 Community hears from Consumers Energy about Croton, Hardy The Newaygo High cafeteria began filling up early on Monday evening but it wasn’t food the folks who poured through the doors were looking for. It was information. Consumers Energy had a full team on board in response to ongoing community concerns over the future of the dams at Croton and Hardy. It was the second of ten meetings held in communities where the future of the 13 dams owned and operated by CE was being considered. By the time Rich Houtteman delivered a welcome and the perfunctory safety message to the crowd, seats were at a premium and it became standing room only for the latecomers. In a powerpoint presentation Maggie Pallone spoke to the economic impact Croton and Hardy have in the community particularly with regard to property values, but also from the jobs and revenues that come from the vast recreational spending that occurs in and near the reservoirs. And she also spoke to the astronomical costs of maintaining the dams for the relatively small amount of generation they produce. To relicense the dams would be a $1.4 billion dollar price tag and this was just to relicense and did not include the cost of maintaining the facilities. Decommissioning the dams on the other hand would be approximately $630 million. For Hardy alone the difference between relicensing and decommissioning would be 248 million. For Croton, 11 million. The company made it clear that they are unwilling to pass along the costs to each of their statewide customers. In wrapping up the presentation CE Communications Executive Director Josh Burgett spoke to 3 alternatives for the company 1. Sell the dams. They have already announced they will be exploring this avenue and RFP’s will be sent out soon. This would be a lengthy process with the company vetting and possible buyers to ensure a seamless transition. 2. Explore decommissioning the dam along with river restoration. 3. Explore the possibility of an alternate structure of some type. Members of the audience then had the opportunity to ask questions ranging from finding other funding sources to environmental concerns and the logistics involved in dam removal. The message seemed to be that if any type of structure whether the current dams or any other alternative is to remain the company was no longer going to go it alone. There would need to be resources beyond the coffers of CE. In the next couple of days the powerpoint presentation delivered Monday will be available at: https://www.consumersenergy.com/company/electricgeneration/renewables/hydroelectric/hydro-future  Answering questions from the community: L-R Adam Monroe (Exec Dir Hydro Ops), Marianne Walter (Sr Principal Engineer), Josh Burgett (Exec Dir Community Engagement)
Does it Go Green or Brown?
The beginning of September brought the closure of accepting styrofoam at the Fremont recycling site. It had been the only site in Newaygo County collecting styrofoam. Many factors went into the decision, which was overseen by the Newaygo County Board of Public Work, to no longer collect the product. Components that played into the decision was the lack of volunteers to open and close the site which included dealing with the avalanche of messy styrofoam. Contaminated styrofoam, to go containers, construction styrofoam which contained paper backing and adhesive that negated the entire load. Another factor was the company that picks up the product is struggling to find truck drivers. The demand for repurposed styro has dropped and their pickup schedules have been very unreliable leaving many messes at the Fremont site. Currently there is no place close to tell Newaygo County citizens where to recycle their styrofoam. You will notice at all of the Newaygo County Recycling sites that there are two colors of dumpsters now. Brown for paper and cardboard, green for the other recyclables. Using the appropriate dumpster will expedite and improve the sorting efficiency at the transfer station. Discussions on opening the Fremont site more days and extended hours have taken place. That would require more volunteers to open and close the site at the appropriate times.  Photo by Susan Twing Robinson Creek Bridge work will detour travelers for 6 weeks By Ken De Laat Beginning Thursday morning September 14th travelers who generally drive through the Robinson Lake area enroute to White Cloud, Fremont, Wooster or other destinations will be looking at adding few more miles for that trip. Like around a dozen. The Newaygo County RoadCommission announced a 12 mile detour necessitated by the much needed bridge replacement over Robinson Creek. The project means commuters who generally travel the road that passes through Jugville will need to modify their route as well as their departure time. The detour for those coming from Fremont will send travelers north on Baldwin to M20 and east to M-37 then south to White Cloud. Drivers from the Robinson Lake area east would head north out of White Cloud west on M20 and south on Baldwin NCRC Director Derek Wawszcyk explained that the short notice is due to the NCRC getting an unexpectedly early date of delivery for the box culvert that will replace the old structure and the desire to have the project completed by the opening of hunting season. The detour will continue for the next 6 weeks. The bridge has been deteriorating at a rapid rate with its capacity being reduced in each of the past 5 annual inspections making the bridge replacement a crucial part of keeping our roads safe.  The Detour. Wrinkle courtesy of the careless work of the writer/photographer   Grant Board ok’s new contract with FHC
By Ken De Laat There seemed to be an air of cautious optimism among the 100 or so folks who attended the Grant School Board meeting. There was a buzz that an agreement had been reached to keep the Child and Adolescent Health Center at the school. After the usual proceedings with reports from school staff the board went into closed session to discuss the contract with Family Health Center. An hour or so later they came back into session and after some discussion the board approved the new contract with Family Health Care. Board members Rob Schutema and Stephanie Deible both expressed concern with some of the contract wording before casting their yes votes. There were a few items that included board involvement in meetings with the CAHC, clarification of various parental notices and some security issues surrounding an entrance to the clinic among others. And then there was the mural. All along it had been the contention of those who spoke during public comment that the mural, a painting by a young student containing images that certain board members objected to, was the primary cause of their desire to end the contract for the CAHC. Last year the mural became a national news item putting Grant on the map as having a school board opposing the depictions of gay and transgender images included in the artwork. Artwork that was created to promote more acceptance of the diversity of our youth. But in the end the contract delivered what the 4 members of the board who have been solidly allied in their opposition to the CAHC, as evidenced by their consistent votes in June and July to terminate the contract, seemingly wanted from the get-go. From their actions at those previous meetings Ken Thorne, Sabrina Veltkamp-Blok, Rachal Gort, and Richard Vance were evidently prepared to see the demise of the CAHC which would withdraw access to health care, dental care, and increasingly important mental health care to hundreds of Grant students in need. And now, while facing a recall petition drive, the four have allowed the clinic to stay. But the mural will be going. The contract involved minor changes but the wording that gives the board the power to make a decision on what art work and other decor can be in the Center and clearly points to the mural and its departure. During public comment the board was thanked for their decision but were also reminded…often reminded… that the recall effort would be moving forward. Here is the statement from Family Health Care regarding the decision. “We are happy that the Grant School Board has approved a contract that allows us to move forward and continue providing easy access to high-quality health care at the school-based clinic. The new contract does not change the way services are provided. The language follows all program requirements set forth by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Stipulations of the contract include increased transparency, formalizing the Board of Education’s involvement with the Community Advisory Council; regular updates provided to the Board on operations of the school-based clinic; utilities for the clinic being billed to the health center or a third-party; and removal of the student-created mural in the lobby of the clinic. During contract negotiations, it was clear the mural was important to the Board of Education. The student painted the mural to highlight inclusivity and diversity, values that are important to Family Health Care. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the forefront of everything we do at Family Health Care. As required by law, we are accepting of all students regardless of age, race, color, national origin, disability, religion, or sex, including sexual orientation or gender identity. While it is disappointing that the mural must be removed by the end of October, it’s a compromise we reluctantly were willing to accept to ensure the children of the Grant community continue to have access to medical and behavioral health care.”  GPS Board To Meet Monday
The Grant School Board will meet 6pm Monday at the Grant Fine Arts Center where attendees will be waiting to hear the status of the Child and Adolescent Health Center. Previous action by the Board to sever ties with Family Health Care who operate the Center has led to recall petitions for Board members Ken Thorne, Sabrina Veltkamp-Blok, Rachal Gort and Richard Vance.  District Health Department #10 (DHD#10) is announcing that the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) has free Private Residential Well Testing. “These free well water testing kits are a great opportunity for our residents to make sure their water is safe for consumption,” said DHD#10 Health Officer Kevin Hughes. The free test kits are available to anyone that requests one through EGLE’s online portal and are for private wells only. The free test kits are not available if your water supply is served by, or serves, a public water supply. Test kit shipping is free to residents and includes prepaid UPS return shipping. After requesting a test kit, they will be sent directly to the resident with instructions. Once the sample is received, the analysis will be completed and results sent back to the resident, DHD#10, and EGLE. The water testing checks for the standard water quality parameters, including coliforms; nitrate, nitrite, fluoride, chloride, sulfate, sodium, hardness, and iron levels; and various metals. Additional parameters may be added in the future. At this time, PFAS testing is not included. If you are unsure what your well should be tested for, please contact your local DHD#10 Environmental Health Sanitarian, local office numbers can be found here: https://www.dhd10.org/clinic-locations/. To order your free well water testing kit, or to learn more about well water testing, please visit: https://www.michigan.gov/egle/about/organization/drinking-water-and-environmental-health/water-well-construction/private-well-testing.  Consumers Energy Hosting Virtual Meeting Sept. 12 to Discuss Future of Hydroelectric Facilities In Person Meeting September 18th WHAT: Last year, Consumers Energy held a series of public meetings with community members and local leaders about the future of its 13 dams. Recently, the energy provider announced it’s exploring the possibility of selling these hydroelectric facilities as it continues to evaluate their future. Consumers Energy is considering all options to safely maintain the dam reservoirs and reduce costs for customers. Consumers Energy is hosting another series of public community meetings with the goal of sharing progress that has been made over the last year and answering questions. The company will be hosting two virtual meetings, and the first is scheduled for Sept. 12. WHERE: The public can click here to register for the virtual webinar. WHEN: Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023 The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. IMPORTANT FACTS: Consumers Energy is hosting several in-person and virtual meetings. A second virtual meeting will be held Nov. 16. For all meeting details and more information about the process, visit ConsumersEnergy.com/HydroFuture. Consumers Energy’s 30- to 40-year federal operating licenses on the Muskegon, Manistee, Grand, Kalamazoo and Au Sable rivers are set to expire beginning in 2034 through 2041. At the meeting, Consumers Energy will be presenting feedback gathered in the last year as well as the economic contribution study. In Person Meeting Coming Soon Croton and Hardy Dams Monday, September 18 Newaygo High School Cafeteria 360 S. Mill Street, Newaygo, MI Doors will open at 5:30 PM with the public meeting starting at 6:00 PM.  |
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