Stearns Patriarch Offers One More Reason to Nix Parking Fees at Stearns Park

In the article The Metrics of Ludington's Proposed Beach Meters, I researched the city's research into establishing some form of parking fees at Ludington's pristine (for now) Stearns Beach.  They had contacted other shoreline cities to find out how their programs for charging for parking along the beach had fared, and got the same answer from the six that had tried it:  it lost money. 

So the impetus for putting in a meter or kiosk system down at the beach, generating revenue for a perceived upcoming deficit in 2018, was that it would only work against that goal-- especially for the first year since you have to buy meters/kiosks that only put you deeper in the red.  Any city committee, in my opinion, should see that as just one of a long list of negative implications for charging for beach parking and nip the idea in the bud. 

But that doesn't seem to be the city's plan, they are holding more meetings and still considering developing some sort of scheme that would make money where six other ambitious plans failed before them.  News of this somehow filtered down to the ears of the 84 year old great grandson of Justus Stearns, and he contacted the City of Ludington Daily News (COLDNews).  The newspaper assigned one of their most city-friendly reporter, Kevin Braciszeski to write it up.  Here was that product: 

Deed outlines history of Stearns Park as city considers parking fee...

While Ludington officials look into the possibility of charging non-residents for parking at Stearns Park in the future, a descendant of Justus S. Stearns, whom the park is named for, has voiced his opinion about the issue.

“I think it’s a bad idea,” said Robert Gable, grandson of Laura Freeman Stearns and great-grandson of Justus Stearns. “It’s supposed to be a public park, first-come, first-served.”

Gable lives in Frankfort, Kentucky, when he’s not staying at his summer home in the Ludington area.

His grandmother lived at 701 N. Lakeshore Drive, he said, and “My feeling is that’s been my family intention (to keep it free from fees) ever since the park was set up.”

When he heard city councilors were researching the idea about fees, he said he thought it was a good time to speak out.

“I thought I should opine about it,” he said.

For more of Bob Gable's local ties, read the 2015 MCP article The Cottage that Stearns Built, where this picture of Stearns and his wife at his Ludington home.  Gable once ran for the Kentucky governorship, and has remained active in that states Republican politics, including  Honored in the US Congressional Record as seen below in 2014 which shows he espouses much of the same things his great grandfather did.

Braciszeski then lays out the history of the deed to the park lands in the rest of his article in the paper.  In 1892 the property was passed from Charles Wing to his company, the Ludington Water Supply Company for $800.  It was then sold to the City of Ludington (COL) for $5000 in the year 1900. 

In 1902 the COL sold it to the Stearns Hotel Company for $50, a drop in value of 99%, somewhat typical of the way the city conducts land deals to this day.  In 1910, it was 'sold' back to the COL for $50,000, a thousandfold growth of the company's investment.  The citizens did vote on the measure resoundingly (81% for) for reacquiring the parcel, because in the purchase it was stipulated that Justus Stearns would donate $50,000 to the local Board of Trade to bring manufacturing into the area, with the plan that the COL would develop a park along the lake.  Wing also signed away any remaining interest in the property that year if it was turned into a park, which it finally was in 1923.

The author of Justus Stearns' biography, Mike Nagle, when asked whether he thought his historical subject would approve of parking fees, reportedly replied:  "I think it would be very unlikely that he would support the idea.  One thing that makes our community different than many of the other lakefront communities is the fact that we don't charge visitors (or locals) to enjoy our wonderful beach.  He always wanted to promote the economic development of Ludington and he saw recreation and tourism as a key industry which could diversify our local economy."

The rest of the article in the March 22, 2017 COLDNews had Councilor Winczewski (the mother of this idea) defending it, with Councilor Krauch and City Manager John Shay deflecting the issue by saying it is strictly in the research phase and likely will be discussed at the April 5th workshop city council meeting.  Some of the stats Brasiczeski  lists about other communities and their program contradict the city manager's research.  

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A good example to look at is downtown Rochester MI, the heart of the richest county in MI. Many do not go there and shop much anymore due to these stupid nuisance meters! How many of us these days have loose coins, or cash in their pocket? Then risk an at least 65 dollar ticket? I will go elsewhere since I know of the road to the state park and all of its beauty! Damn you have a jewel where you live! Wish the city realized what really needs to happen!

These people are just not going to let this go, just like they have been wanting to change the beach at the west end of Ludington ave for years now and it looks like they will succeed. They are typical liberals acting like bulldogs who bite into taxpayers pockets and never let go.

Another good example of this kind of beach charging is Daytona Beach. Until just a few years ago, it was free, and you could drive on it with a car. They even had race cars there back in the 50's and before. That beach goes for several miles, not 2500 ft.. The booths they have now demand you pay $10/visit, with limited hours. Attendance is way down, most walk in from hotels. Moonbeam Kathy seems to be very stubborn, ignorant, and a progressive Liberal that can't even see past her own nose, and certainly doesn't care about her local constituents wants and voices. She needs recalling imho.

The one thing that may halt this odd progression towards seeking parking fees at the beach is that if they do start charging for parking they will significantly lower their chances for more MI DNR Trust Fund grants in the future.  Unfortunately, John Shay and Heather Venzke-Tykoski have shown in previous applications that they are not above fibbing on them. 

The City still has to fund-raise over $80,000 for the city's share of the grant by October(?); what has been odd is that they haven't signaled how they are planning on doing that. 

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