Interest find on township consolidations

[meadefamily]

Carol

My information was from the following documents:

For St. James:
GENERAL FUND PROPOSED 2017-2018 BUDGET.
It is updated on 3/15/2017. If you look at the columns you will notice that for the ACTUAL 2016-2017 activity through 03/13/2017 there are no attorney fees or CPA/Audit fees listed. They were $0. to date. Only in the proposal for 2018 was the $10,000 and $7,500 that I used as a worst case scenario. I apologize, I should have made my numbers more clear and used the $0's as reflected on the actual P&L.

For Peaine:
2016-2017 PROFIT & LOSS STATEMENT
As far as for Peaine Township, The actual 2016-2017 numbers are: $5,880 for legal and $5,887 for Audit/CPA.

Correct me if I am wrong, but the year end is March 31, 2018 for each township? In order to be fair to this process we will need to go back to the ACTUAL numbers from the 2016-2017 year, as the final numbers for 2017-2018 will not be accurate until after March.

Keep in mind, using "budgets" is not being fully transparent.

I see on past threads some of the numbers are not very transparent as you can not use "budget". We need FACTUAL numbers...FACTUAL numbers are numbers that have proven and happened.

This is a serious issue with serious consequences for everyone that is affiliated with the Island. Everyone deserves a voice, but voices should be held accountable when they embellish or do not check their facts. I am included in that. If my information is not correct I would want someone to tell me in a RESPECTFUL way that I need to look at it from another source.

Edited (forgot to add my name)

Kathe Meade

[megsing3]

Pam and Kathy, your posts from Tuesday and Wednesday are well thoughr, well said, and do make great sense.

[megsing3]

Why are facts and numbers considered important now, in February of 2018?
Donâ??t we go with our gut anymore!

Why in the world would we need a case for transparency and pre-planning, considering the past years of mismanagement and cover-ups?
If you or your spouse/friend are crying for answers, ask yourself... ask your spouse to provide those answers! You have them - stop hiding them, they exist!

Why do we crave smaller government/less government intrusion - and at the same time want MORE people making decisions on how our dollars are spent?

Why the waste and confusion of unevenly splitting the funds to all that we share?
Even out our contributions and balance responsibility to all of the unified services - and those services can be improved through a clearer Voice!!

I love whoever said that this vote is at an important time in our little speck of a community. In THIS way, the island is not special, it is not unique. A change is coming. A change has clearly begun. This IS the conversation!
Buckle up your brains and slim down the waste!
YES We must hold one another accountable and make smarter moves for the future.

Havenâ??t we, the voters, made enough mistakes already? In this vote, my gut For Sure Screams â??Consolidate!â?￾

[islandliving]

Explain the past years of mismanagement and cover-ups?? Who is hiding the answers?? If you want to call every voter out on the mistakes they have made explain the mistakes otherwise do not tell me or others we have made mistakes. When do you think the facts and numbers will be important?? The blind will be the losers and the informed will be the winners. Vote NO on township consolidation?

John McCafferty

[sailorman]

Glad to see Megsing3 injecting some sane reasoning into this controversy.

[Nancy Levant]

"Why the waste and confusion of unevenly splitting the funds to all that we share?"

This is really hard to argue.

[Gillespie]

The people who initiated this consolidation did so of their own free and democratic will. They have the right to do so just as the complainers have their right to complain. They(complainers) also have the right to post the "facts" as to why consolidation would not work, I don't believe they have a leg to stand on. For those who say this was thrown at them, I say nuts! This was posted last October 9th, if you didn't see it there is a high probability you didn't choose to look at it. This is not new, let's let that come to an end. We have two boards overseeing the same co- owned things, a huge expense and to those who say jobs will be eliminated? Is that what this is about? Workfare? I don't think so. We could put this off for generations with that kind of thinking! Anyway, here is when this was first announced:




"Joined: 28 Mar 2008
Posts: 171

PostPosted: Mon Oct 09, 2017 12:44 pm
Post subject: Township Consolidation Reply with quote Edit/Delete this post Delete this post View IP address of poster
"Let's Decide on Consolidating the Townships" -- Below is a link to information on the possibility of consolidating the two townships on Beaver Island. If you are interested in signing a petition to have this on a ballot, please contact me.

Angel Welke
231 448 2374 home
231 675 7882 mobile phone / text
angel@islandairways.com e-mail

http://beaverislandnews.com /Lets%20Decide%20on%20Consolidating%20the%20Townships.pdf"


You can also see at the bottom that it was posted to Beaver Island News On The Net.

ONE ISLAND-ONE TOWNSHIP!

[BI Pirate]

Big bump for my buddy Richie.

[sailorman]

Posted Last October on News on the Net

Consolidation of Two Townships Suggested
If anyone wants to sign a petition, please contact Angel Welke at home (2374); via e-mail (angel@islandairways.com); or mobile phone (231 675 7882).
The document was prepared by John Fiegan and Angel Welke.
John Fiegen has lived on Beaver Island since 1994 at which time he retired from a 38 year career in public education. He came to the Island with the goal of working for every Island employer and is currently 82% of the way there. He has served as President of the Preservation Association, President of the Beaver Island School Board, Chair of St. James Planning Commission, President of the Port St. James Association and is currently on the board of the Islandâ??s District Library and Historical Society.
Angela LeFevre-Welke, BA (degree in secondary education, English literature, and American History), moved to Beaver Island nearly 17 years ago when she married Paul Welke, owner of Island Airways. She spent over 20 years managing a multi-physician office in the Bay City, Michigan area. She was introduced to Beaver Island almost 35 years ago by friends and was a frequent visitor to the area prior to moving here. Recently, she has become President of Island Airways. Angelaâ??s interests include a passion for animals and rescuing dogs (including her Golden Retriever Murphy, Australian Shepherd / Great Pyrenees mixes Alice and Matilda, and the soon to arrive Australian Shepherd Darwin), reading (murder mysteries mostly with some history and biographies mixed in), golfing (frustrating but fun), and travel. As a full time resident of Beaver Island she has served on several committees and boards including the Beaver Island Rural Health Center, Preservation Association, and Transfer Station. She has also served as a member of the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) Airport Committee.

[Andy's Grooming Barn]

megsing3 (Meg),
I am interested in what you mean by this? I am not sure where your property is or if you are a register voter so it is hard to understand your logic. "Why the waste and confusion of unevenly splitting the funds to all that we share?"
I live and Vote in Peaine Township where we are paying our portion of the joint owned township fire/ems, transfer etc. With this being said if this consolidation goes through our taxes will go up and we will be paying even more.

I also don't know what you are talking about, "Why in the world would we need a case for transparency and pre-planning, considering the past years of mismanagement and cover-ups?" If you are going to make these accusation without backing them up then I guess I don't care to listen to you as these are just words and not fact.

Bi Pirate (Don) - Thought you didn't have an opinion on consolidation......guess you do now.

I might understand some of St. James voters thinking this is a good thing, as their taxes would go down but as a Peaine Township voter I see absolutely no benefit to our township and have yet to hear anything differently.

[sailorman]

The actual document posted on News on the Net back in October.

Letâ??s Decide on Consolidating the Townships

John Fiegen and Angel Welke

Weâ??ve heard many members of the Beaver Island community express interest in and support for consolidating our two townships into one. They say it doesnâ??t make sense to have two systems of government for an island community with only about 600 residents. They say itâ??s inefficientâ??a waste of everyoneâ??s time and energyâ??to have to have each township adopt the exact same policies, using their own separate processes and meetings. They say the island doesnâ??t need to have, for instance, two planning commissions, one for each township, when there could be just one for the whole island. And they note that the townships have trouble filling all the vacancies on these duplicated bodies; there are just not enough of us to go around. They say that important issues, like economic development of the island or protection of natural resources, are not a Peaine or St. James Township issue, but a whole island issue, so why not address them as a whole community with just one government? We agree with these concerns and decided to do something about it. We think that voters in the Beaver Island community should decide if the townships should be consolidated. So we are circulating petitions that ask the Charlevoix County Board of Commissioners to schedule an election in both townships about whether or not to consolidate. Under Michigan law, thatâ??s how we, the people living in the townships, can make the decision. When John drives visitors to the island around in the BIBCO tour bus, he points out the St. James Township hall and, a little later, the Peaine Township hall. People laugh: â??Two townships for this small community! Why?â?￾ There have been two townships on Beaver Island since at least the early 1900s. But whatever made sense back then doesnâ??t seem to make sense anymore. Of course, the townships are different in some ways, but no one here lives, works, and plays in just one township. We use the roads in both townships. We travel to the mainland from facilitiesâ??airports, a dockâ??in both townships. We depend on fire, transfer station, health care, and emergency medical services that are island wide, but for some reason are governed by two townships. We realize that in the past there have been political rivalries between leading citizens in each township, but we think most islanders donâ??t buy into those fights and fiefdoms anymore. In any case, the number of voters in each township is almost exactly the sameâ??around 320â??so neither townshipâ??s voters would be able to automatically dominate the election of a consolidated township board. Weâ??re not saying anything negative about the elected officials or employees in both townships. Weâ??re saying that the governance structure, the two-township model, is no longer a good idea and we should change it. But nothing can change if we donâ??t have an election to decide. The petition we are circulating for signature by registered voters in either township asks the County Board to schedule an election in Peaine and St. James Townships so voters can decide if they want to consolidate the two townships into one. Under state law for townships, the election must be scheduled between January 1, 2018 and May 1, 2018. (We should note that the Charlevoix County Clerk says that a 2016 change in the stateâ??s election law means a township consolidation election cannot be scheduled before May 1. So just when an election would occur will not be clear until the state Legislature acts to resolve the conflict in statutes. Nonetheless, we think itâ??s important to gather petition signatures nowâ??signaling to the county and state that Islanders are serious about exercising their right to determine consolidation.) Under state law, an election about consolidation must address several related topics, so the petition language also: 1. Identifies the two townships that would be consolidated (Peaine and St. James)
2. Provides a name for the consolidated township â?? Beaver Island Township. We considered some options, but this name seemed to be one everyone would be comfortable with even if it wasnâ??t their first choice. 3. Establishes the voted extra millages that the consolidated township would be authorized to levy in 2018 and 2019. (See below.) If a majority of voters in both townships approves consolidation, Beaver Island Township would take effect November 20, 2018. The consolidated township would have five elected officials, including a supervisor, clerk, and treasurer, who would have been elected previously in the August 2018 and November 2018 elections. The assets and liabilities of the two townships would belong to Beaver Island Township. The consolidated township would adopt a set of resolutions to consolidate existing commissions, boards, authorities, and all other arrangements of Peaine and St. James Townships. The extra voted millages in the petition would:  Establish a cap of 13.75 mills on total extra voted millsâ??which is at or below the current total caps in Peaine and St. James Townships. The consolidated township board, just like the current township boards, would determine how much of the voted mills to levy on property tax bills to cover annual budget expenses.  Maintain each of the two townshipâ??s eight previously voter-approved specific purposes for extra voted mills. (Both townships have voted millages that support seven of the services. The eighth, the Beaver Island Historical Society, is supported by a voted millage in St. James and out of the general fund in Peaine.)  Set a millage rate for each specific purpose that blends the Peaine and St. James rates into a single consolidated rate for the island.  Expire each special voted millage on a date previously approved by township voters.



We think that voters should look more closely at what consolidation would involve, and the best way for that to happen is to put the question on the ballot. Some people hope, for instance, that consolidation might lead to a reduction in the cost of local government on the island. But that might not be the case; it would depend on budget decisions by the future township elected officials and on what voters decide about future specialpurpose millages. This is just the sort of discussion that could occur in the days before an election. So, one step at a time: Letâ??s get the consolidation issue in front of voters in 2018. Thatâ??s what our petitions are about. Then letâ??s have the kind of community discussions that inform and educate voters and answer their questions. Then letâ??s decide what we want.



Extra Voted Millages in Petition Purpose Consolidated Millage Rate
Expiration Date

[Andy's Grooming Barn]

Then letâ??s have the kind of community discussions that inform and educate voters and answer their questions. Then letâ??s decide what we want.

This is what they put on their post but it has been out for a month and there has been not education or answering questions, that would be nice!

[kanderson]

I may be biased here, since she (mesing3) is my brother's wife, but when you say "I am not sure where your property is or if you are a register voter so it is hard to understand your logic" to her--what does knowing where or if she has property have to do with what she said? There are properties on both sides of the township lines that are owned and some individuals or groups are looking at the question to consolidate by reviewing what is best for all, not just one township, without including the cost factor. If things are based on cost alone, no one would choose to live or own property there. It is becoming more difficult every year to visit, let alone own there.

[Gillespie]

Correct Kayla, I pay more taxes in Peaine than St. James but my concern is the best use of those tax dollars not where they are paid! Historically this has always been about saving ones "job", however small. It still is! Time to move forward and get on to things that better our community as a whole, better roads, bike paths, using our natural resources, promoting growth and jobs for the young, we are sinking fast!






ONE ISLAND-ONE TOWNSHIP!

[meadefamily]

"To form a new Government requires infinite care and unbound attention; for if the foundation is badly laid, the superstructure must be bad."

GEORGE WASHINGTON

Interesting that the few that voice the loudest for consolidation don't want transparency, don't back up things with facts and when others ask questions they are rude and embelish.

When this debate first started I felt, well if it is best for the island and our taxes go up then it is a small price to pay for the longevity of the island and the islanders that live here year round. After all the strong arming, lack of facts, fake names and embellishing done on the forum I can say that if this vote passes then shame on the voters if you did not get the facts and transparency you deserved first.

Edit: Richie, your post was posted as I was typing. In response to your post. You are 100% right, we need all those things and they are wonderful ideas. But, when you start throwing mud you diminish your argument. The Island can accomplish all those things, but the fighting has to stop. You have issues and have had issues and there are certain people that you and your "group" hate and every chance you get you blast them. Get over it, move on and stick to the great attributes that you feel consolidation will do. Back up your thoughts with FACTS. Maybe then you will see unity on the island. This nonsense just divides the island more. Once you starting working together maybe you be suprised to find out that consolidation is not the answer. Unless you stick to the facts, look at the numbers and demand transparency you will never achieve your goals...