Now that the Marinette Police Department has wisely released more information on the dog incident that occurred earlier this month, it's time to let the dog lie, whether he's sleeping or not.
I can understand why the dog was shot, as he was apparently ill-mannered.
No excuse for that. Dogs can be trained. So can kids.
Next subject.
Wednesday, August 30, 2017
Monday, August 28, 2017
Menominee's Gutless Wonders
Thumbs up to Menominee City Council Members Frank Pohlmann and Steve Fifarek for coming out against the Back Forty Mine Monday night.
During a poorly-attended Committee-of-the-Whole meeting, Pohlmann rightly pointed out that the risks of an open-pit sulfide mine next to the Menominee River are "too high."
Fifarek called the venture "reckless," noting that it took decades to clean up the pollution caused by shoddy industrial practices.
Both are correct.
So is Mayor Jean Stegeman, who noted that the community has low unemployment and doesn't need jobs created by a risky venture. Stegeman has never wavered in her opposition to the mine.
Sadly, the only other two alders in attendance, Doug Robinson and Dennis Klitzke, apparently couldn't muster up the courage to take a stand against the business community - and for the community as a whole.
Alders Bill Plemel and Heather Nelson were AWOL, as they were at the ill-fated May 25 meeting, while Nick Malone and Josh Jones allegedly had other commitments.
Read the specifics here.
The city council will likely continue its discussion in September. Let's hope Plemel and Nelson deign to attend and that Jones and Malone have ample notice so they can clear their schedules.
During a poorly-attended Committee-of-the-Whole meeting, Pohlmann rightly pointed out that the risks of an open-pit sulfide mine next to the Menominee River are "too high."
Fifarek called the venture "reckless," noting that it took decades to clean up the pollution caused by shoddy industrial practices.
Both are correct.
So is Mayor Jean Stegeman, who noted that the community has low unemployment and doesn't need jobs created by a risky venture. Stegeman has never wavered in her opposition to the mine.
Sadly, the only other two alders in attendance, Doug Robinson and Dennis Klitzke, apparently couldn't muster up the courage to take a stand against the business community - and for the community as a whole.
Alders Bill Plemel and Heather Nelson were AWOL, as they were at the ill-fated May 25 meeting, while Nick Malone and Josh Jones allegedly had other commitments.
Read the specifics here.
The city council will likely continue its discussion in September. Let's hope Plemel and Nelson deign to attend and that Jones and Malone have ample notice so they can clear their schedules.
If You Don't Think Equality - or Free Speech - is Important, Get off my Planet!
Wow. Just wow.
A woman approached my husband in the checkout line at a local grocery store today to tell him I was saying horrible things on a certain Facebook Page.
It happens to be my page, and the only thing I've done recently is share a few links to this blog. I reread my posts and found nothing horrible in them.
Could she have meant my plea for local leaders to take a stand again racial hatred? My plea for the city of Menominee to show some guts and take a stand - any stand - on the Back Forty mine? Certainly not my comments on the future of Waterfront Festival?
From what I have seen on social media and overheard in public, racial hatred is probably the issue here. It's unfortunate, but racism seems to rear its ugly head quite frequently in many local circles.
Especially on social media.
Wisconsin-born Colin Kaepernick generates much controversy for his decision not to stand during the national anthem, essentially in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. I've unfriended people on social media over this one.
Essentially, Kaepernick has every right to indulge in a peaceful protest. You don't have to like it. But you should try to understand the crux of the Black Lives Matter movement. Or at least, stop getting angry at people who defend Kaepernick.
I've been asked why we don't have a White Lives Matter movement. If you have to ask that question, you don't understand a thing, do you? (The question usually goes along with "Why do we have a Black Entertainment Network and not a white one?" Because all entertainment networks are white, you numbskull.)
A while back, I had to unfriend a perfectly reasonable Facebook "friend" because it was clear from her posts she thought Barack Obama was a disgraceful president. (Still think that, honey?) I knew that sooner or later, she'd get on my case for my rampant dislike or Donald Trump, which I cannot keep secret.
Last time I checked, we still had freedom of speech in this country. But as I was taught in Catholic school, my freedom ends when I begin to encroach on your rights - which is exactly why what happened a few weeks ago in Charlottesville was so heinous.
Instead of casting aspersions on anyone who supports racial equality, please read about the Black Lives Matter movement at this link.
And then tell me if you think it's wrong to take a stand against racial hatred and injustice.
Or get off my planet.
A woman approached my husband in the checkout line at a local grocery store today to tell him I was saying horrible things on a certain Facebook Page.
It happens to be my page, and the only thing I've done recently is share a few links to this blog. I reread my posts and found nothing horrible in them.
Could she have meant my plea for local leaders to take a stand again racial hatred? My plea for the city of Menominee to show some guts and take a stand - any stand - on the Back Forty mine? Certainly not my comments on the future of Waterfront Festival?
From what I have seen on social media and overheard in public, racial hatred is probably the issue here. It's unfortunate, but racism seems to rear its ugly head quite frequently in many local circles.
Especially on social media.
Wisconsin-born Colin Kaepernick generates much controversy for his decision not to stand during the national anthem, essentially in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. I've unfriended people on social media over this one.
Essentially, Kaepernick has every right to indulge in a peaceful protest. You don't have to like it. But you should try to understand the crux of the Black Lives Matter movement. Or at least, stop getting angry at people who defend Kaepernick.
I've been asked why we don't have a White Lives Matter movement. If you have to ask that question, you don't understand a thing, do you? (The question usually goes along with "Why do we have a Black Entertainment Network and not a white one?" Because all entertainment networks are white, you numbskull.)
A while back, I had to unfriend a perfectly reasonable Facebook "friend" because it was clear from her posts she thought Barack Obama was a disgraceful president. (Still think that, honey?) I knew that sooner or later, she'd get on my case for my rampant dislike or Donald Trump, which I cannot keep secret.
Last time I checked, we still had freedom of speech in this country. But as I was taught in Catholic school, my freedom ends when I begin to encroach on your rights - which is exactly why what happened a few weeks ago in Charlottesville was so heinous.
Instead of casting aspersions on anyone who supports racial equality, please read about the Black Lives Matter movement at this link.
And then tell me if you think it's wrong to take a stand against racial hatred and injustice.
Or get off my planet.
Saturday, August 26, 2017
The Year of the Cat: Lessons to be Learned
What's she dragging this* up for?
That is surely what someone will say, assuming people read this post. After all, the incident I refer to happened in late 2003.
Why? Because I think there are some communications lessons to be learned.
*This is an incident that occurred in Menominee just after Christmas almost 14 years ago.
That's all.
That is surely what someone will say, assuming people read this post. After all, the incident I refer to happened in late 2003.
Why? Because I think there are some communications lessons to be learned.
*This is an incident that occurred in Menominee just after Christmas almost 14 years ago.
That's all.
Friday, August 25, 2017
Cop Shoots Dog: How Not to Handle An Incident
It had to happen sooner rather than later, but I guess we're lucky it was a dog, not a person.
(The dog owners probably don't feel that way.)
I'm talking about the incident reported two days ago by a Green Bay TV station and today by the EagleHerald.
First of all, if your kid thinks it's funny to call 911 and hang up, you have some parenting work to do. It is entirely possible that your dog needs obedience training, but since so many details are not known, this may not even be the case.
Secondly, when a police officer shoots a dog, for whatever reason, the correct action for the police department to take is tell it all and tell it fast. It's basic crisis management.
Before the dog owners and their neighbors went to Green Bay news media, the Marinette Police Department should have issued a statement covering the basic details and stating that an investigation was underway. The name of the officer involved should have been released. Depending on the severity of the incident, the officer might have been suspended until the investigation is complete.
I'm less interested in which officer pulled the trigger than I am in why the department doesn't follow the basics of public communication, but some people want to know names - and know fast.
Perhaps that is why the local newspaper allowed use of speculation and allowed an officer's name to be printed, even though it was unconfirmed by the police department.
We don't even know if the reporter tried to confirm the name. Typically in such situations, the reporter adds a line that goes something like this, "The officer's identity was not confirmed by the police."
So today, the paper ran the following breaking news item on its website:
MARINETTE — According to a press release from Captain John Corry of the Marinette Police Department, "The Marinette Police Department is still actively reviewing the incident involving the shooting of a dog on Aug. 17. We would like to clarify that the officer reported by social media as being Officer Matt Borths is inaccurate. At the time officers responded to this incident, Borths was not working. He later reported on duty for his regular 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. shift and responded to the scene to assist in locating the injured dog. The internal review is ongoing and the outcome will be released upon completion."
On social media? The officer's name was in a news story that ran in the paper. It may have appeared on social media, too. I no longer follow local Facebook pages.
So here we have a police department that appears not to follow basic public communication tenets and a newspaper that appears unable to take responsibility for its mistakes.
Not a good news day in Marinette.
I feel bad for Officer Borths.
Update: MPD says the unnamed officer acted consistently with his training. Read more in tomorrow's paper.
(The dog owners probably don't feel that way.)
I'm talking about the incident reported two days ago by a Green Bay TV station and today by the EagleHerald.
First of all, if your kid thinks it's funny to call 911 and hang up, you have some parenting work to do. It is entirely possible that your dog needs obedience training, but since so many details are not known, this may not even be the case.
Secondly, when a police officer shoots a dog, for whatever reason, the correct action for the police department to take is tell it all and tell it fast. It's basic crisis management.
Before the dog owners and their neighbors went to Green Bay news media, the Marinette Police Department should have issued a statement covering the basic details and stating that an investigation was underway. The name of the officer involved should have been released. Depending on the severity of the incident, the officer might have been suspended until the investigation is complete.
I'm less interested in which officer pulled the trigger than I am in why the department doesn't follow the basics of public communication, but some people want to know names - and know fast.
Perhaps that is why the local newspaper allowed use of speculation and allowed an officer's name to be printed, even though it was unconfirmed by the police department.
We don't even know if the reporter tried to confirm the name. Typically in such situations, the reporter adds a line that goes something like this, "The officer's identity was not confirmed by the police."
So today, the paper ran the following breaking news item on its website:
MARINETTE — According to a press release from Captain John Corry of the Marinette Police Department, "The Marinette Police Department is still actively reviewing the incident involving the shooting of a dog on Aug. 17. We would like to clarify that the officer reported by social media as being Officer Matt Borths is inaccurate. At the time officers responded to this incident, Borths was not working. He later reported on duty for his regular 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. shift and responded to the scene to assist in locating the injured dog. The internal review is ongoing and the outcome will be released upon completion."
On social media? The officer's name was in a news story that ran in the paper. It may have appeared on social media, too. I no longer follow local Facebook pages.
So here we have a police department that appears not to follow basic public communication tenets and a newspaper that appears unable to take responsibility for its mistakes.
Not a good news day in Marinette.
I feel bad for Officer Borths.
Update: MPD says the unnamed officer acted consistently with his training. Read more in tomorrow's paper.
Monday, August 21, 2017
Now Can We Move On?
The Cabela Walleye Championship is over and so is the eclipse.
Both were apparently successful. Now we can move on. There are more pressing issues facing our country and community. We must address them.
Our country is experiencing a low ebb, when police as well as perps or even innocent people, are shot to death on our streets, and our president cannot even stand up against hatred and prejudice.
It is not normal behavior when someone drives a vehicle into a crowd aiming to injure or kill. Yet it happens so often in the US and other parts of the world that this sort of act is fast becoming a norm.
We cannot allow that to happen and we cannot go on as normal, as though nothing were happening.
I'd like to see local governments, businesses and organizations re-examine the way they do business and see if they can't find ways to build tolerance and acceptance into their actions and programs.
Yes, we're tucked away in an almost-remote corner of the Northern Midwest. But sooner or later, the incidents and behavior we've seen in Charlottesville and Barcelona will hit home.
Time to be proactive.
Both were apparently successful. Now we can move on. There are more pressing issues facing our country and community. We must address them.
Our country is experiencing a low ebb, when police as well as perps or even innocent people, are shot to death on our streets, and our president cannot even stand up against hatred and prejudice.
It is not normal behavior when someone drives a vehicle into a crowd aiming to injure or kill. Yet it happens so often in the US and other parts of the world that this sort of act is fast becoming a norm.
We cannot allow that to happen and we cannot go on as normal, as though nothing were happening.
I'd like to see local governments, businesses and organizations re-examine the way they do business and see if they can't find ways to build tolerance and acceptance into their actions and programs.
Yes, we're tucked away in an almost-remote corner of the Northern Midwest. But sooner or later, the incidents and behavior we've seen in Charlottesville and Barcelona will hit home.
Time to be proactive.
Wednesday, August 16, 2017
Churches preaching hatred?
Thus far, I'm not aware of many, if any, local comments regarding the hatred we saw this weekend in Charlottesville and wherever Donald Trump is at any given time. (People here are too busy salivating over walleye fisherman.)
A friend told me that her pastor at Emmanuel Lutheran in Menominee spoke up against hatred.
No one else has responded to the question I posed yesterday.
But I did hear a week or so ago that the pastor of one Marinette church was urging his flock to support the president.
That's akin to supporting hatred, because as Donald Trump demonstrated on Tuesday, he's full of it -hatred, and many other nasty things.
Assuming this poor judgment on the part of a clergy members is truly the case, it doesn't really surprise me. There's a whole contingent of people who think the important thing is weekly church attendance, not kindness toward others.
I suspect those who feel that way aren't going to change.
But we can. Each one of us can change something we do to fight hatred.
What will you do?
A friend told me that her pastor at Emmanuel Lutheran in Menominee spoke up against hatred.
No one else has responded to the question I posed yesterday.
But I did hear a week or so ago that the pastor of one Marinette church was urging his flock to support the president.
That's akin to supporting hatred, because as Donald Trump demonstrated on Tuesday, he's full of it -hatred, and many other nasty things.
Assuming this poor judgment on the part of a clergy members is truly the case, it doesn't really surprise me. There's a whole contingent of people who think the important thing is weekly church attendance, not kindness toward others.
I suspect those who feel that way aren't going to change.
But we can. Each one of us can change something we do to fight hatred.
What will you do?
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
Standing Up to Hatred
Thus far, I've heard only one report of a local leader* speaking out against last weekend's heinous events in Charlottesville, Virginia.
The demonstration, its hatred, unnecessary deaths and aftermath should goad everyone into some sort of action.
A simple, "We won't let it happen here," would suffice.
Certainly local churches, schools and community groups could make room for some sort of action.
But first, words must be expressed.
If you've heard anyone take a stand, please post below in the comments section.
*Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Menominee.
The demonstration, its hatred, unnecessary deaths and aftermath should goad everyone into some sort of action.
A simple, "We won't let it happen here," would suffice.
Certainly local churches, schools and community groups could make room for some sort of action.
But first, words must be expressed.
If you've heard anyone take a stand, please post below in the comments section.
*Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Menominee.
Saturday, August 12, 2017
Will Local Leaders Denounce the Racism in Charlottesville?
On Saturday night, social media was abuzz with anger and frustration at the situation in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Clearly, people are disappointed that Donald Trump refused to denounce white supremists. As well they should be. A real leader isn't afraid to take a stand.
(Of course, by this time everyone should realize our president is a buffoon.)
Community leaders across the country issued statements of their own, making it clear the communities would not tolerate similar demonstrations. The U.S. Conference of Mayors released this one.
Mayor Paul Soglin of Madison, one of my favorites even when I disagree with him, issued this statement.
I'd like to see mayors across the country take a stand on this issue. We cannot afford to move backwards, yet the events in Charlottesville have taken us in that direction.
If I ran a city, I would let people know racist behavior would not be tolerated on my turf on my watch.
It's not just taking a stand against hatred and intolerance. It's taking a stand against the most heinous person to ever lead this country.
It's not just taking a stand against hatred and intolerance. It's taking a stand against the most heinous person to ever lead this country.
Friday, August 11, 2017
You Want To Do What? City Should Thoroughly Consider HR Deal With County
If you've lived in Marinette County for more than two decades, as I have, and you've been paying attention, you will know that the county has experienced a myriad of personnel issues.
High turnover at the top, at least two terminations for wrongdoing, many abrupt resignations, and a number of other difficulties. Some of these problems are normal in any large organization. They occur in small organizations, too.
But seven county administrators in 17 years? (I've lost track of Menominee County's, but I'm guessing the number is similar.)
It would be perfectly normal to assume there might be some organizational issues at play. Training is often one of them. Information sharing could be another. Employees need to clearly understand what is expected of them, and much is expected of government workers. They work for us and they must be held to the highest standards of honesty, accountability and transparency.
Two words matter here: Taxpayer money.
According to the lead story in today's EagleHerald, Marinette County is now under investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor. The investigation is the result of an unknown complaint. Whether or not the complaint is based in fact will be determined by investigators. It's probably not related to the issues noted above, but it raises another red flag.
At this point, the complaint could be based in reality. The problem reported be a simple oversight, or it could be based on ignorance, or even malice. Of, course the complaint could be, too. It might be a minor problem, or it could be a major issue.
We just don't know.
Farther down the front page, we learn that the city of Marinette may contract with the county to provide human resources services, an arrangement that has been discussed in the past. The county would be charged with ensuring city practices are compliant with employment laws.
In theory, it's a reasonable idea. In practice, I'm not so sure.
Let's hope the city takes time to conduct its due diligence before signing any contracts. City officials need to make sure county practices are compliant before they finalize the deal.
High turnover at the top, at least two terminations for wrongdoing, many abrupt resignations, and a number of other difficulties. Some of these problems are normal in any large organization. They occur in small organizations, too.
But seven county administrators in 17 years? (I've lost track of Menominee County's, but I'm guessing the number is similar.)
It would be perfectly normal to assume there might be some organizational issues at play. Training is often one of them. Information sharing could be another. Employees need to clearly understand what is expected of them, and much is expected of government workers. They work for us and they must be held to the highest standards of honesty, accountability and transparency.
Two words matter here: Taxpayer money.
According to the lead story in today's EagleHerald, Marinette County is now under investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor. The investigation is the result of an unknown complaint. Whether or not the complaint is based in fact will be determined by investigators. It's probably not related to the issues noted above, but it raises another red flag.
At this point, the complaint could be based in reality. The problem reported be a simple oversight, or it could be based on ignorance, or even malice. Of, course the complaint could be, too. It might be a minor problem, or it could be a major issue.
We just don't know.
Farther down the front page, we learn that the city of Marinette may contract with the county to provide human resources services, an arrangement that has been discussed in the past. The county would be charged with ensuring city practices are compliant with employment laws.
In theory, it's a reasonable idea. In practice, I'm not so sure.
Let's hope the city takes time to conduct its due diligence before signing any contracts. City officials need to make sure county practices are compliant before they finalize the deal.
How About Senior Citizens Day?
It's Kids' Day in Marinette with a variety of fun activities all over town.In its second year, the special day includes nature projects, a kiddie carnival, story time at the library, crafts, face painting, free swimming and bowling, and a movie on Stephenson Island.
Coming on the heels of National Night Out on Stephenson Island, the Kids' Area at Waterfront Festival, and Family Recreation Day earlier this summer at Great Lakes Memorial Marina Park, these activities show our community does a good job taking care of kids.
Of course, there are also summer playground programs and many other daily opportunities for kids to engage in healthy activities. The YMCA, the DAR Boys' & Girls' Club and the Healthy Youth Coalition are just a few of the organizations that do an exceptional job providing programming for children.
What I'm not seeing is much in the way of community activities and opportunities for senior citizens, outside of the two senior centers.
Here's what the Menominee Senior Center offers. Marinette's has a downloadable newsletter.
The senior centers provide classes, opportunities to make new friends and even meals. If I recall correctly, Marinette High School offers lunch and entertainment for seniors on a designated day in fall. Of course, there are social service organizations that provide assistance in a variety of ways.
But wouldn't it be a good idea to show older area residents they are not forgotten with a special day, or even week?
Discounts at locally-owned stores, a health fair, seminars and workshops, entertainment, goody bags, and most important, intergenerational activities. The very organizations that serve kids could do more to involve seniors and strengthen the bonds between young and old. (There are scattered activities like this, usually with schools. I've seen some in action.)
Seniors in assisted living facilities, apartment omplexs or nursing homes are already getting some of these perks. In the past seven years, I've spent a fair amount of time with my mother, who has lived in both types of facilities. The staffs of those facilities do an outstanding job caring for their seniors.
But what about those seniors who live alone? Wouldn't it be a great idea to have a community-coordinated effort that focused on senior needs?
I'd like to see the entire community step up to the plate. It's not always about kids.
Thursday, August 10, 2017
Don't Compare One City Government to the Other
Unless you attend city council meetings regularly, you might assume all cities operate in the same fashion: A balance of power between a mayor and a city council.
But that's not really the way it works.
Charters - the document which prescribes how a city operates - differ from city to city. I won't bore you with the details. You can read more about charters here.
Marinette and Menominee have different organization structures. Marinette's calls for a managing mayor/strong council form of government while Menominee's calls for a city manager/strong council model, with a ceremonial mayor.
(I didn't know this until recently but Madison, where I lived for a decade, once had a city administrator in addition to a mayor. The administrator handled the day-to-day details. That sounds like a good arrangement to me; freed from mundane duties, a mayor could then devote full energies to being a visionary, diplomat, negotiator and all-round mover and shaker.)
Marinette had a city manager when I was a kid, and there's always been talk about having one again. Nothing ever comes to fruition, but this arrangement would have been useful during the Bob Harbick years.
Menominee's charter was last updated 20 years ago. It underwent a major change in early 1996, when the mayor's role was weakened and a city manager was hired.
Today, Menominee's mayor has no administrative duties, according to the charter: "The mayor shall be for all intents and purposes a voting member of the city council and shall preside at meetings of the council, represent the city in intergovernmental relationships, appoint with the advice and consent of the council the members of citizen advisory boards and commissions, present an annual state of the city message and perform other duties specified by the council. The mayor shall be recognized as head of the city government for all ceremonial purposes and by the governor for purposes of military law and shall be the chief executive officer of the city, but shall have no administrative duties."
Marinette operates under an ordinance code which specifies that the mayor is responsible for enforcing that code as well as supervising city management-level employees. He or she serves as chief operating or administrative officer for the city and communicates with the city council, as well as presides over meetings.
(That doesn't mean the mayor can't be a visionary and a doer, with ideas for enhancing the city. The city's current mayor, Steve Genisot, demonstrated his ability to do this when he presented a plan for the now-under-construction community rec center.)
In other words, Marinette's mayor runs the city while Menominee's presides over ceremonies.
In both cases, the mayor's desires can be overridden by the city council. It happens, a lot more than you might think. Which is why you should be attending city council meetings, or if you live in the county, county board meetings. Find out first hand how your city operates.
But that's not really the way it works.Charters - the document which prescribes how a city operates - differ from city to city. I won't bore you with the details. You can read more about charters here.
Marinette and Menominee have different organization structures. Marinette's calls for a managing mayor/strong council form of government while Menominee's calls for a city manager/strong council model, with a ceremonial mayor.
(I didn't know this until recently but Madison, where I lived for a decade, once had a city administrator in addition to a mayor. The administrator handled the day-to-day details. That sounds like a good arrangement to me; freed from mundane duties, a mayor could then devote full energies to being a visionary, diplomat, negotiator and all-round mover and shaker.)
Marinette had a city manager when I was a kid, and there's always been talk about having one again. Nothing ever comes to fruition, but this arrangement would have been useful during the Bob Harbick years.
Menominee's charter was last updated 20 years ago. It underwent a major change in early 1996, when the mayor's role was weakened and a city manager was hired.
Today, Menominee's mayor has no administrative duties, according to the charter: "The mayor shall be for all intents and purposes a voting member of the city council and shall preside at meetings of the council, represent the city in intergovernmental relationships, appoint with the advice and consent of the council the members of citizen advisory boards and commissions, present an annual state of the city message and perform other duties specified by the council. The mayor shall be recognized as head of the city government for all ceremonial purposes and by the governor for purposes of military law and shall be the chief executive officer of the city, but shall have no administrative duties."
Marinette operates under an ordinance code which specifies that the mayor is responsible for enforcing that code as well as supervising city management-level employees. He or she serves as chief operating or administrative officer for the city and communicates with the city council, as well as presides over meetings.
(That doesn't mean the mayor can't be a visionary and a doer, with ideas for enhancing the city. The city's current mayor, Steve Genisot, demonstrated his ability to do this when he presented a plan for the now-under-construction community rec center.)
In other words, Marinette's mayor runs the city while Menominee's presides over ceremonies.
In both cases, the mayor's desires can be overridden by the city council. It happens, a lot more than you might think. Which is why you should be attending city council meetings, or if you live in the county, county board meetings. Find out first hand how your city operates.
Wednesday, August 9, 2017
Does the Menominee City Council Have Ethics and Guts?
After rather more hemming and hawing than is necessary, the Menominee County Board finally registered its opposition to the Back Forty Mine.
It was a nail-bitingly close 5-4 vote. Read more here.
Predictably, Chairman Charlie Meintz voted against the strongly-worded resolution, saying it wasn't the board's place to voice opposition to the mine.
Fortunately, Bernie Lang, always a leader, plus four others - Steve Gromala, Larry Phelps, Larry Schei and William Tech demonstrated courage, ethics and common sense while Creeping Charlie and his cronies (John Nelson, Gerald Piche and Jan Hafeman) did not.
Time to look for some better candidates, county residents.
Meanwhile, the Menominee City Council is doing its best to ignore the matter. Mayor Jean Stegeman is reportedly opposed to the mine, but her position is essentially honorary and carries no real clout, something most people either don't realize or just plain ignore.
Menominee's city council includes some good people, but so far they've been a disappointment.
Menominee taxpayers and voters should push for a decision.
Edited to add: The Mayor is considered a voting member of the city council and would presumably vote in favor of opposing the mine.
It was a nail-bitingly close 5-4 vote. Read more here.
Predictably, Chairman Charlie Meintz voted against the strongly-worded resolution, saying it wasn't the board's place to voice opposition to the mine.
Fortunately, Bernie Lang, always a leader, plus four others - Steve Gromala, Larry Phelps, Larry Schei and William Tech demonstrated courage, ethics and common sense while Creeping Charlie and his cronies (John Nelson, Gerald Piche and Jan Hafeman) did not.
Time to look for some better candidates, county residents.
Meanwhile, the Menominee City Council is doing its best to ignore the matter. Mayor Jean Stegeman is reportedly opposed to the mine, but her position is essentially honorary and carries no real clout, something most people either don't realize or just plain ignore.
Menominee's city council includes some good people, but so far they've been a disappointment.
Menominee taxpayers and voters should push for a decision.
Edited to add: The Mayor is considered a voting member of the city council and would presumably vote in favor of opposing the mine.
To the Lighthouse and its Generous Patron!
 |
| In 2007. |
I don't need to remind anyone how lucky we are to have this gem in our community. I'm pretty sure everyone appreciates the solid red and white reminder of our community's maritime roots. The bay was every bit as important to our development as a lumber port as the river was - and the fates of the two bodies of water are intertwined.
My first awareness of the lighthouse was probably forged on foggy nights via the foghorn. I remember falling asleep to its sound, when we lived downtown and later on the near east side of Marinette. It was mournful but somehow comforting.
When I turned 19, my two best friends, knowing my affinity for all things nautical, planned a surprise picnic for me at the lighthouse. The Coast Guard wasn't bothered by us; we witnessed a watch change and stayed out there until it grew dark.
I visited a few more times before leaving the area. In summer I'd long to be back home, but it trips were hurried and never long enough to spend time at the lighthouse.
Upon returning to the area 23 years ago, I'd drive out there every now and then, just to check on it. In recent years, I've taken visiting friends, new to our area, out there for a photographs.
It wasn't until 1300 people either toured the lighthouse or toured the Marinette-made USGC Mackinaw in October 2008 when the chamber organized a Maritime weekend to coincide with the cutter's visit that I knew just how many of us revere this wonderful and historic structure.
On a recent hot night, my husband and I bought a sandwich downtown and ate it out near the lighthouse. Foot traffic on the pier was heavy; everyone wanted to see the facelift.
Yes, the facelift. An anonymous patron has paid for an extensive renovation job, that appears to include extras that tell the story of the lighthouse and its role in our community's history. There's even a new bike path down there.
I'm not saying, but I've got a pretty good idea who might be behind this magnificent and generous gesture. Many many thanks are due.
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
Why I Love Farm Markets
 |
| Carrots and onions at a recent market. |
This year, nothing. Not yet. Oh, maybe the suggestion of one puny eggplant.
It's been a challenging year for produce growers. Farm stands, which pop up at about five locations in Marinette and Menominee, appeared about ten days later than usual.
There's such a thing as too much rain, and between June and July, our area hot about 15 inches, when in a normal summer, we might have only five or six. Good for some plants, bad for others (apparently very good for my 12 different kinds of day lilies).
My grower friends at the M&M Farmers Market agree they've had a rough season. I see them weekly, because I rarely miss a summer market day. Even in a tough summer, there's still fresh produce to be found.
I volunteer to assist this group with its social media and news releases. I believe in the value of eating local. The food is fresh and you get to know the farmers who grow it.
But that's not all. Farm markets are an important component of local economic development efforts.
Thanks to a recent survey, one that is being conducted again this year, this is what we know about the market that sets up every Saturday at the M&M Plaza. The market is a project of the Menominee County Farm & Food Exchange, and used to operate out of the VFW Hall on 10th Street on the north side of town.
 |
| Even in a rough summer, produce is available. |
The market has more than two-dozen vendors who sell
produce, eggs, meat, baked goods, honey, jams, coffee, pasta, bedding plants
and a variety of locally-made craft items, including soaps, lotions, and fiber
items.
In 2016, vendors brought in an estimated $38,105 directly to their businesses, and returned three times
more to the local economy than chain retailers, according to survey results.
The average distance food travels from farm to the local market is only
15 miles. Market vendors cultivate more than 252 acres of farmland, which does
not include acres cultivated by area growers who do not attend the market but
sell produce through other growers who do attend.
Last year, market vendors took in $1,380 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit
dollars, which supported the market’s commitment to ensuring that fresh produce
is available to all families in the local community.
In addition, the study indicated that 48 percent of market shoppers said they planned to
shop at neighboring businesses on market days.
The M&M Farmers
Market is open every Saturday from 9 to noon at the M&M Plaza. For more
information, find the market on Facebook under M&M Farmers Market (https://www.facebook.com/MandMFarmersMarket/)
In addition to the
weekly market, Menominee County Farm & Food Exchange members coordinate the
annual Menominee Old World Christmas Market, a European-style holiday market to
be held Nov. 17-18 in Downtown Menominee.
NOTE: There are also farm markets in Marinette on Fridays, 2- p.m., on Stephenson Island and in Downtown Menominee, starting at 9 a.m. on Saturdays.
The study was coordinated by the Michigan Farmers Market Association (MIFMA), and supported by a Rural Business Development Grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Monday, August 7, 2017
The Future of Waterfront Festival
Another Waterfront Festival has come and gone, this one plagued by several bouts of unpleasant weather.
It was unseasonably chilly. It rained at least three times between Thursday and Sunday. Fortunately, Saturday, a key day for attendance - and of, course, fireworks - was decent. On Sunday, rain begain almost as soon as the parade wrapped up - probably the worst weather since high winds halted the fireworks in 2008.
So it will be interesting to see how festival finances shake out. We probably won't know that until later this calendar year.
This year, there was no festival director. Instead, Tony Graff, Menominee's city manager - still in his first year on the job - coordinated the festival himself in between all his other duties.
Gotta hand it to Graff. That's no easy feat. But Graff, whom I've met only twice, seems to have a vision for his new city. He sees opportunities for Menominee to shine.
(That's a quality - vision - that every true leader must have. Many previous city managers showed signs of this quality in various degrees - Tony Furton, Michael Cramer, even the ill-fated Richard Goode. Others did not.)
Graff seems to see much potential in Downtown Menominee. Maybe that's why he stepped up to the plate when last year's Waterfront manager, Toni Ihler, declined to continue in the position for a second year. Apparently no one applied for the job when Ihler moved on. (That tells you something.)
After the 2015 festival, former Councilman Leon Felch essentially accused the longtime festival director, Nancy Douglas, of losing money on the event.
The truth is, Waterfront has been losing money for years, if data supplied by the late Tom DeNike is accurate. Douglas took some necessary steps to stop the bleeding; so did Ihler.
I'm betting Graff took it further.
So it will be interesting to see how the event fared this year. (Footage taken by a drone shows parade attendance was less than half of what it was in previous years.)
What will the numbers look like? Who will lead the festival next year?
It was unseasonably chilly. It rained at least three times between Thursday and Sunday. Fortunately, Saturday, a key day for attendance - and of, course, fireworks - was decent. On Sunday, rain begain almost as soon as the parade wrapped up - probably the worst weather since high winds halted the fireworks in 2008.
So it will be interesting to see how festival finances shake out. We probably won't know that until later this calendar year.
This year, there was no festival director. Instead, Tony Graff, Menominee's city manager - still in his first year on the job - coordinated the festival himself in between all his other duties.
Gotta hand it to Graff. That's no easy feat. But Graff, whom I've met only twice, seems to have a vision for his new city. He sees opportunities for Menominee to shine.
(That's a quality - vision - that every true leader must have. Many previous city managers showed signs of this quality in various degrees - Tony Furton, Michael Cramer, even the ill-fated Richard Goode. Others did not.)
Graff seems to see much potential in Downtown Menominee. Maybe that's why he stepped up to the plate when last year's Waterfront manager, Toni Ihler, declined to continue in the position for a second year. Apparently no one applied for the job when Ihler moved on. (That tells you something.)
After the 2015 festival, former Councilman Leon Felch essentially accused the longtime festival director, Nancy Douglas, of losing money on the event.
The truth is, Waterfront has been losing money for years, if data supplied by the late Tom DeNike is accurate. Douglas took some necessary steps to stop the bleeding; so did Ihler.
I'm betting Graff took it further.
So it will be interesting to see how the event fared this year. (Footage taken by a drone shows parade attendance was less than half of what it was in previous years.)
What will the numbers look like? Who will lead the festival next year?
The River: We Must Honor the Past and its People
 |
| Cabela Walleye tournament fisherman near the mouth of the river, 2008. |
The event honored the tribe's history and culture, which is inextricably woven with that of the Menominee River. Wild rice was planted at the mouth of the river. See a video here.
Menominee, as everyone learns in grade school here, means "wild rice people." On the Marinette side of the Interstate Bridge, you can see wild rice etchings in the stone railings that keep bridge users from tumbling into the river. Michigan, as I recall, declined to pay for etchings on its side of the bridge.
The harbor ceremony was an appropriate touch to the harbor project.
So it was a huge and rather unpleasant surprise when two Marinette alders opposed a move to restore language honoring the Menominee Tribal culture and history. Read more here.
The language was in the resolution the council reviewed on June 12, but had been removed by the time the council voted on July 6. Who removed it? Why was it removed? Why didn't some alders know about the changes until the meeting?
(To my knowledge, no explanation has been provided. But a government document that changes covertly should be questioned by taxpayers, news media and other elected officials. To date, I'm aware of only one person who questioned it.)
Back to the vote:
One alder said restoring the language wasn't necessary while the other apparently found the process confusing.
I'm left with two thoughts:
(1) Let's hope our local elected representatives aren't taking their cues from the misbehavior we are seeing in Washington.
2) We must continue to show respect for the real settlers of our country, the Menominees and other tribes. It is necessary. And it's not confusing.
This post is the last of three regarding the Menominee River and the Back Forty Mine.
Saturday, August 5, 2017
Take Me to the River: Making the Most of a Natural Resource
 |
| The Menominee River from the Sixth Street Landing, Marinette. |
Read more about it here. And here. The project has made some stunning upgrades. Both sides of the river can take pride in the effort.
The beautiful upgraded harbor will play a key role in the upcoming Cabela National Walleye Championships.
The harbor project is one of many recent efforts to made the Menominee River cleaner, more accessible, and user-friendly.
A few years back, Marinette's Sixth Street Boat Landing got a similar upgrade.
 |
| An inlet at Sixth Street Landing, 2015. |
There was once talk of building a fish ladder at North American Hydro's Menominee dam north of the Hattie Street Bridge. I searched online, but couldn't find much on that project's progress. I thought it was a done deal.
Then there was an 2014 or 2015 announcement from the US Army Corps of Engineers that several islands in the river would be restored to their native habitats. Does anyone know the status of that project? I've never seen any work on the islands.
For the past 20 years, there has been much conversation about making the river accessible to area residents and visitors.
 |
| Low water near Stephenson Island, September 2012. |
The river both unites and divides. It runs through our communities and perhaps through our veins. Yet some only see its money-making potential.
We live in strange and often unsettling times.
Taking a Stand
The cities of Marinette and Peshtigo, and the counties of Marinette, Brown and Door have taken a stand against the Back Forty Project, Aquila Resource's open-pit sulfide mine that many believe will end the quality of life here by polluting our water supply.
I'm not a mining expert. I avoided science courses as best I could in college, a decision I now regret. But like most people I know, I suspect the Back Forty Project will hardly leave our area pristine and untouched. More likely it will turn us into Flint, Michigan.
I hope I'm wrong, because the mine will probably come to fruition. Sadly, taxpayer opinions don't seem to matter with the state of Michigan, which controls the permitting process.
And increasingly, they are not mattering across the entire country. We live in sorry times.
Here is a good explanation of what the mine project could mean for our community.
Here is the opinion of a former mayor. Smart, savvy and unafraid to speak out, Doug Oitzinger is the only former elected official with the guts to take a stand on this issue.
(It appears Menominee Mayor Jean Stegeman, poised to leave her part-time job to direct the Tri City Area United Way, is also opposed to the mine.
Fortunately, we have other elected officials not in top leadership roles who have proven their integrity by standing against the mine.)
Here's the opinion of Al Gedicks, a UW System emeritus professor and executive secretary of the Wisconsin Resources Protection Council, or WRPC.
The Menominee County Board seems headed for some sort of resolution, regardless of Chairman Charlie Meintz's silly statement about the state withholding funds if Menominee takes a stand against the project. (Meintz always seems to operate as a shill for someone else. I sat across from him for 18 months on the airport commission: He's the King of Bizarre Excuses.)
Assuming Menominee County mans up and takes a stand in the next week, that leaves the city of Menominee. We cannot predict how the city council will vote, but we won't know until the council actually addresses the matter.
The council meets the third Monday of the month at 6 p.m. at the Municipal Complex on 10th Street; the next meeting is Aug. 21.
If an anti-mine resolution is not on the agenda, the second public comment period at the end of the meeting will give mine opponents a chance to speak out. They have been diligent and relentless in their efforts to date. I know they will continue. So will those who support the mine.
Let's see the Menominee City Council take a stand one way or the other. Area residents deserve to know what their elected representatives think.
If elected officials don't put the greater good of the community first, they must be replaced.
I'm not a mining expert. I avoided science courses as best I could in college, a decision I now regret. But like most people I know, I suspect the Back Forty Project will hardly leave our area pristine and untouched. More likely it will turn us into Flint, Michigan.
I hope I'm wrong, because the mine will probably come to fruition. Sadly, taxpayer opinions don't seem to matter with the state of Michigan, which controls the permitting process.
And increasingly, they are not mattering across the entire country. We live in sorry times.
Here is a good explanation of what the mine project could mean for our community.
Here is the opinion of a former mayor. Smart, savvy and unafraid to speak out, Doug Oitzinger is the only former elected official with the guts to take a stand on this issue.
(It appears Menominee Mayor Jean Stegeman, poised to leave her part-time job to direct the Tri City Area United Way, is also opposed to the mine.
Fortunately, we have other elected officials not in top leadership roles who have proven their integrity by standing against the mine.)
Here's the opinion of Al Gedicks, a UW System emeritus professor and executive secretary of the Wisconsin Resources Protection Council, or WRPC.
The Menominee County Board seems headed for some sort of resolution, regardless of Chairman Charlie Meintz's silly statement about the state withholding funds if Menominee takes a stand against the project. (Meintz always seems to operate as a shill for someone else. I sat across from him for 18 months on the airport commission: He's the King of Bizarre Excuses.)
Assuming Menominee County mans up and takes a stand in the next week, that leaves the city of Menominee. We cannot predict how the city council will vote, but we won't know until the council actually addresses the matter.
The council meets the third Monday of the month at 6 p.m. at the Municipal Complex on 10th Street; the next meeting is Aug. 21.
If an anti-mine resolution is not on the agenda, the second public comment period at the end of the meeting will give mine opponents a chance to speak out. They have been diligent and relentless in their efforts to date. I know they will continue. So will those who support the mine.
Let's see the Menominee City Council take a stand one way or the other. Area residents deserve to know what their elected representatives think.
If elected officials don't put the greater good of the community first, they must be replaced.
Friday, August 4, 2017
Come Together: When Will Our Two City Councils Meet Jointly?
The scheduled meeting fell apart when Menominee Mayor Jean Stegeman invited Al Gedicks, a UW-LaCrosse emeritus professor of sociology and executive secretary of Wisconsin Recourses Protection Council.
The only scheduled speaker prior to Gedicks' invitation was Joe Maki, U.P. District geologist with Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Maki backed out when he learned Gedicks had been invited.
TLDR: In other words, a bunch of adults acted like teenagers and there was no joint meeting.
(I can only imagine that Stegeman probably felt real chagrin when it all backfired. I do not think she meant to sabotage the meeting.)
You can read more here about the meeting, which Menominee alders attended in small numbers. Most claimed schedule conflicts, although the meeting had been planned for some time.
My question is: When will the two councils schedule another joint meeting to talk about other issues our two cities share?
Discussion topics abound: Crime, tourism, special events, emergency management, recreation, homelessness, drug use, elderly services, and I'm sure, many more.
There's enough common ground for at least two joint meetings a year, probably alternating at a school gym or auditorium on either side of the river. I'd suggest Blesch in Menominee and W.J. Jones in Marinette.
The right hand needs to know what the left hand is doing. Ideas need to be shared. Relationships need to be built.
It just doesn't make sense not to communicate across state lines.
TLDR: Internet-speak for "too long; didn't read"
Thursday, August 3, 2017
This Land is Your Land: Our Right to Free Speech
As I write this, we American still have the right to free speech. It is one of our most cherished freedoms.Free speech is showing signs of erosion in Washington, DC these days, but technically, we still have it.
You have it locally, as well, and I encourage you to take advantage of it, especially by addressing your city council, county board or town/township board at meetings. The advantage of this method is that you can reach the entire board as well as appointed officials and others in attendance at one time. In addition, the press may be there to record your comments. Don't be shy.
Here's the schedule of the major board and council meetings in our community:
Marinette City Council, usually meets first Tuesdays, 6 p.m., city hall. Check the schedule here.
Marinette County Board, typically meets the last Tuesday of the month at the courthouse. Download a meeting schedule here. Meetings can last most of the workday, depending on the agenda.
Menominee City Council, usually meets the third Monday of the month, 6 p.m., in council chambers at the Menominee Municipal Complex, aka City Hall. Find upcoming agendas and past minutes here.
Menominee County Board, meets when it feels like it, apparently, as I've never been able to discern a regular schedule, although there must be one. The board meets at the courthouse, usually, but can take its show - and I don't use that term jokingly - on the road to places like the MSU/County Fair/4-H building in Stephenson, often called the Annex. Here's a list of agendas and minutes.
A few things to keep in mind:
Regular meeting times and dates can change. Check the links above frequently.
• These oversight boards all have committees that meet, usually but not always monthly, and you can express your feelings there, too, before issues make it to the final stages.
• Each state has open meetings laws that dictate when they must publicize or "post" a meeting. Here are Michigan's; here are Wisconsin's.
• Certain issues like compensation, personnel, negotiation, etc., may be addressed in closed session.
• Governing panels must be transparent about most other things. If an item changes between the first time it is arises and the time it is acted upon, question it. Something is awry. This occurred on the Marinette side recently with regards to the anti-mine resolution passed in July. Although an alderman questioned the issue, it was apparently ignored. Read more here (scroll down).
• Minutes generally contain motions, not notions. So unless a meeting is being taped, what is actually said may be lost to history. That's another good reason for attending meetings in person and not relying on minutes or press coverage.
• Be prepared to state your name and address. Transparency applies to you, too. You may also be asked to sign an attendance sheet for the meeting's secretary.
• Don't expect meetings to be dry and boring. They aren't. Tempers rise, emotions get in the way and sometimes, people seven talk out. (Meetings can be kind of fun, actually.)
• Finally, keep in mind that elected officials must listen to you without belittling you or your point of view. Come armed with facts, cogent arguments and even solutions. If that doesn't work and an official attacks you or your opinions, then that official has a problem. That's why office terms are finite!
Wednesday, August 2, 2017
Saturday in the Park: A Treasured Local Resource
Our family just held a reunion at one of Menominee's crown jewels, Henes Park.
What a wonderful experience! We reserved Pavilion No. 2 last winter. It was more than adequate, with about a dozen inside picnic tables and more outside, a serving space with electrical hookups and an outdoor grill. Because we number 25, the grill was too small for our needs, but we had my late father-in-law's Weber, still in good shape. It was perfect, since those attending the reunion were his progeny.
Henes Park, which includes beautiful bayside Popular Point at the southern end, was given to the city by philanthropist John Henes in the early years of the 20th century.
The city, or perhaps Henes himself, engaged landscape architect Ossian Cole Simonds - who can also claim Chicago's Lincoln Park and Madison's Yahara River-Tenney Parkway - to create a community gathering space.
Menominee was fortunate to acquire Simonds' services. A prominent landscape designer (he preferred the term landscape gardener), he was influenced by Frederick Law Olmsted, America's premier landscape designer, who was responsible for New York's Central Park.
Simonds designed a green paradise that eventually included a both a rocky and sandy shore, woodland trails, lagoons, meadows, picnic areas and a childrens' playground. It is a space for both groups and individuals.
Like other prominent park designers, Simonds knew that in the industrial age, a good park must include serene spots for solitude and contemplation, a point too often missed by citizen recreation boards. He also understood the importance of wide-open spaces for large groups.
Henes Park was formally dedicated in late 1907, but Menominee residents were so eager for its opening, they began picnicking there earlier that year, or so I've been told by those who know Menominee history better than I do.
The park is still overseen by a citizen committee, which is led by a Henes descendent. I seem to recall a friends-of-the park group in the 1990s, which spearheaded some major improvements. The park remains in fairly good shape, although the pavilion was a bit grimy and cobwebbed.
On Saturday, all three pavilions were booked. The day was sunny and warm but cooled by bay breezes, and the park was filled.
We saw lots of joggers, walkers, cyclists and Pokémon Go players and even a few hikers on the somewhat rectangular perimeter and in the cool, leafy interior.
Henes Park truly serves the entire community, as it has something for everyone, the seeker of peace and quiet, the seeker of companionship and camaraderie. People of all ages are served by this wonderful space.
Henes Park is well-used and well-loved. As we packed up the Weber, I thought of my late father-in-law, an Illinois boy with family roots in Menominee and England, who served as a Menominee alderman and clearly loved this community.
I think he would have enjoyed knowing his family came together at Henes Park.
What a wonderful experience! We reserved Pavilion No. 2 last winter. It was more than adequate, with about a dozen inside picnic tables and more outside, a serving space with electrical hookups and an outdoor grill. Because we number 25, the grill was too small for our needs, but we had my late father-in-law's Weber, still in good shape. It was perfect, since those attending the reunion were his progeny.
Henes Park, which includes beautiful bayside Popular Point at the southern end, was given to the city by philanthropist John Henes in the early years of the 20th century.
The city, or perhaps Henes himself, engaged landscape architect Ossian Cole Simonds - who can also claim Chicago's Lincoln Park and Madison's Yahara River-Tenney Parkway - to create a community gathering space.
Menominee was fortunate to acquire Simonds' services. A prominent landscape designer (he preferred the term landscape gardener), he was influenced by Frederick Law Olmsted, America's premier landscape designer, who was responsible for New York's Central Park.
Simonds designed a green paradise that eventually included a both a rocky and sandy shore, woodland trails, lagoons, meadows, picnic areas and a childrens' playground. It is a space for both groups and individuals.
Like other prominent park designers, Simonds knew that in the industrial age, a good park must include serene spots for solitude and contemplation, a point too often missed by citizen recreation boards. He also understood the importance of wide-open spaces for large groups.
Henes Park was formally dedicated in late 1907, but Menominee residents were so eager for its opening, they began picnicking there earlier that year, or so I've been told by those who know Menominee history better than I do.
 |
| The shady interior includes quiet lagoons. |
On Saturday, all three pavilions were booked. The day was sunny and warm but cooled by bay breezes, and the park was filled.
We saw lots of joggers, walkers, cyclists and Pokémon Go players and even a few hikers on the somewhat rectangular perimeter and in the cool, leafy interior.
Henes Park truly serves the entire community, as it has something for everyone, the seeker of peace and quiet, the seeker of companionship and camaraderie. People of all ages are served by this wonderful space.
Henes Park is well-used and well-loved. As we packed up the Weber, I thought of my late father-in-law, an Illinois boy with family roots in Menominee and England, who served as a Menominee alderman and clearly loved this community.
I think he would have enjoyed knowing his family came together at Henes Park.
Tuesday, August 1, 2017
A Primer on Local Government Bodies: Learn the Difference!
It's hard to fathom, especially for a trained journalist and news junkie, but some people don't know the difference between the city council and the county board.
Where were they during third-grade civics class? Do schools even teach civics anymore?
Cities are divided into wards. Each ward has one representative on the city council, or in Menominee's case, two. It depends on the city charter. (Marinette was reduced from nine wards to eight about a decade ago, but its council has an at-large representative, a sort of tie breaker. Uneven numbers are good!)
Counties are divided into districts, too, and it most cases, each has one representative on the county board.
Some areas have only city councils, also called common councils. But both Marinette and Menominee are county seats, or county capitols, so to speak, each with a courthouse. And each county is overseen by a county board.
Marinette's is large, a rather unwieldy 30 members. Menominee's is smaller, with only eight members.
Normally, both bodies meet at least once, sometimes twice a month. They also have committees, and each member serves on 1-3 committees or commissions (the latter tend to be made of up citizens who are appointed, not elected, too, but we will save that for another time).
Generally speaking, items up for discussion are first brought to committees. After discussion, a recommendation may be made, or the item may be tabled so more information may be obtained.
Or, the item may be transferred to a more appropriate committee for further consideration. Once that occurs, the item is passed on to city council, or rejected. More often than not, I have noted in eight years of attending city council meetings monthly, and another seven years of attending sporadically, the council will make a decision immediately. (An exception is the Back Forty Mine issue. After weeks of deliberation, Marinette took a stand against the sulfide mine, while Menominee is still dithering.)
Most government bodies follow Roberts Rule of Order. Sometimes, it gets a little loose, but there is usually a member who holds the body to those rules. In Menominee a decade or so ago, it was Ernie Pintarelli, a former school teacher. Sometimes but not always, city or county attorneys are sticklers for the rules.
As a citizen and taxpayer, you are encouraged to provide feedback to public officials in the form of public comment at meetings, emails, phone calls, or letters.
They officials themselves must learn to accept criticism graciously. They have thrust themselves into the public vortex, as I once heard a media lawyer say, and they are subject to your criticism of issues as well as behavior. (That's why our current president can be criticized without repercussion.)
Elected officials must learn to accept opposing views, handle angry taxpayers and behave ethically. Beware of officials who can't handle criticism, or who get arrested or charged with a crime. That has occurred on both city councils, with varying results. It's a sign that the person elected is not of good character.
Sadly, there are few checks and balances at the local level. In many cases, the mayor is allowed to cast a tie-breaking vote, which can be good or bad, depending on the mayor's motivation. The only way to ensure that your ward or district has good representation is to read the paper, follow the news, attend public meetings and interact with your rep. (We've been lucky in my ward, having then deputy, now sheriff Jerry Sauve; highly-ethical Martha Karban and now thoughtful, educated Jason Flatt as our representatives on the city council.)
These are the basics. There are many more differences and nuances between government panels on either side of the river. You owe it to yourself to learn them firsthand.
Where were they during third-grade civics class? Do schools even teach civics anymore?
Cities are divided into wards. Each ward has one representative on the city council, or in Menominee's case, two. It depends on the city charter. (Marinette was reduced from nine wards to eight about a decade ago, but its council has an at-large representative, a sort of tie breaker. Uneven numbers are good!)
Counties are divided into districts, too, and it most cases, each has one representative on the county board.
Some areas have only city councils, also called common councils. But both Marinette and Menominee are county seats, or county capitols, so to speak, each with a courthouse. And each county is overseen by a county board.
Marinette's is large, a rather unwieldy 30 members. Menominee's is smaller, with only eight members.
Normally, both bodies meet at least once, sometimes twice a month. They also have committees, and each member serves on 1-3 committees or commissions (the latter tend to be made of up citizens who are appointed, not elected, too, but we will save that for another time).
Generally speaking, items up for discussion are first brought to committees. After discussion, a recommendation may be made, or the item may be tabled so more information may be obtained.
Or, the item may be transferred to a more appropriate committee for further consideration. Once that occurs, the item is passed on to city council, or rejected. More often than not, I have noted in eight years of attending city council meetings monthly, and another seven years of attending sporadically, the council will make a decision immediately. (An exception is the Back Forty Mine issue. After weeks of deliberation, Marinette took a stand against the sulfide mine, while Menominee is still dithering.)
Most government bodies follow Roberts Rule of Order. Sometimes, it gets a little loose, but there is usually a member who holds the body to those rules. In Menominee a decade or so ago, it was Ernie Pintarelli, a former school teacher. Sometimes but not always, city or county attorneys are sticklers for the rules.
As a citizen and taxpayer, you are encouraged to provide feedback to public officials in the form of public comment at meetings, emails, phone calls, or letters.
They officials themselves must learn to accept criticism graciously. They have thrust themselves into the public vortex, as I once heard a media lawyer say, and they are subject to your criticism of issues as well as behavior. (That's why our current president can be criticized without repercussion.)
Elected officials must learn to accept opposing views, handle angry taxpayers and behave ethically. Beware of officials who can't handle criticism, or who get arrested or charged with a crime. That has occurred on both city councils, with varying results. It's a sign that the person elected is not of good character.
Sadly, there are few checks and balances at the local level. In many cases, the mayor is allowed to cast a tie-breaking vote, which can be good or bad, depending on the mayor's motivation. The only way to ensure that your ward or district has good representation is to read the paper, follow the news, attend public meetings and interact with your rep. (We've been lucky in my ward, having then deputy, now sheriff Jerry Sauve; highly-ethical Martha Karban and now thoughtful, educated Jason Flatt as our representatives on the city council.)
These are the basics. There are many more differences and nuances between government panels on either side of the river. You owe it to yourself to learn them firsthand.
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