The Vanity of the Bonfires

[XLFD]

Last night was the first of three scheduled bonfires to be held at Stearn's Beach in the summer of 2015.  It arose from what was declared a successful initial bonfire held there last year as shown in the picture below (courtesy of Todd and Brad Reed). 

This year they decided to improve on the bonfire by adding musical acts to the occasion.  For the first bonfire, they had John Merchant singing tunes over the amplifiers as seen below (photo courtesy of MCP)

And of course they had the bonfire billowing out of the big burning barrel set up for the occasion just like last year, complete with protective fencing to protect those tourists and locals who get a moth reflex when they see a fire.

The City of Ludington Daily News (COLDNews) Steve Begnoche wrote a glowing review about the event for today's newspaper interviewing some of the few hundred that were said to have attended the event, including three members of the fire department who fed wood and pallets to the fire to keep it burning for the two hours winding down at the twilit hour of ten. 

This morning I went down to the beach and noticed they did a fair job of clean-up, I also noticed one of the large beach signs on rules to follow for your enjoyment and safety while at the beach

No loud music, hmm.  Then what's up with the amplified music robbing us of our enjoyment and safety at the beach.  No fires, hmm.  Then what's up with the large fire barrel spewing out flames from lit pallets making the beach less enjoyable and more dangerous for us.  The point is that we as individuals cannot do what our municipal government does flagrantly against rules that are supposed to be for everyone, including them. 

Our Ludington leadership had the vainglory last year to plan and conduct the first bonfire (without musical accompaniment) and then shortly thereafter allowed their police and fire officials to subjectively declare your backyard fires a public nuisance, then charge you with a civil infraction.  Even if your modest fire otherwise followed the NFPA Fire Code and posed no harm or disturbance to anyone. 

You don't even need two large signs on your property saying that fires are prohibited.  Yet city officials can declare beach rules do not affect them, burn garbage and play loud music because they have the power, and you have no right to contest that power.  For if you do, they will make sure that safe backyard fire you share with your family and friends is declared a nuisance by some volunteer firefighter or reserve police officer.

Ironically, the previous night I had such a backyard fire experience in Ludington, enjoying one with family and friends in Ludington.  There are few things more primal than sitting around one and talking to those with who you enjoy the company of.  Personally, I couldn't enjoy sitting around hundreds of strangers fenced well away from a burning barrel anywhere close to the intimate setting of someone's backyard burning regular organic firewood, not pallets, chemically-enhanced wood, and perhaps using some sensitive public records they don't want the public to see for kindling. 

Which is one basic reason I started up my own hobby/business last year-- selling firewood from my front yard on Dowland Street.  I wanted to offer cheap firewood for those who camped nearby and for those who wanted the intimacy of a backyard fire.  You can assuredly pick up packets of wood out at Wal-Mart or Meijer's for $5.99 per bundle plus tax, or you can just go across town and pick up one of my bundles for a third of that.  Just shove a couple of bucks in my strongbox, and take a bundle of 7-10 logs with you. 

Even if you don't like me or what I stand for, it makes sense to buy a lot of firewood because it will mean I will have to work a lot harder on making sure I can keep up with demand, and be able to devote less time for creating informative articles on the Ludington Torch.

And if the city gives you any grief about your organic hardwood fire from my bundles being a public nuisance, let me get a copy of your ticket and I'll bring it up at the next city hall meeting, along with their hypocrisy in conducting their illegal beach fires and concerts.  How's that for standing behind your product?

In conclusion, as the sign in the center points out, do not forget that this weekend is the Relay for Life, come down to Oriole Field after noon on Saturday, June 27, and anytime before 11 AM the next day to show your support to the various teams raising money for a good cause.  Please, no overnight campfires.

[Willy]

I would assume the City reserves the right to have a bonfire at the beach. All they would need to do is give themselves permission at one of their committee meetings so, shouldn't that be on the public record somewhere? I almost stopped and bought some of your wood the other day but my trunk was full so I will be stopping back at another time when I have more space in the trunk. Very good price by the way.

[XLFD]

If the city reserves such a right to violate the existing laws, it then must, through its city council, grant the approval for these bonfires to occur.  There are no exceptions noted in the law (noted back in 2014) for fires--or for loud music which was introduced this year. 

If the CVB thinks it would be nice to have a bonfire and music festival at a public park that people go to regularly to enjoy the ambiance without fires or loud music, the CVB is breaking the law and many people's esoterical enjoyment of Stearn's Park. 

I have had some problems with logistics behind my wood supply line lately and may have some problems around Independence Day weekend keeping wood available.  Business has been unexpectedly good.