Gavin Goetz (AT&T) stands at podium. Also on stage, (L/R) City Manager Robert Belleman, County Exec Tom Hickner, Ronald Campbell (Twp Officer's Assn) and School Superintendent Doug Newcombe. Partnerships, Consolidation Ideas Dominate Chamber State of the Community
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Economic kick-starting projects at Uptown at RiversEdge and the soon to be demolished Mill-End building were foremost on the minds of several hundred community leaders meeting Wednesday at Bay Valley.
Mr. Robert V. Belleman, the city manager, also said a city-county planning group is continuing to meet with a goal of collaboration on a new membrane water treatment plant to process water from Lake Huron through the Saginaw-Midland Water Supply System for a county-wide water system.
"This project will allay years of disagreements," said Mr. Belleman, "and will provide high quality water with stable rates." There was no discussion about how the project, reportedly estimated to cost $50 million, will be funded.
"People, Partnerships, Progress," was the theme put forward by Mr. Belleman. He said the Uptown at RiversEdge project on 40 acres of downtown riverfront "will transform the community with possible investment of $150 million over 20 years." The manager said he expects construction to begin soon on a 100,000 square foot initial building on the old Industrial Brownhoist site.
He said Front Porch Renaissance, Inc., an enterprise of Dr. Steven Ingersoll, is working with the city on 30 commercial and residential revitalization projects, estimated to cost $10.6 million, first of which was the renovation of the former Madison Avenue Methodist Church that now is the Bay City Academy Charter School.
The old Mill End building, a community icon for more than a century, will be replaced by a five story business/residential structure at a cost of more than $8 million. Developer is Paul Rowley, who was a principal in Jennison Place and the Boathouse riverfront residential buildings in recent years.
However, austerity dictated by a recovering economy is demanding cost-saving partnerships and collaboration by local governments, according to leaders of the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce and governmental officials.
The possibility of Bay County assuming control of Bay City police and fire functions was discussed at the Chamber's State of the Community luncheon Wednesday.
Tom Hickner Bay County Exec.
However, Mr. Hickner left the door open for assumption of police functions in Bay City by the Bay County Sheriff. "There is no reason why we shouldn't have one law enforcement agency and that could be handled by the sheriff," said the executive.
Mr. Belleman said options for future police and fire operations, which consume about 60 percent of the stressed city budget and are creating a $3 million funding gap, are being considered by the city commission.
A question by Stu Reid, C.P.A., of the firm of Weinlander-Fitzhugh C.P.A.'s, about the impact of the Trenton Robinson incident on the city's reputation statewide was answered by Mr. Belleman with the statements: "Two of the allegations were unfounded; another involved employee use of profanity. The facts speak for themselves; we must protect the integrity of the investigative procedure."
Robinson, a star defensive back for the Michigan State University Spartans football team, on Dec. 22, 2011 was issued a ticket for failure to signal as his vehicle made a turn. He filed a complaint alleging that the officer used profanity and issued the ticket an hour after the incident while Robinson and friends were dining at Buffalo Wild Wings on Wilder Road.
In the interim between the traffic stop and the issuance of the ticket, Robinson allegedly had posted a questioning comment on his Facebook page regarding the stop. Numerous comments about the incident have populated the Internet and no resolution of the situation has yet been put forward by city officials or Police Chief Michael J. Cecchini, who came here several years ago after retiring from a lieutenant's post in Phoenix, Arizona.
Mr. Hickner said the community needs to do more positive public relations work, commenting: "most people in the state have no idea where Bay City is and they think Bay County is in the Upper Peninsula."
Robert Belleman - City Manager
Education has taken continual cuts in the last 10-12 years, said Doug Newcombe, Bay City School District superintendent, commenting: "we can't keep going down that road." Mr. Newcombe, a C.P.A., said he is "disappointed with the governor's budget" and "doesn't know if he sees real concern about the value of K-12 education."
Mr. Newcombe said reduction in state support for education seems to be reflected in a shortage of teachers. "We are struggling to find teachers because they are not going into that field," he said. His presentation will be posted on the chamber website, he indicated.
Mr. Hickner said: "We continue to update our multi-year fiscal strategy to guide our decisions. We have eliminated millions of dollars in spending and are now utilizing lean manufacturing techniques to improve the daily operation of county government.
"Our employees have made a major contribution to our successful efforts to ensure a balanced budget, agreeing to contract changes that resulted in no cost of living adjustments in 2009, 2010, and 2011, a savings of over $1 million."
Mr. Hickner emphasized that the county has had balanced budgets for 19 years with no tax increases. Pensions are fully funded, he said, adding:
"Health insurance cost containment will continue to be a major focus of our efforts to achieve balanced budgets. Because it works, we intend to expand our efforts to promote employee and resident wellness.
"Key efforts include:
"Local governments have demonstrated we can cooperate in a 911 system, emergency management, storm water management, and sheriff road patrol contracts.
"With the active support of the Chamber board, city, township and county officials will continue to work towards a consensus agenda that will lead to further cooperation and consolidation of services.
"Second, we must increase our efforts to promote increased job opportunities and new private investment.
"Essential to our success is a balanced economic development strategy that recognizes all of the key sectors of our local and regional economy, including agriculture, specialty manufacturing, tourism, services, recreation and retail trade.
"Our focus should be retention and expansion of the local business operations already here in Bay County. Studies suggest that 80 percent of job growth in a community will come from existing local businesses.
"Local governments and the private sector must continue to support Bay Future's efforts on job retention and expansion in Bay County. Additional funding should be invested to ensure we continue to make progress growing local business.
"Third, we should continue to support the work of the Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance. The Alliance has established a brand, began a regional solar initiative, launched a three county occupancy tax to promote regional tourism and hired a leader of the Alliance, Terry Moore.
"The Alliance will continue to have our full support for greater investments at the US 10-Mackinaw Road technology park and improvements to the Garfield Road - US 10 interchange and Garfield Road to MBS airport.
"Fourth, we should establish a web portal that will meet the needs of business looking to expand or locate to our area.
Doug Newcombe
School Superintendent
"We need a consensus plan of action to guide our collective efforts over the next 5 years. Our last plan was completed in the mid 1980s.
"Sixth, we also must recognize that neighborhood redevelopment, continued investment in every downtown, and support of our major business corridors are essential to a successful economic growth effort.
"Finally, we need to continue to make improvements to our quality of life, improve our local schools and support the vibrant network of social agencies such as the United Way, the Human Services Collaborative Council, Red Cross and Salvation Army.
"We must recognize that our community is not the same as it was 10, 15, or 20 years ago. The incidence of poverty is higher and well paying private sector jobs are fewer."
Sell Out Crowd at Bay Valley
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"The BUZZ" - Read Feedback From Readers! |
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mdoloresbarron Says:
On February 16, 2012
at 12:42 PM
good coverage, Dave....as good as "being there".
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AVIDREADER Says:
On February 16, 2012
at 04:06 PM
Dave -- Congrats to MyBayCity for getting the coverage on this event spot on.
I personally wish you and OJ and the rest of the staff would get more involved with the politics of the city. I know you guys are the good news guys but - well you get my drift. You and OJ have a much cleaner perspective of what's going on in town than any of the old time "YES" men. BRAVO on this kind of article. |
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