vote for or against any thing on the Island is a positive to me. To feel like we belong to all of these organizations and not split hairs over who contributes what.

To know that even in the worst case scenario if you own property in both townships that your taxes will go down overall. That is a benefit to me and I certainly felt it writing my checks to the townships just recently. Deadline folks to pay your taxes.

I can go to one township meeting. There will not be two buildings for the same purpose and that the St James one could maybe not be sold but repurposed as an added attraction like a museum. We need more things for tourists to do.

The severely underutilized and not so public airport in Peaine will have to open up to more people for use of it.

There will be less nepotism with less positions to fill. I am not saying that it is a problem right now but it has been in the past. I do not have facts on the amount of that. There will be a larger pool to pull from with less positions.

The Grant opportunities will be larger for the island as a whole when in regard to serving a larger population. Always a Grant criteria! Maybe we get a Wellness Center and pool for taxpayers that we can all make use of.

That is my list to date.

What I haven't heard is why it's not a good idea other than loss of positions and control. However if we share every entity what control are we losing? And the positions of elected officials are meant to be for the taxpayer not because someone needs a job. So until I start hearing why not my vote is leaning to the pro consolidation. How will my family and our life on Beaver Island not benefit from a consolidation?
_________________
burton


Should we all go base our vote on this??

John McCafferty
islandliving
Posts: 526
Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2015 9:10 am
Location: Beaver Island, Michigan

Post by islandliving »

Gillespie



Joined: 11 Mar 2003
Posts: 1282

PostPosted: Sat Feb 10, 2018 12:06 pm
Post subject: Reply with quote
Bill Kohls, post your projected budget! Letâ??s see your facts, I know it will be useful to compare with the budget volunteers are working on. If you are so against this you should not be waiting on others, put your information forward. Lead! You are the supervisor! The question is on the ballot, show us!

Are the budget volunteers making any progress? Many, many voters continue to wait patiently??

John McCafferty
islandliving
Posts: 526
Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2015 9:10 am
Location: Beaver Island, Michigan

Post by islandliving »

PostPosted: Wed Feb 07, 2018 8:44 am
Post subject: Reply with quote Edit/Delete this post
The problems of being a divided Island should have been worked on first. The consolidation should have been studied and all the good and positive impacts presented, open discussion, meetings ect. If a good positive approach was taken and the consolidation attempt was more broadcasted to the public before it went to the county then Alot of the anger wouldnâ??t be there. Win or lose the consolidation attempt has divided the Island people more now than ever.

John McCafferty
islandliving
Posts: 526
Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2015 9:10 am
Location: Beaver Island, Michigan

Post by islandliving »

Maybe there will be some information provided at the St. James Township meeting tonight about all the benefits and the great things Township consolidation will do for the Island?

John McCafferty
islandliving
Posts: 526
Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2015 9:10 am
Location: Beaver Island, Michigan

Post by islandliving »

Did Angel Welke or John Feigan or any of the supporters bring any facts or figures or reasons to the Peaine Township meeting last night to explain why consolidation will help the Island so much? Anything on the meeting from Burton at the Community Center? Seems time is slipping by with nothing to go to the election with. Nothing?

John McCafferty
meadefamily
Posts: 280
Joined: Tue Jun 17, 2014 7:35 pm

Post by meadefamily »

From website: https://wkohls.wixsite.com/consolidationinfo/

OPEN LETTER TO PETITIONERS FOR CONSOLIDATION

March 14, 2018

It has now been 63 days since the petitioners informed readers of the Beaver Island forum that township consolidation would appear on a ballot on May 8, 2018.

It has been 51 days since a subsequent post on the forum directed readers to a website that provided limited information.

As of today, it does not appear that the website has been updated and voters will go to the polls in only 55 days.

Good decisions are rarely made without good information and we believe that the worst thing that can happen is for uninformed voters to go to the polls on May 8th. Having placed the consolidation proposal on the ballot, we further believe that it is incumbent upon the petitioners to make a case for consolidation.

We respectfully request responses to these questions which we believe are pertinent to the decision that voters are asked to make on May 8th:

Please provide an itemized list of expenditures, including legal fees, which you have incurred to place the consolidation proposal on the ballot. Also, please provide an itemized list of all contributions of $100 or more, including the name of the person(s) making the contribution.

Please provide an itemized list of the estimated costs necessary to implement consolidation. We believe that attorney fees could range from $52,000 to $104,000 or more. (Estimate based on 10 to 20 billable hours a week, for 26 weeks at a rate of $200 per billable hour.)

Please provide an itemized list of the tangible benefits which you believe will be achieved by consolidation. Where possible, quantify the value of the benefit and provide the basis of your estimate. We note that proponents of consolidation have claimed certain benefits that could be more easily achieved by other means. For instance, liquidating duplicate facilities could be accomplished without consolidating the townships. Please explain your rationale if you chose to include such benefits on your list.

Proponents of consolidation have referred to an Island manger, grants to build a wellness center and/or community pool. Have you discussed, and/or do you support such proposals? If so, please provide estimated costs.

Please provide pro forma, consolidating financial statements with explanatory notes that clearly identify changes in revenues and expenses that you believe will result from consolidation.

If consolidation is approved, voters will elect a board for Beaver Island Township. Have you discussed a slate of candidates to run for township office if consolidation is approved? If so, who are these potential candidates?

Thank you for taking the time to respond to these important questions.

Respectfully,

Committee to Save Peaine
islandliving
Posts: 526
Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2015 9:10 am
Location: Beaver Island, Michigan

Post by islandliving »

We have developed a website for all of the information related to the township consolidation ballot proposal in May 2018. The web address is:

https://lefevream.wixsite.com/beaverislandtownship

There is a contact page so you can send questions or comments directly to me.

Angel Welke


Thanks Kathe for finding this and posting it. Do you know if these questions listed have been presented to the website above for answers?

John McCafferty
meadefamily
Posts: 280
Joined: Tue Jun 17, 2014 7:35 pm

Post by meadefamily »

John,

I think the letter was sent direct. From what I can see the website Angel created has not been updated and there has not been a meeting scheduled as suggested.

As a taxpayer, and contributor to the island financially I am anxious for them to be share info as promised and what thier thier agenda is.

Money only goes so far...and if my cost for living on Beaver Island will go up then we have to make tough choices on how that money will be distributed. We love the island, but money only goes so far.

Kathe
Last edited by meadefamily on Sat Mar 17, 2018 10:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
islandliving
Posts: 526
Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2015 9:10 am
Location: Beaver Island, Michigan

Post by islandliving »

Is is clear to me the agenda is not to save money. Kohls and Gallagher have clearly proven that your taxes and mine will surely increase significantly. So what is the agenda?? This is the most suspicious move I have ever seen. It almost seems illegal that this proposal is actually on the ballot. We have all been waiting for months for any kind of fact to support the consolidation. I am shocked at the position of the petitioners.

John McCafferty
Wkohls
Posts: 119
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2009 3:46 pm

Post by Wkohls »

Hey, John . . .

Just because it's legal doesn't mean that it's right!
islandliving
Posts: 526
Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2015 9:10 am
Location: Beaver Island, Michigan

Post by islandliving »

It for sure is not right. Have anybodyâ??s questions been answered yet?

John McCafferty
islandliving
Posts: 526
Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2015 9:10 am
Location: Beaver Island, Michigan

Post by islandliving »

I am hoping that this proposal does not go to the vote with absolutely no answers to the voters. It would be an embarrassment to the Island if it actually was the case. Maybe I am being impatient but I think the facts and figures should have came first. Please prove me wrong petitioners and supporters. Come forward with your promises.

John McCafferty
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