Rogers City Manager's Blog: July 2009

Sara Maher's Backyard

Drive down Lake Street and stop and enjoy Sara's garden. Sara was out tending her yard and gave me permission to use this picture. If you would like to show off your flowers and gardens, please send me an email with a picture attached, or call me and I'll stop by to take a picture. Rogers City gardens and yards are looking great!

Labels: Gardens

Fishing Success

The following is quoted from David Smrchek: Thanks to all of you for the part you played in making the HBAAA GLFT Family Day a success. I have received many complements on the day. A few more Tournament boats and a little less rain in the afternoon/evening would have helped, but for the most part we had a fine day. Each of you helped to make this event a success. We had 50 kids weigh in fish. The youngest fisherman was 18 months old and we had a fisherman from Georgia. Those of you who had the other displays and activitries have a better idea how many kids you saw than I do. I hope it was worth your time to be a part of the day. I apologize for not getting around to thank each of you personally. Please put a tentative save on the last Saturday in July 2010 so we can do this again next year.

Check this weeks Advance/Outlook for an article and pictures about the day and the Alpena News for an article on the Tournament. Attached are the Tournamenmt results. I think we beat Alpena's biggest Brown Trout and maybe Chinook Salmon. Who says there's no fish in Lake Huron?

Thanks again for all of your help and moral support. Please give me any suggestions you have to make this a better day for everyone next year. Dave

Leader%20Board.rtf

I'd like to thank Dave and all the wonderful people of the HBAAA! You are the best!

Labels: Dave Smrchek, Great Lakes Fishing, HBAAA

Beautiful Homes and Yards

Here is the first of many lovely homes and yards that I'm going to display for your enjoyment. This is Robby Vogelheim's front porch. If you would like to see your home or yard shown here, please send me an email with the picture file attached. These pictures will give people who live in other communities an idea of our lovely city. We enjoy a unique and beautiful place.

Labels: Beautiful Homes and Yards, Robby Vogelheim

Nautical City Festival Soon!

Big Festival, Big Fun! Whatever you do, don't miss it!

Thank you, Festival Committee, for the pretty new sign. Also, thank you, Ted Urban, for putting in the grass and flowers.

The town is looking great. In this blog, in the days ahead you will see pictures of some, just a few, of the lovely yards and landscapping in Rogers City.

Enjoy the summer!

Labels: Nautical City Festival, Ted Urban

Freighter Loading

Here is a great aerial shot of the deep water Port of Calcite in Rogers City. This is one reason Rogers City is a great location for the future! Our largest commercial production operation, Carmeuse Lime and Stone provides highest quality limestone to the rest of North America at reasonable prices thanks to Great Lakes shipping. Limestone stocks from this mine are predicted to last 100 years or more. Visit "Harbor View" to watch Great Lakes freighters load limestone, see our beautiful small city, and learn about one hundred years of maritime history at our local museums.

Photo: courtesy of Ed Lamb

Labels: Carmeuse Lime and Stone, Port of Calcite

Seagull Point Park

Thanks, Ed Lamb, for this glorious photo.

Labels: Seagull Point Park

Buy Michigan Week

Governor Granholm has declared July 27-August 2, 2009 as "Buy Michigan Week."

Buying Michigan products will help to make our economy stronger, so buy Michigan and buy local too! Shopping in Rogers City will help our local merchants to improve the availability of products and services available to you, over time. I know shopping decisions are very personal, and I'm not suggestion to take the idea to extremes; however, if you do keep the idea of local purchase in mind when making your decisions about what and where to buy, then you are doing everything anyone could reasonably ask.

Oh, one more great reason to buy Michigan: home grown strawberries, blue berries, apples, cherries, peaches, and more! Enjoy God's natural bounty!

For some great posters and more information about this subject, check out:

http://www.buymichigannow.com/buymichiganweekart.php

Labels: Buy Michigan Week

New Street Lights Coming to Main Street

The Community Development Authority (CDA) and City Council have decided on a new street light style for Rogers City. Below is a link showing this product, made by Beacon, Inc.:

Miramar%20Luminaire.pdf

Improving our downtown street lighting is part of the effort to revitalize our downtown and become a selected main street community. Currently, Rogers City is listed as a Main Street Associate. If you want to get involved or to find out more about this project, please contact me.

Labels: Beacon, Main Street Associate, Street Lights

Coral Fossil Park

Come to a fossil dig at our new Coral Fossil Park, located in Little League Park. Carmeuse Lime and Stone has generously donated several truck loads of fossil rich clay. Our area is blessed with an abundance of coral fossils that are millions of years old and very beautiful! Collect a pocket full and create some family memories that you won't forget!

The Coral Fossil Park site is between the consession stand and the southeastern baseball field, only a couple hundred feet from the South Trail Head of the Huron Sunrise Trail. The fossil park site is marked with a kiosk.

"Paleo Joe" will lead a fossil dig and teach us about the types of fossils in the Rogers City area. Paleo Joe's visit is sponsored by the Presque Isle District Library and is part of the 2009 Nautical City Festival. The fossil dig at the Coral Fossil Park is scheduled for 4-7 pm on Friday,
August 7, 2009.

Labels: Coral Fossil Park, Little League Park, Paleo Joe

All-Night Baseball

Rogers City hosted our annual all-night baseball tournament in Sports Park on July 10, 2009.

One of seven area teams that participated, Boyne City/Charlevoix won the tourmament!

Labels: All-night baseball, Sports Park

DEQ Coastal Zone Management Newsletter

Here is the most recent edition of the Michigan's Department of Environmental Quality Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Summer newsletter:

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/deq/lwm-czm-summer-2009_284685_7.pdf

Rogers City is using a grant from Coastal Zone Management to revise our zoning ordinance. We hope to see improvements in the quality of our wonderful Lake Huron waterfront areas through close cooperation with CZM. There are many ways the redidents of rogers city benefit from improvements along the lake, including increased tourism, more investment, and better quality of life. Rogers City salutes the Coastal Zone Management staff for their great work protecting our Great Lakes!

Labels: CZM, DEQ

Walkability

This photo shows world famous walkability expert Dan Burden with a group of citizens who participated in a Walkability Audit for Rogers City. Walkability may be defined as making a community infrastructure focus on people (pedestrians) as much as automobiles in city design decisions. Walkability is a means to improve the social and economic capital in the community because walkability attracts people to a community. Mr. Burden gave us many ideas and a lot to think about when making future decisions about the design of our city. Everyone in the group agreed that we learned a many things and were suprised by many of the ideas he presented. Some of the ideas will be more difficult and more costly to implement than others. For example, the width of bike lanes can be adjust for the cost of paint, but the cost to relocate a street curb is higher. However, we must make sound design decisions if we hope to see Rogers City prosper.

Pictured from left to right are: Scott Campbell, Brian Wagner, Jim Hopp, Nico Tucker, Kevin Scheadig, Mike Modrzyinski, Dan Burden, Del Conley, Roger Wenzel, Mark Slown, Jamie Huber, Matt Quaine, and Rocky DeRoque. Angie Asam and Cindy Krupp participated in the event, but are not pictured here. There will be more information coming on the results of this walkability event! My thanks to Laurel Gikas, owner of the Pavilion Grill, for making us a great lunch.

Also, thank you to the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) for making this opportunity possible for Rogers City.

Watch for a program/presentation on cable TV about Walkability. The more you know....

Labels: Dan Burden, MDOT, Walkability

Quilting Tradition

This quilt was on display during Michigan Week at Lowry's Books in Sturgis. The quilt is by Margie Metzger. Rogers City shares a tradition of quilting too. If anyone in Rogers City has a unique or historic quilt and would be willing to loan it to Rogers City for a six months or a year, I can arrange to have it displayed at City Hall for the public to view. We value our heritage and local crafts persons and artisans, and we want to celebrate and remember these achievements.

Labels: Margie Metzger, Michigan Week, Quilting

Economic Rescue of Northeast Michigan

On June 11, 2009, a group of energetic business leaders gathered at the Garland Resort to discuss how to rescue Northeast Michigan from economic collapse. Unemployment is running above 20%. Some businesses have failed and others are failing. Many people lack skills and training to fill available jobs. The job market is constantly changing, demanding new skills. Home prices are dropping, credit is difficult, and many people are affraid to spend or don't have money to spend. Education and infrastructure investments take time to effect positive change, and only a small amount of these needs are able to find state or federal funding.

The group felt that there are many problems, but only two or at most three big problems can be fixed at one time. It was also agreed that government (all levels) probably won't solve the problems without direction from the public and business community. The business community has lead our country out of problems in the past, and it can be the spark to get us going again!

If your business is struggling, if you are currently unemployed, if your business skills are not being used to full potential, if you think we (Michigan) can do better, then we need you!

Yes, we (Michigan) need you!

To help solve this mess, go to HTTPS://janus.pscinc.com/NEMCOG

At this online location, you will find a survey taking no more than 20 minutes of your time.

With this information, we can help make a realistic plan. If you have questions, want to get involved, or wish to make a comment, please contact, Diane Rekowski, NEMCOG Executive Director, at 989-732-3551 ext 12, or drekowski@nemcog.org

Labels: Diane Rekowski, Economic Rescue, NEMCOG

Family Fun Day Big Hit

Rogers City had big fun at Family Fun Day! A large turn out brought well over 1,000 visitors to our city of 3,322 residents on the lovely shores of Lake Huron. The Chamber of Commerce did a superb job, as always, and there were plenty of activities for young and old alike. The weather was wonderful too.

At 2 and 3 pm, at the City Band Shell, a group of about 12 young people, called the Silent Singers, sponsored by Paul and Sally Warwick, performed inspirational songs using sign language. They did an amazing and inspirational job!

Starting at 7 pm, Chasin Steel, performed accoustical favorities for nearly three hours!

Of course, all the traditional fun activities such as giant slides, face painting, and balloons were available for the kids. The Fire Department was out in force, showing off some of their new equipment.

Noble Morris brought out his Hot Dog Wagon, and along with long-time RC favorites the Kiwanis Fish Shack and The Pavilion Grill (yum, all the greek flavor) there was no lack for great food. As with all family fun, day quickly faded to evening, and then the fire works began!

It has been reported that this was the BEST EVER fireworks, thanks to generous gifts from Careuse Lime and Stone and other sponsors.

Thanks to the Rogers City Area Chamber of Commerce, all the sponsors, and all the great folks who made this event a big success!

Watch for posts of photos and video clips from Family Fun Day, right here on my blog.

If you liked Family Fun Day, come to the Nautical City Festival, Aug 4-9, 2009. This year's Nautical City Festival is going to be an unforgetable experience!

Labels: Family Fun Day, Rogers City Area Chamber of Commerce

Marina Gets Great Comments in MerchantCircle

Below are positive comments about Rogers City found in MerchantCircle:

Dear City of Rogers City Boat Harbor,

Congratulations! A local customer reviewed your Rogers City business. This review appears on your MerchantCircle business listing and lets potential customers know what others think of your product and services.

Great Harbor with Friendly Staff:
I was on my way up to Mackinaw Island with my family and planned on stopping at Presque Isle. Some googling of that area made me realize there was nothing to do in that city. So I put forth the extra effort to arrive at the Rogers City Marina. I was greeted by two nice dockhands as soon as I entered, both catching my lines to tie up. When I asked them where the best food was around town, they listed almost anything I wanted: Chinese, Diner, or just a sit down restaurant, and also offered to drive us in their courtesy car (a retired cop car, but still nice). We explored the town as far as we could and went bowling at the alley attached to the restaurant we ate at. Overall, a well-rounded stop on land before we were back on deck. I plan to stop there whenever I pass, and I recommend any other boaters looking for an alternative to Presque Isle to pull into the Rogers City Marina.

Labels: Marina, MerchantCircle

Design Committee Meeting

Monday, July 6, 2009 at 7:00 pm is the next meeting of the Rogers City Community Development Authority (CDA) Main Street Design Committee. The Design Committee has been working for months to obtain new energy efficient Street Lights for downtown Rogers City. During this meeting, the committee will determine its recommendations about these lights to send to the City Council and the CDA Board. This meeting will literally put a new light on our town for years to come. Come to the meeting, help us make the right decision, and we'll all see the light!

Labels: Main Street Associate, Street Lights

Foreclosure Help for Homeowners

Please check out the contents of this link for help with a foreclosure.

New%20Foreclosure-homeowner%20Flyer.pdf

Labels: Foreclosure