The Vanity of Selective Bonfires

[XLFD]

Fires on the beach at Stearn's Beach have been prohibited since at least 1984 in Ludington.  The Ludington City Code Section 38-72 (b) [No fires in park or beach] expressly prohibits them on the beach and everywhere else except for the established grills in the grassy area beyond the beach.

The city manager has the authority to issue permits for special beach events, as can the Recreation Board and City Council, but the authority to permit gatherings does not give them the express authority to bend the other rules.  

Yet this has happened in the three years of beach bonfires.  Back in 2014, there was no request for the one bonfire held that year, the brainchild of Brandy Henderson.  Never was it brought before the council to allow this bonfire, and it was essentially approved without vote at a spring meeting of the Downtown Development Authority.  Significant city resources from the DPW, police and fire departments were used to make this event happen, as well as marketing and advertising to get the word out. 

By all indications, it was not the roaring inferno of success they wanted, however, there was a marginal attendance noted because some of the crowd that usually inhabit Ludington's Stearn's Beach on a summer night wandered over to take a look at what was happening.   

Next spring (2015), the Ludington Area Convention & Visitor's Bureau (LACVB), with DDA Treasurer, Chamber of Commerce President, and LACVB Executive Director (all-in-one) Kathy Maclean made a request for three more bonfires, the Ludington City Council passed unanimously their approval for the events.  With more marketing, advertising, city personnel and resources the events justified themselves for at least another year, and once again three bonfires were approved w/o debate on March 7, 2016 for this summer.

Now some of this and more have already been related on The Vanity of the Bonfires, especially the points that the city can partner with their own official and break the rules that you and I have to respect at the beach, while using a significant amount of your tax dollars, all in the name of attracting a niche of tourists that have fascination with beach fires. 

And there is something romantic and relaxing about campfires on the beach when shared with family and/or friends, feeling the heat, feeding the fire, making s'mores and roasting weinies. talking about things that matter. etc.

Translate that to the beach bonfires, you have a burning barrel surrounded by fence, with old pine pallets with who-knows-what chemicals and contaminants on them being thrown in by somebody in firefighter turn-out gear, making sure you do not get close enough to enjoy the ambiance. 

The people you see surrounding the conflagration are mostly strangers, some perhaps glaring lustily at your daughters, some looking as if they may regularly stand around a barrel for heat, and some being people around town who you'd rather not share a moment of your free time with otherwise.  I honestly don't see the appeal when you have the alternative to enjoy one of your own making.

So anyway, the LACVB thought the night after the House of Flavor's world record attempt would be another good night for a beach bonfire, and so MacLean sent another request for permission to the city council on April 4 along with the details:    

This application is roughly similar in form to the preseason requests of 2015 and 2016 for the three bonfires, and it was included in the April 11, 2016 Councilor Packet, meaning it was sent to the councilors and available to the public on April 8th.  It was approved 5-1 at the 4-11-16 meeting, the only meaningful dissent coming from Councilor Rathsack who believed they had enough bonfires for the summer.

I actually walked to the beach the afternoon of June 11 and found a bunch of pallets (which weren't oak, more like pine, one looking especially sodden with some foreign substance) next to their new fire pit along with the usual fencing strewn about the beach several hours before darkness.  I did notice the beach was packed and the fire perimeter was one of the few spots without beachgoers.  I noticed later, the beach was a lot more sparser at dusk, but it was densest near the fire.  Like all beach fires, the local paper called it an unqualified success.

Stearn's Beach is within my ward, a well-visited area, and a nice place to gather.  My political committee considered it to be a nice place to hold a September political rally to introduce myself to the voters.  An evening with a mellow fire, some free hot dogs and beverages, and some conversations dealing with what my constituents want to talk about, and for me to voice my opinions on these issues and honestly debate with my opponent if he came.  It sounded like fun, but would the City leaders allow it? 

At the August 8th meeting I asked the full council including the city manager, attorney, and police chief about holding a campaign event at the beach.  My full speech is at the link but the minutes for that meeting summarized the oral request.

True to my word, I submitted my formal request on that Friday afternoon, August 12, to the mayor pro-tem, the city manager, and the police chief, mirroring the format that Kathy MacLean used to garner favor for the three times she asked.  Here's what the correspondence said:

"The "Rotta for Third Ward Councilor Committee" is formally applying to use the Stearn's Park Beach for a campaign event on the evening of September 27, 2016.  We are cognizant that the City may have snow fencing up at this time, and will plan accordingly if that's the case.  Tom Rotta, former Ludington firefighter of eight years, and other volunteer helpers will be present during all times to make sure fire safety is followed for all participants at the event.  As noted at the last city council meeting, no city resources are needed, but we encourage DPW units to check out the beach on the day after and notify Tom Rotta if any further clean up is needed.  If bad weather is forecast on the night of the 27th, we hope to reserve the rights for the following evening.

Other Details:

Location:  the fire will be situated at least 100 ft. north of the breakwall, and at least 100 ft. east of high tide.  Activities will fall within this radius.

Construction and Materials:  The fire will be situated in a 3 or 4 ft. diameter metal fire ring using hardwood firewood from split logs.  An additional metal ring will go one extra foot around the fire ring in order to help keep participants from being too close to the fire.

Clean up & Removal:  The fire pit and safety ring will be removed by the committee, all ashes will be scooped up and repurposed as fertilizer, the immediate area will be swept flat.

Personnel:  No city personnel is needed, although we would be excited if Councilor Les Johnson and the candidates for councilor at-large would attend in order to enjoy the occasion and make their case to the attendants.

Other Details:  We plan on serving hot dogs (using the fire and spits for cooking), along with pop, bottled water, and chips.  A table or two will be set up for this purpose and containers provided for waste disposal.  Our committee will pick up stray trash created.

An acoustic mike or two may be used for talking and/or debating, the range of this noise will not extend much beyond the 100 ft. radius of the event."

                                                                                                                                                              

As noted, MacLean's last request was submitted four days before the agenda was finalized, while mine was submitted seven days prior.  She got her request considered at the meeting after being formally put on the agenda.   The LACVB got their request on the agenda, had the city council mull it over, and vote on it.  The "Tom Rotta for Third Ward Councilor Committee" (TR4TWC) got fully ignored even though they submitted it earlier, during a time when the beach is sparsely used past the tourist season.  There was not even a reply back from either of the three officials.

Would they have told me that fires on the beach are not allowed, nor are amplified sounds?  Would they have told me that my group does not have any connection with the City government or its tourism, so it has less rights as a group than the LACVB?  Would they have told me that rules don't apply for some groups with proper connections and do for those with improper ones.

                                   

I have called them on utilizing the beach and other parks in direct defiance to the city's laws, now they apparently want to use those same rules to keep my soiree from happening-- even worse, it looks like they just want to ignore the whole thing instead of providing an answer that will show their bias against peaceful, purposeful, public gatherings by the locals.

[AQUAMAN]

BS X, tell the public you want a debate with questions coming from the audience, and also some that come from both of you for an example. That would make the big diff. imho. Don't let the media script a performance of their choosing, make it symbolic of a people's choice, and one that discriminates between the real values and topics of concern to locals of today's issues. Ones that question the new ordinances and projects proposed today, not just tripe and gossip of the LDN/LPD of recent.

[XLFD]

I've already offered Les Johnson the opportunity to debate me at the campfire (an idea he and his buddies shelved) in my written request and at the city council meeting, but he has decided it wouldn't be in his best interest-- instead taking the option to clumsily insult me and the intelligence of those attending at the end of the meeting. 

I can't get him to do something he refuses to do, particularly when it shows that he cannot perform properly without his best buddy John Shay telling him what to say and do.  A one person political debate doesn't generate a lot of interest. 

Still, I will try to revamp the COLDNews debate, if they decide to conduct one, into a more impromptu and citizen-oriented event, but I cannot guarantee being successful in that due to their lengthy track record going contrary to that.

[shinblind]

That is why you, personally, knocking on doors and leaving flyers is important.

How else can you get the message out about Les "Chicken" Johnson and his refuseal to defend his record and debate you in a public forum. 

It is bad enough that you have the media against you and the calumnious  City Manager bearing false witness against you. You have to openly challenge this appointed incumbent as to why he is anything more than an puppet for the current regime.

It is important to get the word out to the voters in the Ward.

It is difficult but not impossible.

Never before, in the history of our City, have so many taxpayers had to pay so much to enrich so few.