Beaver Island Michigan

The Preservation Association of Beaver Island has been working to organize a public forum on the question of township consolidation. An important part of PABI’s mission is facilitating open and fair discussions of public issues at the Community Center. The board has organized such meetings itself and made the Community Center available without charge for such meetings organized by others. In all cases, the board seeks to facilitate a fair open discussion. Unfortunately, we have concluded that we will be unable to arrange such a public forum on the consolidation question.

The PABI board remains committed to getting fair and balanced information on this subject out to our community. We had planned to broadcast the forum along with interviews with key players on WVBI, PABI’s public radio station. While we will not be able to conduct the forum, we have asked WVBI to proceed with interviews of supporters on both sides of the question after providing an opportunity for members of the Community to send in any questions they would like addressed (more on how below).

Our goal for these programs on WVBI is a fair presentation of both sides of the question in a way that helps our community make a thoughtful, informed decision on this important question. The programs will be broadcast on the station and made available as podcasts on the station website. For information on these broadcasts, you can check either the BIC Center (www.biccenter.org) or WVBI (www.wvbi.net) websites. Or, you can follow WVBI on Facebook or Twitter. Or you can simply call the Community Center during our opening hours (9 to 5 Monday to Friday and 9 to 9 on Saturday) at 231-448-2022.

You can send questions for the guests on these shows by mail to Consolidation Questions, PABI, P.O. Box 494. Beaver Island, Michigan, by email to consolidationquestions@wvbi.net, or by dropping them by the BIC Center. We expect to record our interviews as early as April 16, so please get your questions to us as far in advance of that date as possible.

On a final note, please know that while the PABI board includes some members who hold strong views one way or the other on the consolidation question -- the board is united in its view that open and fair discussions of these and other issues need to happen and is committed to facilitating them in a fair and impartial manner.

Can anyone on the PABI explain why such an important meeting was cancelled??

John McCafferty

Ken, I don’t think I need to ask anyone, I will assume there is no one to defend pro-consolidation. Just as we all have seen since January.

No wonder why no one wants to stand up on the stage of the Community Center and be attacked like those on this forum have been attacked. But, there is still a list of questions that I need to ask before I decide which way to vote:

Why have I as a St. James taxpayer been paying a higher tax rate for joint projects for more than twenty years? How is it fair for me to pay more for the fire department, EMS, and others for years, and Peaine taxpayers to pay a lower tax rate for the same services?

Next, why have I personally been attacked when I question things in Peaine Township?

Why hasn't there been meetings for jointly funded WMC for more than a year?

Will there be discussions at the Peaine Township meetings or just motion-vote, motion-vote, adjourn?

If I vote NO, what changes will I see in Peaine Township toward working together for the entire island?

Will the Peaine Board levy the same millage rate as St. James, or will things just continue like in the past?

What improvements in infrastructure are planned in Peaine Township?

There are many other questions, but this is a good start.

Joe Moore

Joe,
My understanding is that PABI was going to have somebody come from the mainland to ask the questions, it would have been somebody that would have been impartial so there would not have been attacking as you have suggested. I am sad that it will not be happening because I feel like it would be a great way to have gotten the many answers to our questions.

As for attacking on the forum I know in the past I have felt like I have been attacked by a few individuals when I voice my opinion but as for this issue I think people are not attacking as you are suggesting but speaking out their frustration because they feel like this has been put on the ballot with no discussion prior, then the petitioners have not still given facts of any sort. I am pretty sure that when or if they give information that will help a lot to calm a frustrated community. You seem to be blaming Peaine township for much of your frustration and want them to answer questions and you can always ask questions (although some of these are unclear to me why you are asking and you might want to elaborate) but why should ONE township be required to answer for a purposal that was put on the ballot by another group of individuals why shouldn't the petitioners be answering? The township officials didn't purpose this.

What a complete "JOKE" this consolidation proposal has become. It has come to the point of unbelievable. Cancel a meeting that was promised all winter because of what???? What an embarrassment to Beaver Island.

John McCafferty

Tracy, you and a few others turned it into a joke, the pattern continues. While you do this those who are sincerely seeking answers are finding them.

The Petitioners and supporters don’t even have the courage to have an open public meeting as they promised. Why?? Because no good facts to support consolidation. What a complete frickin joke!!! If you got great facts have the meeting and present them to your voters.

John McCafferty

BUMP

The PABI board remains committed to getting fair and balanced information on this subject out to our community. We had planned to broadcast the forum along with interviews with key players on WVBI, PABI’s public radio station. While we will not be able to conduct the forum, we have asked WVBI to proceed with interviews of supporters on both sides of the question after providing an opportunity for members of the Community to send in any questions they would like addressed (more on how below).

Will this radio debate be on the same night of the meeting that was canceled??

John McCafferty

Hello John and Tracy,

You can send your questions for both sides of the issue to consolidationquestions@wvbi.net or drop them by the BIC Center in an envelope marked Consolidation Questions. They need to be in by the end of the day on April 16. If you’d rather that your name not be mentioned as the person asking the question, you can state that in your submission. I'm certain more information will be out shortly from PABI and various consolidation pro and con groups.

I believe the PABI board is biased so how could this discussion be neutral?

Wow Mike you make one judgement upon 14 people that are on the board and these people have done nothing but try to help get information out to the public, very sad.

Pam, i have asked my questions for the entire winter. Not a single answer. Then the promised meeting by you and others cancelled for no reason what so ever. Now a proposed radio interview. I would think the supporters of consolidation are completely embarrased at this point. Nothing yet to support consolidation. I am very interested to hear the one on one interview and debate on the 16th. Finally i will get to hear a lot of facts of why we should consolidate our townships. The fact that there will be a live debate will be good for all.

John McCafferty

I understand the meeting was cancelled because no one from the supporting side would speak on their side of the issue. That is also sad.

John McCafferty