Marilla Museum Strawberry Social

Saturday, June 30th from 2-4pm. Homemade ice cream, local strawberries, homemade shortbread, coffee, tea, and of course, the museums will be open for touring! Located at 9991 Marilla Rd. (just north of the intersection with 9 Mile Rd.) in northeastern Manistee County.  $6 suggested donation (but any size donation gladly accepted).

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Pleasanton's New Supervisor Prompts New Questions

First posted:  5:50pm, 6/27/12 
Updated:  11:20pm, 7/11/12 (see below)

Just over two weeks ago, Pleasanton Township Supervisor Tony Merrill announced his resignation. His distant cousin by marriage, and current Pleasanton Assessor Carol Merrill, was quickly appointed by the township board to fill the remainder of his term at its Tuesday, June 12 meeting. But the board's action raises more questions than it settles, comes as voters start to examine candidates for the August primary, and follows several weeks of concerns about an illegal meeting. Carol Merrill and David McNeilly are both running as Republicans for the full term of the supervisor position.  

Tony Merrill wasn't planning to run for a second term.  By early May, he had decided that he'd had enough of the job, especially since it had increasingly put him in heated debate with Pleasanton trustee Bob Babcock.  Merrill told the Gander that he didn't want to be a "lightening rod" for Babcock.

Tony Merrill at the June 12 township board meeting

But it appeared to be a surprise to many that Tony Merrill stepped down before his term was over in November.  Everyone, that is, except for most others on the board:  trustee Dave Ertel, clerk Amy Cross and treasurer Judy Girven.  Babcock did not appear to know the announcement was coming.  A few minutes after 8pm, near the end of the meeting, the board accepted the resignation of Planning Commission chair Bob Stafford.  After a moment's delay by Girven, Merrill then announced his own resignation, effective June 16, citing personal reasons and conflict between the position and family duties.  He suggested that Dave McNeilly and Carol Merrill be considered to replace him.    

Without any substantive discussion or mention by the board of other nominations for supervisor, Amy Cross moved to appoint candidate Carol Merrill for the rest of the term, with Ertel seconding the motion.  Babcock protested the swift action and asked for more time to deliberate.  Tony Merrill was the only one to respond, and suggested that Babcock's concern was an example of an unnecessary delay.  The two men then argued over whether the Planning Commission recently held an illegal meeting, which Babcock has charged.  

The Gander sought clarification of a point, but the supervisor refused to recognize this reporter and would not explain why.  This differed from statements earlier in the evening, when board members Ertel and Girven had suggested that the board was flexible in its rules and willing to hear from the public throughout the meeting, rather than restricting speaking to the public comment period at the start.  Ertel and Girven did not say anything, however, when this reporter's request was refused.  The township board then confirmed Carol Merrill as the new township supervisor, 4-1 with Babcock opposing.  

An audio clip of this portion of the meeting is below (duration 7:17), beginning with the board's acceptance of Stafford's resignation from the Planning Commission.         

Reports on the Planning Commission and the Lake Improvement Board were then given to the board by Babcock and LIB representative Jerry Stick, respectively, and the township board meeting ended at 8:17pm.

The questions, however, continue.  Although Babcock voiced concern three separate times about an illegal Planning Commission meeting on Thursday, May 24, the board showed no interest in investigating or discussing his claim.  Tony Merrill denied Babcock's claim, but the other board members did not speak on the matter.  It's not clear why.    

Babcock says that a special planning workshop was called on Tuesday, with notification by telephone on Tuesday, May 22.  Babcock says that the meeting started at 6pm after being called to order by Bob Stafford, with quorum present and consisting of Stafford, Babcock, Marv Peska.  Planning Commission secretary Bob Peterson, and at first, member Kris Kranz, were not there.  After some minor discussion of the commercial wind ordinance, including height restrictions for wind turbines, there was then discussion of whether the meeting had been posted properly, whether Amy Cross or Bob Peterson had that duty and whether there was an agenda for the meeting.  Babcock says he notified the board that he would not be part of an illegal meeting and departed, leaving only two members but not enough for quorum.  David McNeilly, who was present that night, claims that Kris Kranz arrived a moment later and entered the township hall, thus restoring quorum.  McNeilly says some more minor discussion continued about the lack of public posting of the meeting, and members decided to abandon the meeting at about 6:09pm.  

During the opening minutes of the June 12 township board meeting, McNeilly attempted to address the board with his May 24 Planning Commission observations.  Babcock had first brought charges of the illegal meeting as the board was considering its bills for the month.  Babcock inquired whether per diems would be issued for those who arrived at the township hall on May 24.  McNeilly's request to make a comment, however, was denied by Merrill, who shouted "no!"  Other board members did not express interest in hearing McNeilly's comment.

On separate occasions, Stafford, Merrill and Peska have said that while a quorum was present, it did not constitute an official meeting.      

The issue of selective allowance of public comment has grown since last fall, when the township board developed the habit of adding items to its meeting agenda in the middle of a meeting.  Frequently, a topic for the agenda was brought up suddenly and was handwritten in by one or more board members.  Common practice, even with Pleasanton's own Planning Commission, is to make the meeting's business clear, up front, by formal approval of the meeting's agenda, which includes an opportunity to modify it.  This notifies the public that changes are being made, so that the public would at least have a chance to comment on the upcoming business at hand.  

The township board has not followed this practice, and there were questions about that by this reporter and resident Todd Zalud at the start of the June 12 meeting.  Zalud asked if he could address the board when it came time for discussion of paving Alkire and Lumley Roads, or whether he should address it then.  It was then that Girven and Ertel, respectively, said that tradition allowed for flexibility in following the printed agenda and that the board would usually allow public comment while each item was being discussed.  "Within reason," added Merrill.  It was not made clear what rationale the board follows during this practice.  

Zalud came to express concerns about paving Alkire Road, which had been proposed by Tony Merrill at the board's May 14 meeting, along with paving Lumley Road.  Zalud asked for the board's reasoning for wanting to pave Alkire, inquired about the consequences of faster vehicle speeds for small children and brought up the impact of paving on landowners' property.  Paving typically requires that a road be widened, which can lead to the removal of trees, shrubs and other items.  Zalud said that his maple syrup harvesting could be affected if maple trees along Alkire Road were cut down.  

The board did not answer Zalud's questions then, or during the time they discussed paving.  Instead, the board discussed the high estimates for paving by the County Road Commission ($254,000 for Alkire and $270,000 for Lumley, with the township required to pay its matching share of $189,000 for the work).  The board agreed that it preferred a quote from Elmer's of Traverse City, $110-115,000 for Alkire Road, and Merrill suggested further negotiation with Road Commission director Jerry Peterson.  The board also took comment from Dave Adams, who suggested consideration of the Ron Brown & Sons company.

The board also discussed of the Lake Improvement Board.  Merrill expressed frustration with the state law that created the LIB, said that the LIB had presented its mission as strictly that of combating Eurasian water milfoil and charged that the LIB represented "taxation without representation."  Pleasanton Township does have its own representative on the board (currently Jerry Stick, previously Bryan Harris and Jack Sawka).  The board eventually rejected a resolution of support requested by the Lake Improvement Board, 3-2, with Ertel, Merrill and Cross voting to reject it, and Babcock and Girven dissenting.  Girven expressed general support for the LIB.  Both Girven and Babcock suggested waiting until receiving and reading a written opinion on the matter by the township's attorney.  The opinion, requested by the board at its April meeting, was apparently received by Merrill earlier in the day but it had not yet been furnished to the rest of the board.

Other business before the board included brief discussion on the awarding of a $30,000 grant from the Manistee County Revenue Sharing Board, for township hall roof replacement and related bids, resuming work on a noise ordinance, discussion of spraying for weeds at the Pleasanton cemetery and the hiring of a new sexton for the cemetery.

Below is a partial recording of the meeting (duration 40:31).  It starts about half an hour into the meeting, as quotes for road paving work were discussed and continues until the meeting's end.

A previous version of this story described Carol Merrill as the cousin of Tony Merrill.  This description was provided by Mr. Merrill when Ms. Merrill was appointed township assessor.  Ms. Merrill recently clarified their relationship to the Three Pines Gander and described it as "about 15 times removed.".                 

Police Search for Shooting Suspect

First posted:  10:07pm, 6/24/12
Updated:  4:03pm, 6/25/12


Paul Hard is in custody, according to Manistee County Sheriff Dale Kowalkowski.  Paul Hard is the suspect in yesterday's shooting of a 14-year old girl near Copemish.  He was detained this afternoon at about 3:30pm, east of Bear Lake.  Charges are pending and he is expected to be arraigned soon.  The Three Pines Gander spoke with Sheriff Kowalkowski just a few minutes ago.




3:57pm, 6/25/12
A variety of law enforcement vehicles continue to be posted in northern Manistee County this afternoon, apparently in concentrated numbers in the Bear Lake area.  


Details on the status of the investigation and the search for the suspect, Paul Hard, have not been available from the Michigan State Police, which is coordinating the activities.  The Three Pines Gander has inquired about the current appearance of the suspect, since two photos have been circulating at various media outlets.  One picture, a mug shot from 2010, shows him with a mustache and beard.  Another picture shows him with only a mustache.  A dispatcher with the Michigan State Police had no comment on his current appearance, and would only say that the suspect has "salt and pepper hair."

There are unconfirmed reports that a SWAT team, along with other law enforcement officials, has assembled at Saddle Up Gas & Grocery.  

Michigan State Police vehicle near the corner of Big Four and Glovers Lake Rds. (courtesy of Beth Ann Buckner)

Manistee County Sheriff vehicle, across from the Arcadia Club
at Norconk and Big Four Rds. (courtesy of Beth Ann Buckner)

  

A variety of officers with various departments, reportedly from the Department of Natural Resources,
Michigan State Police, FBI and SWAT team. (courtesy of Charity Fraly)

Manistee County Sheriff and Michigan State Police vehicles at
Saddle Up Gas & Grocery, on the corner of US-31 and 13 Mile Rd. (courtesy of Charity Fraly)

Another law enforcement vehicle at Saddle Up Gas & Grocery (courtesy of Charity Fraly)

11:22am, 6/25/12
Manistee County Sheriff Dale Kowalkowski says that people can go about their business as the search for the suspect continues, but urged caution.  Audio interview here:  



9:38am, 6/25/12
Paul Hard, the suspect in yesterday's shooting near Copemish, remains at large this morning, according to the Michigan State Police.  As of 9:23am, a dispatcher at the Gaylord office said that he did not have any further information and that everything was "status quo" compared with earlier this morning.  He said that residents should exercise caution and said they should not make contact with anyone unfamiliar.  A request by the Three Pines Gander to speak with a department spokesman was declined. 

Law enforcement vehicles, early Monday morning

4:42am, 6/25/12

Michigan State Police officials in Gaylord are not releasing any additional information at this time, other than repeating that all suspicious activity should be reported, and that the public should call 911 to do so.  A statement by the Michigan State Police is expected sometime after 7:30am this morning.

3:45am, 6/25/12
(Correction:  7:33pm, 6/26/12 - a previous version of this story identified the firearm held by an officer as a rifle.  It was a shotgun.)

A perimeter has been established and remains in effect in Bear Lake, at least, as law enforcement continue to look for Paul Hard, the main suspect in the shooting of a 14-year old girl in Cleon Township.  It is not clear how far the perimeter extends.  

Law enforcement vehicles, early Monday morning

Officials could not immediately be reached for comment, but officers from the Michigan State Police and Manistee County Sheriff's office, including a K-9 unit, were seen stationed at major intersections at 2:23am this morning.  Some remained in their vehicles, with their lights off, while at least one stood near an intersection holding a shotgun.  Others had arrived in the area earlier in the evening from Petoskey.  

The Michigan State Police are currently leading the investigation, which began Sunday morning near Copemish.  At approximately 3am, the Three Pines Gander was told that investigators were currently in the middle of a department briefing, and could be available for comment afterwards.         

10:07pm, 6/24/12


The Manistee News Advocate and 9&10 News are reporting that police are searching for a suspect in the shooting of a 14-year old girl in Cleon Township, near Copemish in northern Manistee County.  The girl has reportedly been flown to a hospital in Grand Rapids, is in stable condition and is with her parents.  

Both media outlets are reporting the suspect's name as Paul Hard, a man in his 40s with dark hair, and driving a late 90s burgundy and silver Chevy Tahoe with the license plate of CDS 4851.  He is reportedly armed and dangerous and police are asking those with information to call 911 and urge the public not to approach the suspect.  

The picture shows a stock image of the kind of vehicle driven by the suspect, the license plate number and a mug shot of the suspect from a previous arrest, released by police.

Planning Together: A Second Attempt

For the second time in 5 years, Bear Lake-area residents will have a chance to express their thoughts and ideas for the future, starting tonight.  This time, the results of upcoming meetings and hearings may finally result in new Master Plans for Pleasanton Township, Bear Lake Township and perhaps Bear Lake Village.  

A similar effort undertaken by all three entities' Joint Planning Commission (guided by the consultant firm LIAA) during the first half of 2007, ultimately failed.  By late 2008, the Joint Master Plan was entering its final phases of review, changes and heading towards formal adoption.  A change in governmental officials following the November 2008 election brought skepticism of, and eventual withdrawal from the planning process.*  Our coverage of the process started with our August 5, 2007 story, about finalizing a draft of the Master Plan.     

Tonight, that process starts anew under a different name:  the Lakes to Land Regional Initiative.  At 6:30pm at Bear Lake School, Pleasanton Township residents are invited to participate in a "community vision session."  A similar session will be held for Bear Lake Township residents on Thursday at 6:30pm, also at Bear Lake School.  Bear Lake Village has not signed on to the Lakes to Land project, but could decide to in the coming weeks.  Other communities throughout Manistee and Benzie counties (currently a total of 13) are also part of the project.  

The project was initiated by the Alliance for Economic Success last year and is now being led by the consulting firm of Beckett & Raeder.  The company describes its specialties as "landscape architecture, planning, engineering & environmental services."

John Iacoangeli will be leading the 2 to 2 1/2-hour sessions, and he says each one will gather citizens' opinions on community assets and barriers to progress.  The sessions will also ask citizens to envision their community 10 to 15 years in the future, and to rank its priorities.

Large portions of the community went through an identical process in late 2006 and early 2007, during the early stages of the Joint Master Plan process.  Iacoangeli says his firm has access to that data, but will start the process from the beginning.  (Click orange arrow button to hear audio.)

Iacoangeli says that repeating the process does have value, especially in order to check current attitudes and priorities against those expressed in 2007.  

While the Land to Lakes project does not have any binding effect on local governments, its case-by-case nature might cut down on friction during discussions.  In contrast to the Joint Master Plan, Iacoangeli says Land to Lakes will prepare separate Master Plans for each community.  After that work is done, he says communities might then investigate voluntary collaborations.     

Also unlike 2007's Joint Planning Commission, the Land to Lakes project will not require any local money to be paid to consultants.  Iacoangeli says that state and private grants will cover his firm's costs.


The entire process is projected to last until March 2013.  More information is available at the Lakes to Land website:  http://www.lakestoland.org or by calling Beckett & Raeder at (231) 933-8400.

*Our coverage of the most recent changes in Pleasanton Township, including the last week's resignation of Tony Merrill as Township Supervisor, and the appointment of Carol Merrill to complete the rest of his term, is coming soon (Eds.).

Heavy Rain, Gusty Winds Coming Through

6/18/12 update ( 6:52pm)

Looks like another day or two of thunderstorms.
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 407 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1:00 AM EDT FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS 

MICHIGAN COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE 

ALCONA, ALPENA, ANTRIM, ARENAC, BENZIE, CHARLEVOIX, CHEBOYGAN, CLARE, CRAWFORD, EMMET, GLADWIN, GRAND TRAVERSE, IOSCO, KALKASKA, LAKE LEELANAU, MANISTEE, MASON, MISSAUKEE, MONTMORENCY, OGEMAW, OSCEOLA, OSCODA, OTSEGO, PRESQUE ISLE, ROSCOMMON, WEXFORD

In Manistee County, the short term forecast for the rest of the night, as of 6pm, is:

AT  7 PM...PARTLY CLOUDY. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. SOME
THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND
HEAVY RAINFALL. TEMPERATURE 82. SOUTH WINDS 17 MPH.

AT  9 PM...PARTLY CLOUDY. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS. SOME
THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND
HEAVY RAINFALL. TEMPERATURE 79. SOUTH WINDS 17 MPH.

AT 11 PM...THUNDERSTORMS. SOME THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE SEVERE WITH
DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND HEAVY RAINFALL. TEMPERATURE 76.
SOUTHWEST WINDS 15 MPH.

AT  1 AM...NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS. TEMPERATURE 74. SOUTHWEST
WINDS 12 MPH.

This morning, from the National Weather Service (timestamped 5:05am - Monday, June 18):

DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS EASTERN UPPER AND NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN TODAY AND TONIGHT. THE BEST CHANCE FOR STORMS WILL BE FROM MID AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNSET. THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR SEVERE STORMS. DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREAT.

THERE IS A MODERATE TO HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS ALONG PORTIONS OF THE LAKE MICHIGAN NEARSHORE AREA TODAY INTO THIS EVENING.

DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

THE CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THURSDAY...WITH RENEWED CHANCES OF STORMS OVER THE WEEKEND.

Updates: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/apx/

On Saturday, predictions called for clusters of storms between Manistee and Manitowoc, plus heavy rains and gusty winds from Frankfort to Manistee. The Bear Lake area had some rain, but the larger storm cells appeared to move north of Bear Lake.

Earlier versions of this story were published Monday, 6/18/2012 at 10:23am and Saturday, 6/16/2012 at 9:01pm.

Pleasanton Board Meets Tuesday, June 12

As with its April meeting, the Pleasanton Township Board will hold its June meeting on the second Tuesday of the month at 7pm (tomorrow, June 12), rather than the second Monday.  According to Amy Cross, Pleasanton Clerk, board members wanted to attend Revenue Sharing meetings in Manistee on Monday, April 9 and Monday, June 11.  The Pleasanton board meetings for those two months were therefore rescheduled for a day later, and notice was posted for the changes.