Category: Infrastructure and Planning
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The Lights Are On …
A report on the regular council meeting of December 18, 2025 EMILY KAY VOTRUBA DEC 22, 2025 In December, if I can, I like to spend quality time reflecting on the year. For me this involves transferring perennial information (birthdays, holidays, meeting dates, important anniversaries and milestones) from this year’s…
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November Council Meeting Preview
Agenda, water notices, fire & safety reports, Lake Effect, and snow snake. EMILY KAY VOTRUBA NOV 17, 2025 Thursday’s Agenda A reminder that this month’s meeting is at noon instead of 7, because at 6 on Thursday night there’s a presentation at the Life Saving Station from the recommended developer…
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Help Shape the Future of Elberta
The Planning Commission will be holding a special meeting Tuesday, August 15 at 6 pm to discuss the results of the survey that was mailed out in June and formulate the community’s vision for our new master plan. Please attend!
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Guest Column: Electric Skateboard Debate Ramps Up
Please help stop Frankfort City Council’s ongoing effort to create an ordinance banning electric skateboards citywide. By Carolyn Thayer July 14, 2017 I’m asking for your help to spread the news about the Frankfort City Council’s ongoing effort to create an ordinance banning electric skateboards citywide based on the potential for a public safety…
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Coyote Crossing: November Council Meeting Reports
By Emily Votruba Regular Meeting, November 17, 2016 On the way to the regular council meeting, Linda Manville saw a coyote cross the road in front of her. The meeting was held at the Life Saving Station for the first time ever as far as anyone could remember. The room…
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Sign Sale Today: So Far Successful
UPDATE: Here’s an updated list of the remaining sign inventory. Call or visit the Village Office during regular office hours or schedule an appointment. http://villageofelberta.com/elberta-used-street-name-sign-sale/ It’s 11 am and there’s been good turnout for the antique street sign sale at the Village Office. Each corner array costs $50, with some…
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August Primary 2016 on Tuesday the 2nd
Don’t miss the Gilmore/Elberta Primary Election this coming Tuesday, August 2, from 7:00 am to 8 pm at the Community Building, 401 First Street. Gilmore Township/Elberta voters will be choosing State (101st District) and U.S. congressional (1st District) representatives, as well as county prosecutor (Sara Swanson running unopposed), sheriff (Ted…
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And a-One and a-Two: Village Weighs Proceeding with Restroom Project with Partial Grant Funding
By Emily Votruba, Parks & Rec Secretary At the February Parks and Rec meeting this year, Elberta Farmers’ Market master Sue Oseland presented a proposal to apply for a $70K USDA grant for permanent, piped restroom facilities at the Penfold/Farmers’ Market park. The restroom would be 10×20 with two separate…
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Candidate Says Water Management, Passenger Rail, Internet Access Will Help NoMI Folks Stay and Succeed
Meet the Candidate: Lon Johnson Democrat 1st Congressional District Lon Johnson spoke at the Bayview Grille in Frankfort to a group of potential supporters on March 29 from 6 to 7 pm. Here are selections from his remarks, arranged by topic. Meet the Candidate is nonpartisan and offers any candidate…
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Making It Official: Elberta’s New Zoning Map
By Patrick McConnell The Village of Elberta will be getting a new, more comprehensive map soon! I recently spoke with planning commission member Bill O’Dwyer about the forthcoming zoning map improvements. Below are some of the improvements one can expect from the new map. • A much larger map that is more…
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Benzie Emergency Management Seeks Feedback on Its Natural Hazards Draft Plan
Get back to Frank Post, our county emergency management coordinator, by email or phone asap! (fpost@benzieco.net, 231-882-0567) Read and download the draft plan here: 2015 Hazard Mitigation Plan More information is available at the Region 7 website.
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Village Offers Beautiful, Affordable Event Locations
By Diane Jenks The Village of Elberta is struggling to survive with low fiscal scores and the threat of an emergency manager. The State of Michigan has many communities in this situation and is willing to help the village work its way back into the black. The departure of the…
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Our New Tax Assessor: Barbie Eaton
In late April this year, Marvin Blackford, longtime tax assessor for Frankfort, Gilmore Township, and Crystal Lake, retired, and Gilmore and Frankfort contracted with Barbie Eaton of Brown and Associates. Ms. Eaton kindly took the time to answer a few questions about her new position. 1. What is the role…
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A Better Fence Will Make a Better “Tot Park”
Elberta Parks and Rec has made installation of a new Tot Park fence a priority for this summer. The current chain-link fence is in bad condition and doesn’t fully enclose the play area. The Commission has sought estimates for a sturdy, attractive new fence that will fully enclose the play…
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Crystal Lake and Cold Creek
April 15, 2014 2:30 pm Volume of water moving through outlet is reduced, shore line lowered. Sheen still present. April 14, 2014 6:25 pm Sheen oozing up from submerged shore continues to be flushed through the outlet. April 14, 2014 12:20 pm A significant amount of water was moving through…
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The Sacred and the Profane
By Emily Votruba BREAKING: A special meeting of the Village Council will be held this Wednesday at 7 pm in the Community Building to deal with agenda items council didn’t get to at last Thursday’s meeting and to finalize the budget. A great deal of time was spent on 2/20 dealing…
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Frankfort’s Kinda Progressive Zoning Ordinance
By Emily Votruba It’s probably not anarcho-syndicalism in the making, but the City of Frankfort’s planning commission under the leadership of Bruce Ogilvie has put together a fairly progressive and forward-thinking zoning ordinance. The comment period is NOW, and the public hearing is set for Tuesday, March 11. Take a…
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Olson Presents Prioritization Results and Council Begins to Hash Out DEP
Full audio of the Dec. 30 meeting (2 parts): Full audio of the Jan. 2 meeting: At the January 2 meeting, Chris Olson came back with the compiled results of the Dec. 30 prioritization exercise, in which, after a long discussion, council members and staff placed dots next to items…
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Treasury Report on the Village’s Internal Controls
This report was given to me by two Village officials (on separate occasions). The officials asked not to be named. One of them said I should publish it on the Alert site and Facebook page, the other asked that I wait to do that until after the council meeting tonight,…
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Council Tables Deficit Elimination Plan, Treasurer to Phone State Tomorrow
Brief update on tonight’s meeting: Council voted to table the topic of the deficit reduction plan until they receive further guidance from the state, preferably in writing. The only documentation of the state’s interest in seeing a deficit reduction plan cited a report the state is supposedly preparing, to be…
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Important Council Meeting Tomorrow
(Not that they’re not all important…) Attention Elbertians (and their friends)! Please attend the council meeting tomorrow night (Thursday, October 17) at 7 pm in the Community Building (401 First St.) to hear our council’s plan to prevent our being taken over by an emergency manager.
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Village Deficit Crisis: Brief, Important Update
By Emily Votruba According to Reggie and Laura Manville, the state expects to see a plan that might realistically eliminate our $558K+ deficit within the next 5 years.* If the Village does not come up with an acceptable plan by October 17, it’s very likely, again according to Reggie Manville, that…
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Special Meeting to Discuss Village Deficit, Possible Asset Sales
By Emily Votruba UPDATED 10/10/13 Look around you, in our green (and now red and orange and golden) Village. What do you see? Trees, bluffs, one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, parkland, and a few small but important business concerns. If you’re a longtime resident, you can’t…
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The State Visits the Village: Are Personnel Changes Possible?
By Emily Votruba The following article is an editorial. I have tried to present the facts as I know them in as unbiased a manner possible, but I do have a bias, as you will discover below. Please weigh in with your comments! An auditor from the State of Michigan…
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Sept 24 County Commissioners Meeting
Draft Minutes County Commissioners Meeting Minutes Sept 24 2013 Agenda
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What Do You Think of Our Plan?
The final draft of the Village of Elberta Parks and Recreation Plan for 2009–14 is now up on the Village website. As soon as the official notice is published in the Record-Patriot this Wednesday, the official five-week public comment period begins. This is a very important document for the Village…
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Perfect Donut
This perfect automotive donut was executed at the intersection of Washington and Bigley sometime in the middle of a mid-August night. It remains visible today. A similarly circular vehicular sketch was created at the intersection of Bigley and Lincoln. Perhaps the artist would like to see a statue of Allen…
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Putney Occupancy Rate Appeal Continues Tomorrow
Tomorrow night at 6 pm at the Community Building, the Elberta Zoning Board of Appeals continues its hearing on Loy Putney’s appeal of the Council’s decision to require an occupancy rate of no more than one person per 165 square feet in his new Bay Valley Inn apartments, which he…
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Village Homes: Tex and Terry McGregor’s Place
Terry and Tex McGregor moved to Elberta in 2011. Tex (and yes, that’s his real, given name) arrived first and built their blue house with its distinctive stone chimney and large quarter-circle windows on the lot once owned by Jim Clapp. For several years, the McGregors ran TNT charter service…
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County’s Development Plans for Point Betsie—What’s Going On?
Well, this Alert writer doesn’t know. But here’s a letter to the editor of the Record-Patriot that appeared this week. We obtained it from Suz McLaughlin, who received it from the letter writer. McLaughlin said Mr. Zetterberg and his family own property near Pt. Betsie and the family created the Zetterberg…
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Putney Appeal Hearing to Continue September 4
Tonight the Zoning Board of Appeals, with new members Holly O’Dwyer and and Mark Held, after hearing public comment and a statement from Loy Putney’s attorney, Brad Putney, decided to continue the hearing on September 4 to give ZBA members more time to review the appeal exhibits, some of which…
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Putney Appeals Square Footage per Person Requirement
Sometime between the afternoon of August 20 and 12:30 pm on August 21, Sharyn Bower posted this notice. Loy Putney is appealing the stipulation of council that he house no more than 1 person per 165 sq ft at the Bay Valley worker housing apartments. Since Putney had already completed…
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Council Contemplates Selling Old Library…And Much, Much More
It was another nearly three hour meeting, with lots of decisions made and some deferred. President Reggie Manville was back, after a three-meeting absence. Employee benefits were discussed and a vote was taken on Linda Manville’s proposal that employees begin contributing 20% toward their health-care premiums. This motion was voted…
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Planning Commission Recommends 200 sq ft per Person for Apartments
By Emily Votruba At a special meeting of the Planning Commission held last night at the old Elberta Library, in peaceful coexistence with the regularly scheduled Gilmore Township Planning Commission meeting, commission members voted to recommend that an occupancy requirement of a minimum of 200 square feet per person be…
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Signs Installed to Mark Beach Road
With authorization from Council, Ken Bonney today installed stakes and signage to demarcate the Village’s platted road, known as Lakeside Boulevard. Over the years, the undeveloped stretch has become by turns rutted and covered over with soft sand, and several byways have been cut through use. The long-standing issue of…
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Elberta Dunes South Parking Lot Completed
With the help of a $5,000 grant written by Village clerk Sharyn Bower, one phase in the management plan for the Elberta Dunes South natural area was begun and completed today, June 27. Kerby’s won the bid to grade and gravel a portion of the property. The parking area will…
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Proposed Free WiFi Area
The Alert obtained this printout of the proposed free WiFi coverage area from Frankfort City Council member Richard Haan. This is just a preliminary plan, not final; if you’re interested in this issue, contact a Frankfort City Council member or attend one of their regular meetings, on the third Tuesday…
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Gilmore Township Meeting Report, April 2013
By James Ward April 9, 2013 ELBERTA LIBRARY—Present: Carl Noffsinger, Doug Holmes, Ron Beyette, Sharyn Bower. Guest: Don Tanner, James Ward Don Tanner, our county commissioner for District 7, spoke about the reorganization of health care services. Benzie County is among the 21 counties in the Northern Zone that shares state…
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Putney Team Responds to PC’s Request for Additional Information on “Elberta School Apartments” Plan Ahead of Hearing Tonight
By Emily Votruba Last night (May 6), the Alert received an email from Loy Putney’s attorney, Bradley Putney, with answers to some of the questions the Planning Commission asked at the first hearing on his proposed Elberta School Apartments, on April 16. According to Village attorney Edgar Roy, a number…
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Evacuation/Stop Work Deadline Passes, Putney Workers Still On Site, Work Continues
By Emily Votruba Village zoning administrator Ken Bonney came by today to give the Alert a copy of the letter he sent to Loy Putney April 24 outlining the reasons for the stop work/evacuation order. Letter from Ken Bonney to Loy Putney April 24 The letter outlines the history of…
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Plan for Frankfort Beach and Cannon Park Created by MSU Students
“The City of Frankfort was provided an opportunity to have a Master Plan created for the Lake Michigan Beach and Cannon Park area. The Master Plan study was performed by the Michigan State University Planning Department. The MSU Planning Team consisted of four (4) senior level undergraduate students. They have…
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Stop Work, Evacuation Order Issued on Putney’s Elberta School Apartments
By Emily Votruba April 25, 2013—This morning a stop work and evacuation order was issued to Loy Putney by Zoning Administrator Ken Bonney for the proposed Elberta School Apartments. The families who moved in over the weekend of April 20 need to move out by Monday, April 29, Bonney said.…
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Putney Begins Moving Workers in to Elberta School Apartments; Zoning Still up in the Air
By Emily Votruba Three days after the Planning Commission’s inconclusive hearing on Loy Putney’s special permit application to put apartments in the old Bay Valley Inn Property, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development approved and licensed three of the completed units, and workers will begin to move in.…
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Grand Vision Meeting: Assisting Government or Agenda 21?
By Eric Pyne UPDATED 4/29/13 UPDATED 4/24/13 MILLS COMMUNITY HOUSE, April 22, 2013—The “Framework for Our Future” Input Expo at the Mills Community House in Benzonia drew members of the public and some protesters. “The Grand Vision,” a project of the Northwest Michigan Council of Governments, held an open house…
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Little Marina Park Dock Tops Out, Making Way for Possible Boardwalk Project
Roving Alert reporter and photographer Jen Wilkins informs us that Ken Bonney and Charlie Hendershott removed the dock tops from the Marina Park inlet yesterday, as directed by Council. She says: “It looks good. They even stacked them nicely at the end there for anyone who wants them to come…
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Frankfort Planning Commission Hard at Work on Medi-Mari, Alt-Energy Ordinances
Herewith are three handouts from the Planning Commission meeting of April 9, 2013, provided to us by Planning Commission chair Bruce Ogilvie: the Annual Report for 2012, the most recent draft of the Medical Marihuana Caregiver Facility (Land Use) Ordinance, and the Alternative Energy Ordinance Draft. “These ordinance drafts are…
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Planning Commission Hearings on “Apartments” Definition and Putney’s Special Use Permit Application
By Emily Votruba Next Tuesday, April 16, beginning at 7 pm, the Elberta Planning Commission will hold two public hearings at the Elberta Library (704 Frankfort Avenue). The public is asked to consider the Commission’s proposed definition of “apartments.” If approved by the commission and the village council, this definition…
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Benzie Conservation District Fracking Forum (Video)
On February 27, the Benzie Conservation District hosted a forum on the process of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, a natural gas extraction practice that, in part because of fairly recent technological and chemical innovations, is creating a natural gas boom across the nation. Jonathan Maue took this great video of…
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March Elberta Council Meeting Report: Holier Than Thou
By Emily Votruba VILLAGE COMMUNITY BUILDING March 21, 2013—Sharyn Bower announced that the County Board of Commissioners would be holding their regular meeting at the Village Community Building on April 16 at 6 pm as part of their tour around the county. The Planning Commission will hold two public hearings…
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Gilmore Township Meeting Report, March 2013
By James Ward March 12, 2013 ELBERTA LIBRARY—Present: Carl Noffsinger, Doug Holmes, Ron Beyette, Sharyn Bower, and Linda Manville. Guest: James Ward The treasurer’s report and minutes were approved from the meeting in February 2013. A motion was seconded to close the regular meeting and go into a public hearing on…
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Gilmore Township Meeting Report, February 2013
By James Ward February 12, 2013 ELBERTA LIBRARY—Present: Laura Manville, Carl Noffsinger, Doug Holmes, and Ron Beyette. Guest: James Ward The treasurer’s report was accepted. New business included the approval of Charlie Hendershott, Ken Holmes, and Bob Delanoy to the Board of Review. Further New Business included the following: The Axtells…
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Your Opinion Sought on Elberta’s Parks and Recreation Assets
Please plan to attend the input session on April 18 at 7 pm in the Village Community Building! See details below. A draft of the new 5 year plan can be found here: Village of Elberta Recreation Plan 2014–2019 draft for public meeting
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Elberta Planning Commission Meeting: Defining Apartments, Dredging
By Emily Votruba Transcription by Lois Schram March 5, 2013 ELBERTA LIBRARY—During initial public comment, Scott Gest said the community mapping is wrapping up for the Grand Vision. There was to be a meeting the following week. A report by Ken Bonney, new zoning administrator, was added to the…
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Sign Off! Never Fear, MDOT Sign Will Be in the Clear
After Cheryl Gross mentioned the strange placement of the new MDOT road sign seemingly right in front of the entrance to the future Dunes South parking area, trustee Jennifer Wilkins looked into the matter. She learned from Ken Bonney that there will be a large easement between M22 and the…
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February Elberta Council Meeting Report: Same Playing Field
By Emily Votruba VILLAGE COMMUNITY BUILDING, February 20, 2013—A date and the spelling of Jennifer Wilkins’s name were corrected on the January meeting minutes. Wilkins’s name was also added to the agenda under the Beach Committee report, as she is a new member of that committee. PUBLIC HEARING ON 2013–14…
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Commissioners Confronted on IPMC, Deputies
By Bob Kenison and Emily Votruba March 26, 2013 BENZIE COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER—More than one hundred Benzie County citizens overflowed the commissioners’ chambers, spilling into the hallway at the regular meeting this past Tuesday. The people were clearly unhappy with the commissioners’ enactment of the new property maintenance code. Some…
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Jeffery Stratton on the Benzie Bus
The first in what we hope will be a series of stories by local people on their investigations of transportation issues. Submit yours to elberta.alert@gmail.com. Doesn’t have to be long, and we’ll check your spelling. Till then, safe travels! By Jeffery Stratton I decided I would take public transportation the…
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International Property Maintenance Code Rescinded (Audio)
BENZIE COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER—The county commission voted unanimously to adopt an ordinance rescinding their adoption of the International Property Maintenance Code at this morning’s regular county commissioners meeting. Members of the media were there (Record–Patriot, TV 9&10, and others), and more than 120 members of the general public. A show…
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Strict Construction: The New County Property Maintenance Code
By Emily Votruba At the February 19 County Commissioners meeting, the commissioners voted 6 to 1 to adopt the International Property Maintenance Code (see link below). The vote occurred during the department head reports portion of the meeting and was not on the agenda. After a presentation by Robert Theobald…
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Residential Solar, Residential Care
CITY PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, FRANKFORT—Jim Barnes of 823 James Street needs to submit drawings showing his plan for the solar panel array he intends to mount on his garage to the Frankfort City Planning Commission, plans that demonstrate adequate steps taken to reduce the chance that someone walking through his…
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New County Property Maintenance Rules Are Intensely Detailed, Possibly Unconstitutional
Thanks to the Joyfield Residents group on Facebook for making the pdf of the new county property maintenance code available. We haven’t actually read it yet, but you can! We’ve heard it’s pretty strict, which should please lovers of neatly trimmed grass, but cause some headaches (and pocketbook aches) for…
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News from Homestead Township
By Jeffery D. Stratton The Homestead Township board of trustees met March 4, 2013, at 7 pm in the Township Hall in the Village of Honor. The meeting started with the Pledge of Allegiance, roll call, approval of the agenda, and the approval of last month’s minutes. NEW BUSINESS The board…
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Food Trucks at Elberta Beach?
By Emily Votruba At the February Parks and Rec Commission meeting last night there was some discussion of food concessions down at the beach. Nobody in the room could remember a time when snacks were sold down at the beach, though Katy denHeeten recalled the swingsets and picnic tables she…
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News from Homestead Township
By Jeffery D. Stratton The Homestead Township board met February 4, 2013, at 7 pm in the township hall in the Village of Honor. The meeting started with the Pledge of Allegiance, roll call, approval of the agenda, and the approval of last month’s minutes. PUBLIC COMMENT Eagle Scout Travis Oder,…
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Elberta Post Office Will Go to Four-Hour Schedule
Post Office public meeting results: within just over a month (approximately 37 days), our post office will go to a four-hour-a-day schedule, two hours on Saturdays. Exact hours are yet to be determined, but it will likely be 11 am to about 3 pm weekdays, 8:30 am to 10:30 am…
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POV: A Business Owner Weighs in on the Proposed Downtown Development Authority in Frankfort
Dale Evans, co-owner of the Bayview Grille at 727 Main Street, Frankfort, took time to express his views on the proposed DDA. For more on the DDA, see Colin Merry’s coverage in the Record-Patriot and the Alert‘s coverage of the first meeting. Q&A questions by Emily Votruba. Thank you for…
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DDA Meeting, Part Deux
The continuation of the proposed Downtown Development Authority meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m., tonight (Tuesday) at City Hall. If you have any questions, call Josh Mills at (231) 352-7117. Our brief report on the first meeting can be found here.
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Gilmore Township’s New Zoning Ordinance
A draft of Gilmore Township’s new zoning ordinance is available online. Planning Commission chair Dennis Holcombe said today that it’s 99% finished and is with the attorney awaiting a few minor wording changes. He expects the final draft will be posted within the week. A public hearing was held on…
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Near Beer: Stormcloud Brewing
The official announcement finally came today, January 15, 2013, over Facebook: This summer a little light industry rolls in to 303 Main Street in Frankfort. The Alert spoke with Stormcloud Brewing Company owner-operators Brian Confer and Rick Schmitt about their project, which will occupy the former site of the Caddy…
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Proposed Downtown Development Authority Would Sequester Funds for Improvements to Entice New Businesses
FRANKFORT CITY HALL—Frankfort City Council held a public hearing this evening on its proposed Downtown Development Authority and Downtown Development District (seen below outlined in yellow). City Superintendent Josh Mills made a presentation on the proposal, along with city attorney Peter Dorn. Business owners Dale Evans, Bob Korten, and Steve…
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Zoning Board of Appeals Upholds Putney Land Use Permit Denial
The Zoning Board of Appeals, minus recused members Reg Manville and Ken Holmes, voted unanimously to uphold zoning administrator Carl Noffsinger’s initial denial of a land-use permit to Loy Putney, who back in December 2011 petitioned to use the former Bay Valley Inn property as worker housing. The three-plus hour…
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Next Wednesday…
To learn more about this project of the Elberta Historic Preservation Committee, go to the Apron Savers Facebook page, and check out the Ann Arbor Car Ferry Memories page while you’re there.
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Putney Land Use Hearing Tomorrow
The public hearing on the land use permit denial(s) for the Bay Valley Inn property, purchased by Loy Putney, will be held tomorrow, Wednesday, May 30, at 7 pm at the Village Community Building. All are welcome to attend and give their comments. This is a resumption of the hearing…
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Public Hearing on Putney Land Use Denial Postponed
About 55 people turned out on Wednesday night, April 25, as the Village Council, sitting as the zoning board of appeals (ZBA), attempted to hold a public hearing on the land-use permit denial issued by zoning administrator Carl Noffsinger for Loy Putney. Putney has purchased the former Bay Valley Inn…
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2012 Water Festival Event This Saturday—Fun Overflowing
Download the pdf: Water Festival Schedule 2012
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Putney Sues Village over Bay Valley Inn Property
UPDATES * The office of Plunkett Cooney confirmed yesterday (4/9) that Gretchen Olsen is representing the Village and its agents in the Putney litigation. ** Channel 7&4 reported on the case yesterday (4/9) evening. The video may be viewed here. Note that because of the ongoing litigation, the news reporter…
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Water Main Break Getting Fixed
DPW Ken Bonney says the water pipe rupture on the corner of Sheridan and Frankfort Avenue just outside Mix’s Barbershop probably occurred on Friday—he’ll know when he checks the water meter. Because of the holiday and the need for Miss Dig’s involvement the leak could not be repaired until today.…
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Commissioners Consider Wind Resolution
At the November 1 County Commissioners meeting, Allan O’Shea presented a draft of a wind resolution for the commissioners to adopt. Mr. O’Shea works for Contractors Building Supply in Copemish, which deals in solar photovoltaic systems, windows, and other energy-related supplies, and is reportedly also an employee of Duke Energy…
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Beach Driving
On November 2 a meeting was held among Village leaders, the sheriff’s department, three local property owners, and three conservation officers including Robin Schmitt from the DNR to discuss the problem of off-road driving on Elberta Beach. By federal and state law, it is illegal to operate a vehicle outside…
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Proposed Lawn Maintenance Ordinance
At the regular Village council meeting on Thursday, the Board of Trustees will consider the following wording for a lawn maintenance ordinance (see enclosed pdf). There will be opportunity for public comment at the meeting as the wording is reviewed. The ordinance would then come up for a vote as…
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September Council Meeting Report: Signs
DIANE JENKS ASKED that audio recordings be made of all future council meetings. Linda Manville asked Village treasurer Laura Manville to find out the renewal date for the Village employees’ health care package and where we stand vis à vis the new state health care benefit bill for municipal employees,…
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(Re)Paving Paradise: Council Accepts Roadwork Bid
The Village Council held a special meeting on Friday, August 5, to review a bid put in by Ron Brown & Sons for various street repair projects around the Village. The bid came in at $28,092 for fill and resurfacing work on Lincoln Avenue from Bigley all the way to…
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Agenda: July Council Meeting
At Thursday’s council meeting this week, we’ll have a special guest, Vickie Smith, of Wildlife and Wetland Solutions, who specializes in the eradication of invasive phragmites, which we have a lot of in the bay and inlet. The Friends of Betsie Bay and other concerned citizens plan to begin an…
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Agenda: May Council Meeting
At Thursday’s council meeting this week, we’ll have a special guest, the devil himself, Hell, MI, mayor John Colone. In addition, a public hearing on a variance for the construction of Jerry Little’s home will be held. As with many Village lots, Jerry’s is nonconforming, and requires a variance so…
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Elberta Placed on State Government Fiscal Watch List
On the front page of today’s Record-Patriot, below the fold, appeared a headline no less disturbing for being not entirely surprising: “Elberta ‘Working Diligently’ on Financial Woes Cited by State.” According to a chart released on the Detroit Free Press website on April 6, Elberta has been placed on a…
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Foghorn: 37 Questions on Smart Growth
Monday, March 28, at 1:30 pm at Frankfort City Hall, waterfront property owners have been invited to fill out a survey. This survey will be used by MSU Extension agents to evaluate our “readiness for smart growth.” Please spread the word to Elberta waterfront stakeholders you know. The meeting is…
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Council Meeting Report: Start Your Bidding
Meeting date: March 17, 2011, 7 PM AT THE BEGINNING OF the meeting, new trustee Matt Stapleton asked how to go about getting an item on the council meeting agenda. President Reg Manville said people can go straight to the president or to Sharyn Bower at the Village Office. If…
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Foghorn: Community Wind Forum Tonight, 3/10
This just in from the Eco-Building Products Facebook feed: “TONIGHT, Understanding Wind Initiatives (UWI), a community forum will take place at Benzie Central H.S. between 6:30 and 8:30 pm. You can learn more about the UWI initiative, ask questions, and participate in small group discussions focused on the benefits and…
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Foghorn: Come to the Elberta Master Plan Public Forum!
Tomorrow night, Monday, at 6 PM, a public forum on the Elberta Master Plan will be held at the Lifesaving Station. This is an important opportunity to discuss wind power, local agriculture and business, the height of buildings in the proposed waterfront development—anything that pertains to the future of the…
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Vertical Thinking: Elbertian Proposes to Change Elberta’s Name
During the initial public comment period at the Village Council meeting last night, Kelli Stapleton, Elberta resident and planning and zoning committee member, presented a proposal to change Elberta’s name to Heaven. Among Stapleton’s stated goals was the preservation of our local post office (no plans to close the office…
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Council Meeting Report: We Didn’t Start the Fire (or the Sewage)
The last meeting of the Doug Holmes–led Elberta Village Council convened last night. Next month, December 16, will see the new council members under Reg Manville take the reins. Attendance was high, at 18. Among the luminaries present were local developer Scott Gest and newly elected District 3 county commissioner…
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Parks and Rec Report: Ideas a-Poppin’
The Elberta Parks and Recreation Committee held its regular meeting last night at the Village Community Building. In attendance were new member Arthur Melendez and prospective new member Jennifer Wilkins, along with chair Bill Soper, Connie Manke, Village president-elect Reg Manville, and Lisa Schrader-Confer. Trustee-elect Linda Manville came out of…
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It’s Planning Season: Have Your Say Before Someone Takes It Away
These are tense and exciting times. Yes, I know, you say, what with the Republican Party taking over the House, and the economy flatlining and the final four… [insert whatever sports thing—PS: the Alert is looking for a sports columnist]. No, no. Forget the national scene. What’s happening right here,…
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Why Aren’t the Lights On?
Elbertians, navigating the array of road construction disruption since June, watching the stimulus-funded beautification of Old M-168 unfold, have been eagerly awaiting one key feature of the improvements: LED lamplight! But with work completed ahead of the October 30 deadline, many have been wondering, Why the heck aren’t the lights…