Tonight, Jan. 12, 2010, I logged my first miles of the campaign when I took a drive out to the Bourret Township Board meeting.
It was encouraging to see that the board wasn’t simply going through the motions at the front table in an empty hall. During my days at the paper, it was always good to see people coming out to a meeting, whether it was at the county, city or township level.
The board allotted me some time to talk about my goals and vision for the 97th District, and we had a pretty in depth discussion about the ORV ordinance in Gladwin County. Residents in attendance and board members alike voiced concerns about fewer people taking advantage of the ordinance, which allows four-wheelers, dirt bikes and ATV’s to ride on the far right side or shoulder of designated roads. In Bourret, where there is a heavy dosage of state forests, people told me they were disappointed with the lack of maintenance by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Instead, I learned, many trails in Bourret Township were simply blocked off to ORV’s and set aside for walking only.
But, as Tony Marshall, Bourret Township’s Supervisor, discussed with me at the meeting, not all of the township residents are in condition to walk the trails. Elderly men and women in the township who may want to enjoy the great outdoors that are displayed abundantly in Bourret Township, are not privy to scenic rides through the state land. They aren’t able to experience the thrill of the hunt, because instead of the trails receiving maintenance and the forests receiving proper management, the woods are being closed off.
One gentleman even said that some people in the township were under the impression the DNR would create an environmentally clean, safe and clear trail system, such as ones present in Ogemaw County. He said instead of the woods being carefully improved for recreational use, the forests were instead clear-cut.
If the state is serious about public forests being conserved and preserved for environmental and economic reasons, I believe we need to make sure the DNR is focused on the goal of maintenance and forestry management. If elected, I would surely speak up on behalf of these eco, and economic measures.
Mr. Marshall also shared with me that he has noticed fewer and fewer young people around the area, and that many who leave aren’t coming back. He said he’s worried that in the near future, young men and women who come up here for a little R and R or fun in the great outdoors may not be coming back if the area doesn’t have an attraction for them.
I believe the ORV ordinance, and properly maintained forests and closely monitored recreational opportunities in said forests; can attract new people, and more people, to the area.
But enough about the politics of the night. I think I would be leaving out the best part of the meeting if I didn’t mention the “questions” from the crowd, especially those from Gladwin County Road Commissioner Larry Miller. I use quotation marks around the word questions because Larry’s were actually riddles.
This was his best one, I thought:
Q: When you see geese flying in a V, one side is always longer, you know why?
A: Because there’s more geese on that side.
However, I did stump Larry with this classic riddle: A rooster is perched on the peak of a roof and lays an egg. Which side does it roll down?
Answer? Neither, roosters don’t lay eggs.
In closing, I just wanted to also make mention of the Bourret Township seal, seen above and on township stationary. How Cool! I am not sure if I have ever seen a township seal before. Unfortunately, Tony and his wife Kim Marshall, the township clerk, couldn’t remember the man’s name that designed it. If you know, feel free to send an e-mail to me at tbarnum621@yahoo.com and let me know. Creativity and art are important and when someone thinks outside the box, such as making a township seal, I think they deserve a little recognition.
Thursday night I will be meeting with the Arenac County Democratic Party at the Arenac County Courthouse at 7 p.m. Feel free to join me.
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