Re: E-M:/ Wayne County Town Hall -- Humbug-- County's participation

[Roger Kuhlman <rokuhlman@yahoo.com>]

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Enviro-Mich message from Roger Kuhlman <rokuhlman@yahoo.com>
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I sure hope the primary and over-riding purpose of
Humbug Marsh is as a wildlife refuge. I don't want to
see it become a second Point Pelee or Crane Creek and
function as a tourist or even a birding-tourist
hotspot. Making a lot of accomondations to lure in
visitors defeats the reason for having created the
refuge in the first place.

Roger Kuhlman
Ann Arbor, Michigan

--- "Blair J. Mc Gowan" <blairj@gatecom.com> wrote:

> The County of Wayne has taken ownership of,  and a
> large amount of responsibility for the 40+acre
> parcel just to the north of Humbug Marsh and Humbug
> Island, formerly the Chrysler Paint Plant,  in
> Trenton. 
> 
> Although this property will be leased to the US Fish
> and Wildlife Service for the Visitors Center for the
> International Wildlife Refuge, the County has been
> investing staff and funds into the development of
> this site.  The County has pledged that this
> visitors center will be a Platinum Certified LEED
> development (www.usgbc.org/ ) The architecture firm
> of Hamilton Anderson is designing landscape, use and
> building plans.   Already many hundreds of thousands
> of dollars have been spent. The entire visitors
> center will cost millions. 
> 
> The County played an important  role at a critical
> moment,  responding to the well organized effort to
> save Humbug Marsh, and working non-competitively
> with the staffs Congressman Dingell, River Navigator
> John Hartig, the Friends of the Detroit River, and
> many many very motivated grass roots citizens and
> organizations. 
> 
> In this "exception" to the sorry story of
> "opportunities lost" which  Cliff, Smiley, Cowherd
> et al.,  have laid out for our consideration, there
> is material difference -- an essential component to
> any progressive change.     We had champions!
> 
> With a similar mobilization of citizens, I believe
> the County could restore Fort Wayne,  develop
> Fordsom Island, salvage the Boblo Boat, or even
> build a new age golf course in the abandoned 40 acre
> plots on the near east side of the City. 
> 
> All it takes is love. .  .
> 
> Blair Mc Gowan  
> 
> 
>   ----- Original Message ----- 
>   From: Doug Cowherd 
>   To: Enviro-mich 
>   Sent: Tuesday, February 28, 2006 10:14 AM
>   Subject: Re: E-M:/ Wayne County Town Hall meeting
> tonight
> 
> 
>   Jack, should we assume the answers to your
> (rhetorical) questions about Wayne County's park
> millage money are "No"?
> 
>   If that's the case, then I am truly amazed.  I
> thought the steps taken towards selling parkland by
> Ann Arbor's senior City administrators and Mayor -
> just after the citizens voted 2-1 to buy more
> parkland - were outrageous.  But Wayne County
> appears to be setting the standard for cynical abuse
> of the public's goodwill on parks issues.
> 
>   Doug Cowherd
>   Chair, Sierra Club-Huron Valley Group
> 
>   Smileysmlc@aol.com wrote:
>     I just received this notice for a Town Hall
> meeting tonight:
> 
>     "Town Hall meeting with Wayne County Executive
> Robert A. Ficano, will feature an overview of county
> programs and goals.  County department heads will
> also be present.  There will an opportunity for you
> to ask questions about county government.  Hope you
> can join us.   Light refreshments will be served. 
> For more details call 313 467-6945."
>     "Wayne County Executive... Town Hall meeting
> hosted in the 5th commission district, Southwest
> Detroit
>     On: Tuesday Feb 28, 2006
>     At:  Greater Apostolic Faith Temple
>           4735 W Fort St, Detroit 48209
>     Time:  6:00 to 8:00 PM"
> 
>     County residents might want to ask about the
> management of the Wayne County Parks millage
> money--which raises approximately $12 million per
> year.  The Parks millage initially passed 10 years
> ago under the guise that it would raise money for
> park land acquisition , for fixing up Fort Wayne,
> and for a variety of other park improvements.  In 10
> years, has one single acre of park land been
> purchased?  Has a single dollar gone into the
> renovation of Fort Wayne?  Is there an audit
> available for public inspection which details where
> the money has been spent?  Why does Wayne County not
> have a Parks Commission to oversee operation of the
> Parks Department and expenditure of millage money?  
> 
>     Wayne County also created the first Wetland
> Mitigation Bank in the state.  How much money was
> lost on that project?  Why was the bank such a
> failure?  Since it was never certified by MDEQ, has
> it been officially "closed"?
> 
>     I'm sure there are a host of other questions
> that people should ask.
> 
>     Jack Smiley
> 
> 
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