Clare Sets Up Detour for Main Street: Is Scottville Next?

[XLFD]

Master Level Main Street Program is Scrapped to Save $60,000

When the City of Clare, roughly 100 miles to the east of Ludington, achieved the distinction of being a member of the Michigan Main Street Program (MMSP) in 2004 (a program used to revitalize the area much like Clare's Downtown Development Authority (DDA)), it progressed very well.  In 2008, it achieved national Main Street status, and it routinely finished high in achieving its goals  Clare's Main Street website even discontinued after Clare was Chosen for Main Street Branding 2011 :  "The branding strategy will include a logo and website designed specifically for the community's Main Street program. Participants will also receive training on how to manage the website, ideally resulting in the most effective outcome for the community."  This resulted in an improved New Website 2011.

But Clare was funding their Main Street directly through DDA funds.  The money devoted for the program, primarily paying the MSP Administrator, was an expense that weighed heavily on the cash-strapped DDA, whose budget was impacted by several factors in the community.

In a Sept. 27 Memo to Clare's City Commission, the CM Hibl informed the members that pending approval by the DDA, the Council would vote on whether to continue the program.  Local Media reported the situation, prior to the DDA stamping their approval of the nixing of the Main Street Program on the 28th.

Rumor has it that the Clare Main Street Program will soon be eliminated.

Clare City Manager Ken Hibl said that a decision to eliminate the program is possible because not enough funds are being generated to support a full time Main Street Manager, a requirement to keep the program.

Hibl said Clare's Main Street Program is a selected, qualified, and certified National Master Level Main Street Program - one of only seven Master Level Programs currently in the state. The Program is formally evaluated by Lansing annually.

To maintain eligibility as a certified Main Street Community, one of the mandatory requirements is to employ a full-time Main Street Manager. Clare's cost to maintain a full-time Main Street Manager is approximately $60K annually (includes wages, health insurance costs, office costs, mandated national and state training costs, etc.).

He said, "My personal opinion is that our Main Street Program has been a tremendous asset for this community and has attained status as one of the best Programs in the state...we are consistently used as an example by Lansing and commonly receive calls from municipalities around the state asking for advice on how to accomplish all we have accomplished. We have not officially shared the news with Lansing that we are considering resignation from the Program. And while it has not 'officially' been decided that we will do so, the balance sheet provides us little option unless someone comes forward and writes the Clare Main Street Program a big check."

He stressed, "No formal decision has yet been made related to the elimination of the program - any such decision would have to be made by two specific entities: the Clare Main Street Board/Clare Downtown Development Authority and the Clare City Commission, and neither of these governing bodies have formally considered or made that decision."

He continued, "The Main Street Board and the Clare Downtown Development Authority (DDA) commenced detailed and recurring discussions regarding the future of the Main Street Program nearly two years ago when it was evident that DDA revenue, which is the primary revenue source for funding Clare's Main Street Program, was diminishing and would not be adequate to singularly sustain the Program for more than an estimated two to three years without supplementation from other revenue sources."

http://www.clarecountyreview.com/2012/09/clare-main-street-may-get-...

The Clare County Review on October 4 announced that the City Board of Commissioners took the first steps towards eliminating the Clare Main Street Program.  Commissioner, and Main Street Board member, Tom Koch said:  "We had to come to this conclusion.  It just wasn't working for us."   The commission voted to opt-out of the program  clare-city-opts-out-of-main-street/

 

Back west, the City of Scottville also funds a DDA and Main Street Program, both funded by the taxpayer.  Scottville cannot afford the luxury of both itself, as revenues are dropping, population is dropping,etc.  and they could qualify to receive an Emergency Finance Manager if the state looked more closely at their current statistics as developed here:  Will Scottville need an Emergency Finance Manager?

Will Scottville see the writing on the wall, and make a sound fiscal decision like Clare did?  They've already cut back on their City's necessary services to do so when they cut their police coverage in an unorthodox consolidation discussed here.   Is having two redevelopment programs working at the same time, and not always on the same page, actually helping or hindering the process of recovery in Scottville? 

[XLFD]

Possibly related:  In an early morning accident today, Joe Baxter, current Mayor of Scottville and Board member of the Scottville Main Street Program and DDA, drove his truck into the gulley at the end of East Second Street in Scottville.  According to the Mason County Press: 

"Witnesses said he drove past their houses at a high rate of speed, going straight into the ravine at the end of the street.

Scottville and Custer fire departments, Life EMS and Scottville police responded. He did not appear injured but required assistance to get out of the deep ravine.

The accident occurred around 8:30 am.

Scottville Police Chief Mark Barnett said Michigan State Police has been called in to investigate, which is normal procedure when a city official is involved."

Joe Baxter has only been on the job for a little while, and the Scottville Mayor has very little power in the City Manager system, but doesn't this illustrate the proverbial: 

"Scottville is being quickly driven over a cliff by its current officials."

[XLFD]

The timing on this comes just a couple of days after an audit that was seen as successful:

http://www.ludingtondailynews.com/news/67522-auditors-say-scottvill...

And the same day I was coming into Scottville to do my own audit of some records.  Scottville's City Manager, Amy Williams, was a lot more hospitable than Ludington's City Manager John Shay has ever been in allowing us to review the public records. 

[Willy]

This is a puzzler. If he had a heart attack I'm sure that would have been reported. He may have had a seizure and temporarily blacked out or had a little to much to drink. It's possible his gas pedal was stuck or he may have wanted to end it all. I'm sure we will have a follow up to this story.

[AQUAMAN]

Amy (Hansen) Williams is a nice gal, and quite competent in her position, which she does as a professional, not a hack. As for Joe the Mayor Baxter, just gotta wonder, wth is he up to? At 8:30am, did he not sleep off his bender or whatever from the night before? Or is it a medical condition? I wonder how much truth we'll be getting on this in the future, for accuracy, and logical reasoning. As it stands now, if it's not some evident and significant health problem, he's up the creek imho. And that should have been quite evident and without doubt at the scene of the dead end street, thru the woods, and into the ravine to grandma's house we go........? Why isn't Chief Barnett doing his duty? Or is he protecting another member of the good ole boys club, next door of course? I do hope the MSP does a more in-depth investigation, but you would think that would have occurred by law, as it would for any of us, right at the time of and at the scene as they responded to the call in the first place. Anyone else see cracks in the foundation here? Thanks.

[XLFD]

Maybe he was trying to get across the gully to get to Bean Street on the other side Dukes of Hazzard style. 

Mayor Baxter lives off of E Second Street on Elm Street.  One would think because of the early hour that he would be driving away from his house.  What possessed him to turn right, accelerate down the dead end and drive into the gully is a mystery, and likely to remain that if the local police and newspaper has their way.  Also a councilmember of Scottville's (Dave Johnson) is part of the MSP investigating the case

[Morningstar]

Ha Ha!  I was wondering the same thing. Elm Street isn't that close to the end of Second St. I used to play in that gully when I was a kid and dug for treasures there. There was an old 1930's era car that used to sit down at the bottom near the creek. Another victim of the deer? All I can say is that he must have had one helluva ride.

[XLFD]

Anyone who grows up on the southeast side of Scottville like I did on south Main Street, couldn't help but use that gully as a bit of a cool playground with treasures abounding from years of casual garbage dumping by the locals. 

The MI State Police are great at law enforcement on others, but terrible with complying with FOIA requests.  I sent one out to them immediately after this via E-mail, they replied by mail keeping the letter's date on the last possible date of reply, telling me they would extend the period ten business days, as they can legally do.  That had just expired when I got another letter in the snail mail requesting money under $20, no records, no explanation of the costs involved.  

Rob Alway of MCP has had the same problems, he sent the money and I appealed.  We're both waiting patiently a month and a half later for records.