Check back soon for news on a major topic for next week: Division St. Plus, this weekend we’ll announce a unique event coming January 25th.
Happy New Year! This week we’re talking about the future of the Grand Traverse Commons, a plan to remove dams from the Boardman River, and improving trash and recycling services within the city. The Question of the Week is about what the city’s top priorities should be this year. Click on the Question of the Week link at the top of this page to give us your top three list.
Grand Traverse Commons. The old state mental hospital grounds has become one of the most unique and interesting places in our area. The City and Garfield Township have been planning for the future of the Commons, and Monday the city commission approved the Grand Traverse Commons Master Plan. You can see the master plan at this link: http://www.ci.traverse-city.mi.us/City_Departments/City%20Planning/GT_Commons/.
Boardman River Dams. The city and county are asking for help from the Army Corps of Engineers with the removal of the Boardman River dams. If the Corps brings the project into its Great Lakes Fishery and Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Program, the Corps would ultimately pay 65% of the project cost. Monday, the city voted to ask the Corps to prepare a feasibility study and restoration plan – you can read about it here, starting at p 37 of the pdf: http://www.ci.traverse-city.mi.us/agendas/packet20100104.pdf. The city modified the request to ask for a repair of Union St dam, rather than a modification that would allow Great Lakes fish to pass upstream at the Union Street dam. Removing the dams and returning the Boardman to free flow is an enormous project, and we have to think carefully about each and every step. Please give us the benefit of your thoughts.
Trash. This Thursday at 3 pm the group of local government representatives who have been working on improving trash and recycling services in our community will be making some decisions about what we should do.
To recap, currently in Traverse City and surrounding areas, each individual resident contracts with a solid waste hauler, who picks up their household trash and recyclables. The city picks up leaves in the fall and spring, and does a round of spring clean-up in May. The system is expensive, and the services are less than ideal. Other communities have found that if they negotiate on a collective basis with the haulers, they can get more services for less money. By having one hauler service an entire community or section of a community, we can reduce the number of trucks on our streets and alleys. If the expanded services could include leaves and large items, which could provide relief to the city budget as well. The city has been working with surrounding townships and an expert firm called GBB to determine the best way to improve our services and save money.
This Thursday at 3 pm in the Commission chambers, the group of local officials who have been working on this project will make some decisions about where to go from here. The options are to ask the County’s Board of Public Works to take the lead, or for individual governments to franchise solid waste services themselves. Key questions for the city to answer include:
1. Do we maintain the existing services and negotiate only for price?
2. Do we negotiate additional services as an option, such as compost, expanded plastics, and styrofoam?
3. Do we try to privatize some city services in this agreement, like leaf collection and the pick up of large items currently done through the city’s spring clean up?
The solid waste ad hoc committee would like to hear from you. Either post a comment on this site, or attend the meeting on Thursday and let us know what you think.
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January 3, 2010 at 5:06 pm
thrashertm
Regarding the Commons – am I the only one picking up the contradiction in the Master Plan regarding nature vs. development? One the one hand the plan praises the natural splendor of the Commons, while on the other calls for various forms of development including roadways, sidewalks, parking, trail markers, and other “improvements”.
My view is that the less “improvements” made to the site the better. It’s difficult to feel connected to nature when in the woods, one encounters a trail marker, bridge, sign, bench every 10 feet. Woodchips on the trail further detract from the natural feel of the area. The long abandoned feeling of mystery is another wonderful attribute. Finally, the Franke Road extension will do much to harm the peace and tranquility of the property.
I wish that the Commons Board would take a much more minimalist approach to maintaining the property, allowing the mystique of long abandoned buildings, paths and woods to reign once more. Let volunteers gather together to make the few “improvements” that are absolutely necessary. Let’s reject the activist busy-body approach that detracts from the very qualities which make the property unique.