B.I. News on the 'Net, January 17-23, 2011

BICS HOSA Students Successful at Regional Competition

Michael...................Marissa...............Jamie

Sarah McCafferty's Health Occupations Students at the Beaver Island Community School have scored very well at the Regional competition. January 22, 2011 was the Region 6 Leadership Conference which took place at Baker College. Marissa Crandall won first place and a gold medal in Extemporaneous Writing on "Childhood Obesity.". Michael McCafferty and Jamie Campbell scored in the top ten for CPR and First Aid as well. All three will be attending the state competition. The Michigan HOSA website has the State Leadership Conference scheduled for April 14 and 15, 2011, at the Grand Traverse Resort in Acme, Michigan. Congratulations to Sarah, Marissa, Michael, and Jamie on a job well done! Good luck at the state competition!

Snowshoe Adventure #2

This snowshoeing adventure began and ended at pretty much the same location. It started with Vince Pickhardt helping get a vehicle out of the ditch and ended up the same way, and, believe it or not, at exactly the same location. As we were heading down the McCaulley Road from Kings Highway to the East Side Drive, we met Pam Grassmick walking. Her truck had ended up going off the road as she turned onto McCaulley from East Side. Well, the exact thing happened to the editor of BINN on the way north after dark on the same day at the same location. So, Pam, you are not the only one who ended up with this problem. It happened again about six plus hours later.

The Good Deed

 

Snowshoe Adventure pictures and video HERE

One last bit of wisdom....Don't let anyone tell you that digital cameras and digital video cameras don't have a minimum operating temperature. At six below zero windchill, almost nothing operates properly.

The Beauty of a Light Snowfall

A light snowfall with very cold temperatures on the evening of January 19, 2011, produced some interesting designs.

Going onward and upward to see the snowflakes close up.

There is no way to match Mother Nature's beautiful patterns.

On the Beach of Beaver Island

You will need Quicktime or another music player to enjoy this link.

The music played in the Holy Cross Hall in the late 70's and early 80's, recorded for posterity and shared here.

Joseph Thomas Schmidt, Jr. Passes Away

Joseph Thomas Schmidt, Jr., 51, of Boyne City, formerly of Charlevoix, passed away Sunday, January 16, 2011, at his home. Rite of Christian Burial will be 11:30 am, Thursday, January 20, at Saint Mary's Church in Charlevoix, the Reverend Joseph Kuczborski officiating. Burial will take place in the spring at Saint Mary's Cemetery in Charlevoix.

Joe was born May 25, 1959, in Charlevoix, the son of Joseph Thomas and Claire Rose (Genia) Schmidt, Sr. He graduated from Charlevoix High School in 1977, and attended Kirkland Community College and North Central Michigan College. A trained draftsman, he worked for Magnetic Systems in Boyne City for the past ten years.

Joe loved to garden and especially enjoyed flowers and herbs. He was also a coin collector, but his main love was for the outdoors. He was a member of the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians.

Joe is survived by his daughters, Angela M. Schmidt of Charlevoix, Amber L. Schmidt, and Danielle K. Schmidt of Siler City, N.C.; stepdaughter, Nicole J. Higdon of Grand Rapids; grandchildren, Devan Drain, and Haley Campbell; sister, Barbara (James) Kenwabikise of Charlevoix; brothers, Patrick (Peggy) Schmidt of Minnesota, Michael (Darlene) Schmidt of Charlevoix, Steven (Cynthia) Schmidt of Ann Arbor; uncle, Floyd Genia, Jr. of Charlevoix.

Those wishing to make a donation in Joe's memory, may do so to the Family of Joe Schmidt.

Visitation will be from 6-8:00 pm, at the Winchester Funeral Home in Charlevoix, followed by a Scripture Service at 8:00 pm.  Those wishing to share a memory of Joe, or condolences may do so at www.winchesterfuneralhome.com

Not a Bad Cell Phone Picture

Deb Bousquet was willing to share a photo that she took on her cell phone. It's a pretty interesting picture of the sunrise with the colors quite vivid.

Nice Petoskey News Review Article on Richie Gillespie

Read article HERE

An Amazing Christmas for All

This story is one hundred percent fictional with no possibility of violation of patient privacy. Those subscribers who enjoyed reading the previous tales in "Rural EMS is Different" will find some more here in the future. Every single story will be fictional with no basis in the history of Beaver Island or Beaver Island Emergency Medical Services. There can be no violation of HIPPA or any violation of privacy for any patients if all patient information is fictional. If you are interested in reading the story, it can be found HERE.

News from Beaver Island Community School 

BICS Board of Education has New Board Member

At its January 10, 2011 board meeting, school board members unanimously approved the appointment of Brian Cole to fill the seat vacated by the untimely death of member Gail Weede. Cole submitted a letter of interest for the position, which runs until the annual organizational meeting in July 2011. The seat will be up for election at the May 3, 2011 annual school election. Brian has served on the board in the past and is planning to be on the May 3rd ballot. 

Notice of Filing Deadline for BICS Board of Education

Candidates for the Board of Education have until 4 p.m. February 8, 2011 to register with the St. James township clerk's office. Two four-year terms will be up for election at the annual school election on May 3, 2011. Incumbent board member, Jessica Anderson and recently appointed board member Brian Cole are planning to run in the May election. Other interested candidates must be registered voters of the school district and file a nominating petition with signatures of at least 20 voters or a $100 filing fee. Petition packets can be picked up from the St. James Township clerk or from the school office.

21st Century Learning Scholarship benefits from Donations in Honor of Gail Weede

Nearly $6,000.00 has been received from over 80 donors to the Beaver Island Community School 21 st Century Learning Scholarship in honor of Gail Weede. These donations signify a real tribute to Gail and her commitment to youth which she showered on Beaver Island from the day she arrived. Gail's contributions to the youth of Beaver Island started before she became a school board member; she organized and ran the annual BI Boodle which raised thousands of dollars for the athletic program, she refereed games when needed and she acted as a mentor for students and parents alike. The generous donations to the scholarship fund helped push the endowment portion of that fund over the $10,000.00 mark so that it will now begin to pay out on its own annually. In addition, the spendable, or grant making, portion of the fund was also enhanced and will allow up to two $500.00 scholarships to be granted in 2011 and again in 2012.

The 21st Century Learning Scholarship was created in 2003 by the Beaver Island Board of Education to assist graduating seniors of Beaver Island Community School in receiving an education beyond high school. Students must meet the school's Graduate Profile to be eligible for the scholarship; graduates must prove they: 1) have strong personal qualities and values; 2) use their minds well; 3) have positive work habits, 4) make a positive contributions to society; and 5) use technology fluently. The 21st Century Learning Scholarship fund is an endowment through the Charlevoix County Community Foundation.

The school is grateful to all those who contributed to this fund in Gail Weede's honor. The school is grateful to have had the opportunity to be served by an amazing woman whose years on the board of education were valued and appreciated.

Beaver Island Health Occupations Students Help Senior Citizens

BICS high school HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) students recently presented a check for over $600.00 to Connie Wojan, President of the Beaver Island Rural Health Center Board.   This money will be put in the account for the Senior Help Mate Program that the Health Center provides for the Seniors on Beaver Island.  BICS students were very happy to contribute to the community in a meaningful way.     The money was collected during a Rockathon fundraiser the students organized under the direction of their Allied Health teacher, Sara McCafferty. 

Left to right in HOSA photo the students are: juniors Jamie Campbell, Michael McCafferty and Olivia Schwartzfisher.  

Island National Honor Society has FUN with Youngsters

Members of the BICS National Honor Society recently gave back to their community by hosting a FUN night for younger students.  National Honor Society members Jenna Battle, Kaylyn Jones and Olivia Schwartzfisher hosted the “Annual NHS Fun Night for Grades Pre-School – 6th."  There were 23 in the younger group and 12 in the older, grades 4-6 group.  (94% of all the elementary students attended!)  Youngsters watched a movie, had popcorn, and played lots of games in the gym.  The NHS students provided all the snacks for the event, using money they earned at last year's fundraiser.  Other high school students who helped out were Jamie Campbell and Brogan Maudrie.  Teacher Connie Boyle is the advisor for the school's NHS.

Islander Winter Sports Underway

Beaver Island boys and girls basketball teams are getting back on the court after a long break in the action. The teams played a set of games against Hannahville in early December, followed by a non-league contest at Northport before Christmas. Bad weather led to the cancellation of games at Grand Marais and the rescheduling of the Ojibwe game in early January left the Islanders hungry for competition. The teams travelled to Paradise on January 14th where the girls' team won both games and the boys dropped two. The teams have a full schedule between now and the NLL Tournaments in late February. Teams will travel to Hannahville, Mackinac Island and Maplewood Baptist. Two home game weekends are coming up: January 28/29 will bring a girls' team from Ojibwe and a boys' team from Petoskey. The final home game of the season is the February 11/12 matchup between the Islanders and Grand Marais.

Girls Basketball Coach Diane McDonough begins her second year with the Islanders. Members of the girls' basketball team are: Juniors Jenna Battle, Brighid Gillespie Cushman, Brogan Maudrie and Olivia Schwartzfisher; freshman Olivia Cary; eighth graders Emily Boyle, Hannah Robert and Meg Works and seventh grader Emily Burton.

Boys Basketball Coach Matt Richie begins his first year coaching basketball. The boys' team is made up of the following members: senior Doug Campbell; juniors, Gus Connaghan, Matthew Cull and Billy Lemmink; sophomore McCauley Connaghan; freshmen Jewell Gillespie Cushman and Ron Marsh; seventh graders Ryan Boyle, Liam Hodgson and Nick Williams. Coach Richie is assisted by Jeff Connor.

Island Students Win Two Rounds in Petoskey Quiz bowl

National Honor Society advisor and teacher Connie Boyle took a team of students to compete in a High School Quiz Bowl on Friday, January 14, 2011. The team competed with several area schools in a fast-paced trivia type competition. The Beaver Island team consisted of senior Jake Drost, juniors Michael McCafferty and Kaylyn Jones and freshman Erin Boyle.

BIEMS EMT Class in Full Swing

With just over two month left in the program, the BIEMS EMT class is well underway. Topics covered since the beginning of the New Year include: Altered Mental Status, Stroke, Headache, Seizure and Syncope, Diabetic Emergencies, Anaphylactic Reactions, Toxicological Emergencies, Abdominal Emergencies, Gynecological Emergencies, Genitourinary Emergencies, Renal Emergencies, Environmental Emergencies, Submersion Emergencies, and Behavioral Emergencies. With Sarah McCafferty as lead instructor and Joe Moore as the practical skills instructor, the individuals in this program are getting a thorough introduction to all EMS topics. The students participating in this program are all adult learning students. They are: Kevin White, Danielle Dedloff, Rory Connaghan, Dan Burton, Tammy LaFreniere, and Vince Pickhardt.

At one point on the last practical session of the first week of classes in the New Year, uproarious laughter could be heard rolling down the hallway of the Governmental Center. When this reporter's head peaked in the doorway to see all six of the students engaged in a scenario, but the acting and the specific actions of the person playing the patient was so funny that all in the building were joining in with the laughter. There has never been a funnier class with a a glucometer in one EMT student's hand and the other EMT student trying to hold the patient's fingers still enough to get a drop of blood for analyzing, but you had to be there to see it to appreciate the looks and sounds.

Believe it or not the learning to be an EMT can be a lot of fun. Some of us can't wait until the classes in February. The topics in February include Obstetrical Care and OB Emergencies. Which one of the male students will be the first to deliver?

What a Difference a Couple Days Can Make!

Update on January 16, 2011: The outside of the building doesn't look much different, but there is progress on the inside of the building.

A little walk inside, with permission, of course, was captured in this video clip:

(There was a little problem with the audio on the video clip posted here. Canon and Sony both helped resolve the issue, but it took almost 12 hours to resolve it.)

 

Leaving, a close up of the entrance was captured

(1/12/11) The senior housing project has major strides in its construction, or at least it appears so outwardly. On Monday and Tuesday of this week, the crew put in the windows on the north, west and east walls of the housing project. It begins to look more like an apartment complex with the installation of the windows.

Pictures taken from the west side of the building including the entrance area on the right.

One picture on the east side shows that the windows here are also in.

One picture from inside the housing project looking toward the west with the rural health center and rhc parking lot.

 

Airport Commission Meeting Rescheduled

Due to the weather received over the last twelve hours, the Airport Commission Meeting has been reschedule to January 22, 2011, at 10 a.m. at the St. James Township Hall.

Snow, Snow, and More Snow, Then Really Cold

The snow has been coming down since before bedtime last night. It seems to be the fluffy stuff, but it does get packed by the wind and the weight of the snow above it. There seems to be just a little over six inches so far today, January 15, 2011, at 9:30 a.m. with light flurries on and off. The snow will be needed for insulation because the temperatures are supposed to really drop. Right now it's 25 degrees with a wind chill of 19 due to the wind from the northwest. It is possible that we may get another two inches of snow today with the on and off again flurries. If the temperatures get down to single digits and a strong wind, make sure that you get bundled up before you go outside. Hope you enjoy winter time on Beaver Island because it is here, ready or not!

Beaver Island Rural Health Center 2011 Board of Director Meetings

 January 29, 2011—Annual Meeting 

Meeting will be held at

9 AM

in the Beaver Island Rural Health Center Community Room

An Open Letter to the Township Boards and the Airport Commission

The following text of a letter was mailed today, January 13, 2011, to all township board members, members of the Airport Commission, both newspapers, and the Chamber of Commerce. This issue seems to be one that should not continue to be a point of contention. News on the 'Net believes that there are many more important issues that need the time of these agencies. Here are the facts from the News on the 'Net point of view:

To: Boards of Peaine and St. James Townships and Beaver Island Airport Commission

From: Beaver Island News on the ‘Net

Subject: News on the ‘Net policy regarding public information

Date: 1/13/11

Dear Board and Commission Members:

First of all, as editor of the News on the ‘Net, I am not interested in having this memo read at your next meeting.

Second, it is not my business what the Northern Islander or the Beaver Beacon does or does not charge for its publication of any public documents. I respect their rights to operate their businesses in any manner they so choose.

Third, and most importantly, as members of the board of our townships or as members of the airport commission, you should be aware of the policy of Beaver Island News on the ‘Net, which will continue in effect as long as I am editor of this news service:

It is the policy and the practice of Beaver Island News on the ‘Net to post minutes and documents provided by public entities on its homepage. If it is necessary, a FOIA request will be sent to the public entities in order to obtain this information.

It is important, in our estimation, that this information be available to the public in as timely a manner as is possible. Beaver Island News on the ‘Net does NOT charge for the publication of any of this information. You do NOT need to be a subscriber to access this information.

Access to the minutes of any public entity willing to provide the information is available at http://beaverislandnews.com to anyone in the world for free. The same is true for the documents of the Intergovernmental Agreement or the Rules of Procedure discussed at the Peaine Township Board meeting on January 12, 2011. As proof of this statement, I would suggest that anyone with access to the Internet do a Google, Yahoo, or Bing search for “Beaver Island Airport Commission” and see what has been available to the world since November 15, 2010, at no charge to the commission or the townships.

Again, it is really important for all board members and community members to know that this is a free service offered to the community and interested parties by Beaver Island News on the ‘Net.

Sincerely,

Joe Moore, editor of Beaver Island News on the ‘Net

Peaine Township Meeting January 12, 2011

This was another interesting meeting at the Peaine Township Hall. There seems to be one or two different topics that seem to cause an emotional upset most months. The first topic of the meeting involved whether or not to pay the Northern Islander $500 for the publication of the Intergovernmental Agreement. The rest of the meeting was mostly just as contentious. Another topic toward the end of the meeting was a Freedom of Information Act request from Gavin West and from Elaine West. And in between them was the Peaine Township letter to the DNRE about the Whiskey Island trade for the DNR building and property in St. James Township. All in all an interesting meeting!

Video of the Peaine Township Meeting HERE

By the way, the topics are on this linked page. So, if you can't view the video, you can still get the idea of what was discussed and who discussed it by going to this page.

Library News – January 2011

With the holidays now just a memory, things are slowing down at the library which allows us to catch up on projects. Our biggest one is organizing the young children’s section. Now the non-fiction is sorted by Dewey while all the fiction is now shelved by authors name, for example: all authors whose surname begins with C are together. Bright yellow stickers with the correct alphabet letter is on the spine of each fiction book in the elementary section making it possible for the child to put his/her book back in the right area. We’ll be working on this project and it should make things much easier to find between the card catalog and the new way things are filed on the shelves. We hope you’ll bring the kids in and see just how easy it is to use.

Since it’s a new year, it might be fun to wish for the stars. In that vein, here’s a list of a few things that would be very nice to have at the Beaver Island District Library:

TWO Early Literacy Station™

These are groundbreaking educational computers for children. The English edition includes 50 educational software programs spanning seven curricular areas that are top rated by Children's Technology Review. These would not be connected to the internet and would be just for the young children.

An easy way to convert the hundreds of VHS tapes to DVD that won’t cost us an arm and a leg. VHS are on the way out and we own hundreds of them that are taking up a huge amount of space. More and more folks want DVD format and not the old VHS format.

Have you received an over-due notice in the mail? There have been a couple folks who were upset about receiving them so we’ll try to explain how it all works. Every Monday morning our computer goes through the files and finds all those items that are more than one week overdue. It then processes them and writes a letter accordingly. If only one notice is being sent, it’s a gentle reminder. If this is your second notice, it’s a bit stronger and gives you the amount of money needed to replace the item. If this is the third notice, you have been denied any library privilege which means no books, no videos, no computer usage. Return the book, or pay for it – there are no fines – and you’re good to go again. Now, to avoid all that, just give us a telephone call when the due date comes and we can renew your items over the phone. It’s simple, easy, and best of all free. Can we email the notices rather than mail them? No, not at the present time we can’t. One comment was on the cost of the stamp but a 44 cent stamp is much cheaper than replacing a book or video which usually run on an average of $15 to $25/30 dollars.

Does the library have tax forms since tax season is upon us? Sorry, the government no longer sends us all the forms, however, they are all available online and we can print out which ever ones you want or need. We won’t fill them out for you but just let us know which ones you need and we’ll get them for you.

Your local library is a one stop service center when you come to town. Swing by the library for your email/Facebook/Farmville/internet fix, get a book/video/puzzle/recorded book/music and you’ll be all set for the next snow storm.

Invasive Species 

Phragmites work........ J. Knotweed.

What is an invasive species? According to the Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health, “any species, including seeds, spores, or other biological material capable of propagating that species, that is not native to that ecosystem; and whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.”

Why should Beaver Island be concerned with invasives?

Beaver Island has some of the highest quality natural areas in the State of Michigan and is ranked as one of the most biologically diverse islands in the Great Lakes. Invasive species that are left uncontrolled can change the natural diversity of our islands, the economy, and access to areas. In order to attract visitors and potential home buyers, we have an opportunity to display our archipelago's natural resources in their best invasive free environment. Forests and plants are altered and displaced along with wildlife, birds, amphibians, and insects.

Right now, there are less than a dozen invasive species on the Island; some are a bigger problem to our ecosystem than others. The Michigan Natural Features Inventory has identified the most aggressive species with the highest threats to a habitat.

We have worked successfully to control one invasive species. The Island has been an example of early identification and rapid response to an invasive identified 8 years ago, known to all of us as Phragmites. Our community and the township boards recognized the detrimental effects this plant would present to our native ecosystem and economy. The Phragmites control project continues with the support of the DNRE, the townships, and private property owners. Jacque LaFreniere has been hired as the townships' Phragmites Administrator.

But, we can't stop with Phragmites. Recently, Frank Solle identified a new invasive on the Island; European swamp thistle was establishing a foothold in various wetlands and will continue to spread leaving a thick patch with painful sharp thorns. Another species, Japanese knotweed was identified by Eric Ellis and private attempts are underway to eradicate that invasive which is currently decimating the Upper Peninsula. Knotweed is a form of bamboo and like Phragmites, nothing will eat or move through the dense stands. In the next 20 years, we will witness the effect of Beech Bark Disease on our forests and if predictions are correct, will mean the death of 80% of our Beech trees. Thankfully, the Emerald Ash Borer has not been introduced to Beaver Island, but we must continue to watch. Our distance from the mainland may make Ash trees a visitor attraction in the future since there is a strong possibility that Ash trees throughout the midwest may be seen only in text books. Kevin McDonough's Ash tree stump at the boat dock with a request to not transport firewood to Beaver Island is another example of individual attempts to protect our Island 's forests.

We need to be vigilant and eliminate possible introduction of species that have the potential of forever altering our Island's ecosystems. Our interior lakes are free of zebra mussels and VHS at present. We're all aware of the efforts to keep Asian Carp from entering our Great Lakes. Once invasive species are entrenched, it is very costly, time consuming, and in some cases impossible to restore a habitat. It will take an island community to work together to keep Beaver Island as we know it.

What can you personally do about protecting your property and the island's ecosystem?

•  You can continue to follow local publications, the Beaver Island Association's web site: www.beaverislandassociation.org and be informed about invasive species found on the Island .

•  A number of property owners are planting only native species in their yards in an attempt to prevent inadvertent introduction of unwanted species. Verify that plants you are bringing to the island aren't an invasive species. When transferring plants remove most of the soil which may harbor seeds, spores, or insects.

•  Recognizing a strange plant on your property that seems to be expanding its original area is another important step to early control. Google, invasive species , to pull up additional information. Some of my favorite sites are: www.invasive.org , www.nbii.gov , or www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov . The Island also has access to a number of organizations such as the Michigan Natural Features Inventory staff and other botanists to assist us in plant identification.

•  When boating, clean your boat or leave it out of the water for 4 days before transporting it to a different body of water.

•  Don't release fish, plants, live bait, or other exotic animals into the wild.

•  Eradicate or control populations of invasive species on your own land.

•  Spread the word; tell your neighbors if you identify an invasive species.

In the coming months, the Natural Resources and Eco-tourism Commission will be working with the Department of Natural Resources, Michigan Natural Features Inventory, the Nature Conservancy, county, township officials, and private landowners to continue protecting environmentally sensitive areas around the Island. We would appreciate your support and assistance as we move forward. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call or e-mail: mcgrass@ameritech.net

Submitted by:

Pam Grassmick for the NREC

Island Summer Residents in Video

The B.I. District Library has a copy of Bringing Nature Home by Doug Tallamy. This book was donated by Kay Charter, Saving Birds Through Habitat, who visited and presented on the Island. The video referred to in the title is an interview with Doug Tallamy by Barbara Lucas, but also includes excerpts from another video, Pollinator Decline by Barbara Lucas. Both Barbara Lucas and Diane Tracy, who is in the video and known on the Island as the Bee Lady, have homes on the island. This video is about 30 minutes in length and part of a series of videos titled Green Room, but it includes lots of excellent information for anyone who is interested in the environment. The video is located HERE.

Carl Felix Turns 91

At the Charlevoix County Commission on Aging Congregate lunch this past week, Carl Felix was presented with a huge oatmeal cookie for his 91st birthday. Many who were present sang Happy Birthday to Carl.

Carl enters the community center for lunch with the help of his son Glen

The singing and the big cookie caused Carl to smile....

Posing for a picture are (left to right) Kathy Merriman, Ann Partridge, and Carl Felix

Happy Birthday, Carl!

Bud Cruikshank Recovering

Update: Bud has been moved to a regular hospital room, so is no longer in ICU. We all look forward to seeing him home.

Bud Cruikshank underwent aortic valve replacement surgery yesterday, January 6, 2011, at William Beaumont Hospital. The surgery was successful, and Bud is recovering in ICU. Barb requested that this information be posted.

Airport Commission Meeting December 9, 2010

We apologize for the delay in getting this video available. There just isn't enough time to get everything done over the holidays to get caught up with these. The next Airport Commission meeting will take place at the St. James Township Hall next Saturday, January 15, 2011, so at least this video is available for viewing before this meeting occurs. Minutes will be posted when they are available.

View the video clips of the Airport Commission meeting HERE

St. James Township Meeting, January 5, 2011

Prior to the video processing, it is important to report on the meeting last night. The meeting was well attended by the regular attendees. The business conducted was pretty routine from the approval of the minutes to approval of bills to be paid. Supervisor Rick Speck reported on correspondence, and Jean Wierenga stated that the 2009-2010 audit would be available for viewing at the Beaver Island District Library beginning Thursday, January 6, 2011. Under old business, the township snow plowing was not posted. Instead, the township employee will continue to do the plowing until unable to keep up with the workload. A motion to adopt a policy and procedure for inspections of public records related to the re-appraisal was passed unanimously. There was only one public comment at this meeting. It was about how the townships might be able to convince the Charlevoix County Road Commission to move more quickly in improving roads on Beaver Island. Supervisor Speck suggested that this should be passed on to Charlevoix County Commissioner Richie Gillespie. The meeting adjourned before 8 p.m.

The one item that could not be discussed was the airport property acquisition. According to Supervisor Speck, the action on this property could not be completed until there was a joint township meeting that included MDOT to determine jointly whether this last mediated settlement would be acceptable to all concerned.

Minutes were approved (No video for this)

Bills added to payments

 

Correspondence Regarding St. James Lighthouse Association

 

2009-2010 Audit

 

Snowplowing No Bids

 

Airport Property Acquisition Tabled

 

Board of Review

 

Policy Regarding Review of Assessments for Reappaisals

 

Dan Connaghan Question on Roads, Rick Speck's response

 

Bill Cashman Questions on Airport, Rick Speck's response

 

BICS Islander Clothing Order Due January 18th

The order form is here or you can call the school and make arrangements to pick up or fill out your order form. You can print out this order form directly if you wish.

Order form HERE

Re-Appraisal, Assessor, and Property Taxes Explained

In a December meeting at the Peaine Township Hall, the Peaine Assessor, hired by the Peaine Township Board sat down with a small number of attendee at a scheduled meeting, albeit on a very busy night. She explained the process of the appraisal, her job as assessor, the role of the townships and the role of the State of Michigan. Ed Wojan, John Fogg, Don Tritsch, and the Hurkmanns attended with Jim Birdsall doing the introduction and participating as well. If you are interest in seeing what was discussed at this meeting, video of the entire session can be viewed in video clips HERE.

Father Pat's Dream Trip

The Parish of Holy Cross Church is sponsoring a trip for Father Pat Cawley to take the vacation of his dreams, Normandy, France. We are presently working out the details of his 2011 trip. If you wish to help with this endeavor, we have set up a special savings account at Charlevoix State Bank. If you wish to help, you can send a donation of any amount. Address your check to Nancy Tritsch or Skip McDonough, PO Box 14, Beaver Island, Michigan 49782 or Charlevoix State Bank, 111 State Street, Charlevoix, MI 49720. Please add 'Father Pat's trip' on the memo line. or you can give your donation directly to the bank. Personnel of Charlevoix State Bank at both the Island and the Charlevoix branches are aware of this special account. The savings account number is 910100732. Call Nancy Tritsch's phone at 448-2178 for any questions.

Lake Geneserath Winter Fun Scheduled

 

The Second Annual Fresh Air Winter Festival will take place on Lake G on February 19, 2011. The above was created by Mike Hurkmans from video of the event of 2009.

Airport Commission Meeting No. 2

With the BIAC meeting in alternate locations, St. James Township Hall and Peaine Township Hall, there was no confusion and no seating problem with this meeting at the Peaine Township Hall on Thursday, December 9, 2010, at 6 p.m. The most important part of this meeting for most to understand is that the property acquisition is the main hold up in the ten-year plan. Nothing can move along until this issue is resolved for at least a couple of reasons. One of the most important reasons deals with the use of grant money, and how much of this grant money will be needed to complete the land acquisition. That puts all other items in the plan on hold until this issue is resolved because money availability is always an issue in completing any plan. It is unfortunate that the Beaver Island community must wait for lawyers to resolve the issue of the value of the property to be able to move forward with any plans at all.

According to the report at this meeting, the tree clearing has been almost completed. Don Vyse and Mike Scripps have completed the interim inspections, which save the cost of having Meade and Hunt travel to do these interim inspections.

Beaver Island Community Development Corporation

 

Applications are now being taken to rent an apartment at the long-awaited Senior Housing, named Forest View, which is now under construction on Carlisle Road , across the street from Stoney Acres. The construction is anticipated to be complete and the apartments ready for occupancy June 1, 2011, a date which is subject to change based on weather conditions.

Applications are also available for the part-time position of on-site manager who will be employed by KMG Prestige, an off-island management company who will manage the apartments. The position is anticipated to begin in March, 2011.

Applications for both leasing and employment may be obtained at the Community Center, Library, and Rural Health Center. They should be mailed directly to KMG Prestige, attention Jane Crawford, 3390 Pine Tree Rd, Lansing, Michigan 48911 .

Further information may be obtained by contacting Jane Crawford at 1-517-679-7298.

KMG is an experienced property management company well-versed in federal regulations. In managing the leasing for the Beaver Island Community Development Corporation, KMG will screen applicants to determine their qualifications under the federal regulations for low and moderate senior housing. Using a professional management company to handle the leasing will insure applicants that they will be correctly evaluated and that their financial data will be kept confidential.

The rental apartments will have rental rates which are set through the grant process which provided funding. The anticipated rent is $567 for a one-bedroom unit and $629 for a two-bedroom unit. Utilities are included in the rent, and the building will be heated through a geo-thermal system. The building will include six individual apartments, four one-bedroom and 2 two-bedroom, each with their own kitchen and bath. In addition, the building will have a laundry room, community room, and a community kitchen area.

Beaver Island Airport Commission Inter-Governmental Agreement

This is the complete agreement approved by both Peaine and St. James Townships

B I Airport Commission Rules of Procedure

These rules of procedure have been approved by the Airport Commission and Peaine Township. They have yet to be approved by St. James Township.

Peaine Township Tax Assessment Roles Online

Search Peaine Township Assessment Role Online

Several people wanted to know how to get to this location. Feel free to access it from here and then save it as a Favorite.

BICS Calendar for 2010-11 Approved

Beaver Island Transfer Station Information

Expired Subscriptions

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There are quite a few subscriptions that will expire December or January and some that have already expired. We appreciate your support and ask you to renew your subscription as soon as possible. Emails have been sent out, but quite a few have been returned without delivery, which means that BINN does not have your current email address.

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Meeting Minutes

The minutes of all public meetings will be posted

as soon as they are received.

News on the 'Net welcomes minutes to all public meetings. All organizations are welcome to submit meeting minutes for publication on this website. Please email them to medic5740@gmail.com.

Airport Committee Minutes

Beaver Island Cultural Arts Association Minutes

Peaine Township Board Minutes

BIRHC Board Meeting Minutes

St. James Township Meeting Minutes

Beaver Island Community School Board Meeting Minutes

Beaver Island Ecotourism Goals Draft, rev. 3, 19 Jan 2010 NEW!

Beaver Island Natural Resources and Eco-Tourism Commission Minutes NEW!

Joint Human Resources Commission Minutes (includes agenda when available) New Feature for 2010!

Waste Management Committee Minutes (New for 2010!)