We need to get some sort of petition going on this for large public support to show the CC the need for reinstatement asap.

By next week, I hope to have some hand-outs/mini-posters ready to deploy, and make them available for any who want to print them out. I encourage any input and ingenuity out there so we can have a variety. Stir the waters. Get tourists/part-time residents involved.

The city will not likely be able to re-instate the lifeguards until a new budget year, and the petition process can take time. So it would be good to start a petition now, but don't expect tangible results until late this fall.

Here's that handout/poster I promised on my last post here in the MS Word format. Feel free to modify the material to personalize it for the way you feel, but stick to the facts, please.
Ludington Lifeguards are NOT ON DUTY in 2010 Why Did Ludington City...

Gus Macker this weekend. One of the best times to mobilize for the 'guards. I like how you put the $20,000 in perspective for your flier.

If you go down to see the Macker this weekend, be sure to print out some flyers (below, or your own) about the lifeguard situation and distribute them. A very good weekend to get the word out to a diverse amount of folks, foreign and domestic to the area.

One year their here, the next year their gone. Repeat. I remember listening to candidate now mayor Henderson back in 2001 when he so convinced me that they were necessary. Not any more necessary than a boat dock i guess.

Just remember, VG, one unused transient dock equals 42 years of Lifeguard service. These docks are open, but here is a picture taken at 11:00 PM on Macker Saturday
17 Empty Transient Dock.JPG

But B-Ballers are not noted for their nautical skills : )

Budget time. Time to make your feelings about the lifeguards known to the City of Ludington political apparatus. Remember, Anthony Goldsmith, who might still be alive today if the program was running this year. Also remember Anupam Bhattacharjee, who could have at least been warned about being on the breakwater on a windy Labor Day. If you do not live in the city of Ludington, you can also make an appeal-- after all, the three who died this year in the Stearn's Park area were all out of town visitors. If the Lifeguard program is left out of the budget this year, let's start an on-line petition and any other pressure to tighten the screws.

What happened to the on-line petition, it's getting closer to the Memorial Day opening of summer, maybe we can get a few guards down there anyhow, it would be better than just liferings and a phone.

Well, we've seen a couple of new drownings this summer close by, and the same scenario exists in those communities as ours, still no lifeguards to keep a vigil on swimmers. After Labor Day, soon to come, I believe we should  get a serious petition structured and offered to the public. This way the people, not just a handful of officials, can bring a serious voice to the table for discussion and approvals. An on-line petition would also be a easier and informal format to start the ball rolling.

Speaking of the on-line petition that was considered last year around budget time, you will remember that they had voted for $40,000 at that point for 'beach safety' and didn't actually delineate what 'beach safety' was until March of this year.  This kind of neutralized any sort of petition drive, as they had not ruled out until March that they would not have lifeguards. 

This year at budget time, I hope the Shay-man of that City Council tribe can man up and tell us what 'beach safety' expenses are instead of hiding that fact until it's too late to do anything about it.  Let's not get fooled again.

So true, this is steadfastly a type of political angle that the trick-shot artists get away with all the time unless people come forward and ask for details. Afterwards of course, it's too late then.