Summit Township Elected Officials: Listen to Your Constituents

[XLFD]

Can you imagine a new Ludington City Hall being erected in the middle of Stearn's Park?  Some short-sighted public officials comprising the leadership of Summit Township have proposed the equivalent of that by wanting to construct a new town hall in the middle of Summit Park costing their taxpayers a quarter of a million dollars, thats's around $250 for every person who lives there (and many don't necessarily live there all year). 

Summit Township, Mason County, Michigan - Wikipedia, the free encyc...

 

They currently hold meetings at the South Summit School on Lattin Road.  A place where they say is too big, not the right shape, and too expensive to maintain (sounds like an ex-girlfriend)-- these are odd criteria to dismiss a perfectly good building that will only be used a couple of times a month, and for elections. 

 

Needless to say the proposed expensive 2880 sq. ft. building replete with expanded parking in beautiful Summit Park does not sit well with most Summit residents.  Most seem to be upset over the cost, most seem to be upset over the location, most of those do not like either.  Here is an E-Mail I received from the main dissenter, Sue Cornelius.  Be sure to check out the video, and show your support in any way you can, as this still could go through against the will of the people.

 

 

 

Thank you for signing the E-petition to save Summit Park. We were able to get the Township board to table their decision to build a new Township Hall in Summit Park, after our presentation to a standing room only Board Meeting on June 7th. They plan to meet again soon, and it does not seem like they are too open for other locations or any of our suggestions.

So, I do not think we are done yet. I ask you to please view the Fact Finder story on Channel 7-4  and please comment if you can. Then pass it on to all your family and friends that are also passionate about saving this green space!

Here is the link. (Great story and video by the way)!

http://www.upnorthlive.com/news/story.aspx?id=468321

You can also go to www.ludingtondailynews.com and read the 6/3 and 6/8 stories online. If you are not a subscriber of the E-edition, you will not be able to view the stories, but the newspaper has a link that you can purchase this story for $1.49.

Thank you for your support.

Sue Cornelius (Organizer)

P.S. I promise I will not share your e mail addresses with any one or any other groups...time is of the essence on this issue...I LOVE one of the E-petition comments from the Joni Mitchell song, Yellow Taxi... "Paved paradise and put up a parking lot...."

www.friendsofsummitpark.org (there is a link on the website that takes you to the E-petition)

Pass it on!!!

[AQUAMAN]

Please, don't destroy the Summit Park by even thinking about this project. It's far too valuable an asset. The first thing concerned citizens need to do is find out the name and phone# of the fishing family that donated the land for a park 80 years ago. Let them know what is being proposed, and they will most definitely have the authority to cancel this in the bud ahead of a fight later. The same has been tried countless times in Cartier Park by the City of Ludington. When word got back to the Cartiers in Ky. they quickly put an end to it, or reserved the right to take the donated land back. The City officials had egg on their face and were forced to back down immediately. Thankfully, someone locally still had contacts with the Cartiers, and let them in on it before it was too late. I'll bet the old school could function very well with a little facelift for less than $100K and make everyone happy. It is very deceiving and callous of the board to seek bids and architectural drawings for a plan that should include the publics support, not to mention the wasted costs already paid for such an idea. If they want a Lk. Michigan view, let them get their own land out of their own pockets for such a project, not the publics money. Looks like Summit Twshp. needs some new public board members to be voted in too now after such a show of abuse of power.

[XLFD]

How can the officials say they are being penny-wise when the current site of SSS they have is more than sufficient and in their possession? Close off and winterize the unused portions each fall, and I'm sure their maintenance costs would be about as less as their proposed building.

Aq, tell me more about the Cartier Park incidents, like when they occurred and what happened; if you can find a link, give it to me. I am currently in the midst of an intriguing article concerning that park.

[AQUAMAN]

All I can refer to X is that the City attempted to go against the donor, Cartier family wishes on several, maybe 4 occassions, in the last 25 years or so. It seems to happen about every 6-8 years. So, I can't remember what exactly the last episode was, but it was in that time period approximately. The LDN and City Council archives should show them, that would be a very time consuming effort. Maybe someone else here can remember some incidents of this, maybe I will too after I have time to concentrate on it.

[XLFD]

I'd like to make a FOIA request on the topic A-man, so if you can narrow it down a little bit, I'd be appreciative. I haven't found anything jumping out at me in a Google search.

[Edie Lindsey]

Madness, utter, complete, madness.
Good luck, Summitteers, save your park... picnic in front of the bulldozers if need be.

[AQUAMAN]

Maybe start by calling Bortell's smoked fish house. They may be the family or know of them, since they have been around many many decades in this business. If not, the Summit Twnshp. officials surely have the record of this donation from their archives. As for Cartier Park, just go to the LDN site and log on to Cartier Park, maybe it's in there too. Gotta go.

[XLFD]

I think the summit citizens can possibly block this travesty of their public park if they are able to show that the original intent of the gift of the land comprising Summit Park excluded or its use as anything other than a 'park' used for the enjoyment of its citizens. I am going to FOIA the original instrument that bequeathed the land to the township, and see whether this is a practical option. Here is a state law that may help to 'stop the madness'.

Michigan Legislature - Section 123_871 Gift of Property.mht