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Re: E-M:/ It's a great New Day in Brownstown Township for the Environment!!!!

------------------------------------------------------------------------- Enviro-Mich message from Christopher Graham ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi, David --

That was a close vote!

I did not know CWA and Sierra were involved in this -- I'm glad you were.

Brownstown Township has some of the biggest and the best Lake Plain prairie remnant sites left in Michigan -- our rarest and a very special natural community.  Much of it has been in harm's way by a politically very well connected developer, for quite some time.  Though even pro-environment officials cannot generally say no to development under Michigan's laws -- they can, at least, extract more sensitive results from the development process (if they know what they are doing).  Perhaps these folks can now proceed to get some ordinances passed that will help?  I can make many suggestions on what to do, if needed.

Mary La France has been just the thing needed to trigger long missing local citizen action in the township on behalf of the environment.

Thanks!

Chris.



At 09:28 AM 3/1/2006, David Holtz wrote:
Members of Sierra Club and Clean Water Action may have made the difference in this extremely close race.  GTrustee Ed Neal beat back the recall by 89 votes and Treasurer Diane Philpot by just 37 votes.  Both environmental groups opposed the recall, which was an attempt by developers to reverse pro-environment land use and other policies advocated by Neal and Philpot.  Clean Water Action, with more than 1,000 members in Brownstown Township, worked with Sierra Club grassroots activists who led the anti-recall effort, and contacted hundreds of members by email and phone prior to Tuesday's election.  Thanks to Mary LaFrance to providing the spark and the grit that helped make this victory possible.



Mary La France wrote:
Thanks to every one of you for all your support, tireless phone calling, meetings etc. Brownstown Township will retain its environmentally friendly township officials, Treasurer Diane Philpot and Trustee Ed Neal. It was a very close election which means that the grass roots work really paid off!  Check out today's Detroit News for the story.
 
The developers' well funded campaign against the common citizen shows what people power can do.

Christopher L. Graham, ASLA
(734) 975-7800 (O)
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