Not much time, but Newaygo Road Closure Hearing

[Trail_Fanatic]

I received a 'Notice Of Hearing' from the Newaygo County Road Commission a while ago.

They have received a petition to vacate a 1.1 mile piece of Pine Ave. from 17 Mile Rd. north to 18 Mile Rd., between Section 1, Home Township and Section 6, Barton Township.

The Hearing is at:

8:30 AM, Wed. June 14, 2006
935 East One Mile Rd.
White Cloud, Mi 49349

Please help us keep this Seasonal Road OPEN to public use!

We need BODIES in the room and WRITTEN comments delivered to the NCRC before the meeting date.

Here is a petition that can be downloaded and printed.

http://www.twotrackers.org/PETITION.doc

PLEASE, have as many people sign it as possible.

Then either:

1) Scan it back in and email it to me at:
Trail_Fanatic@Hotmail.com

OR

2) Snail mail it to:
Newaygo County Road Commission
935 One Mile Rd.
White Cloud, MI 49349

E Mail letters may also be sent to:
admin@newaygoroads.com

Info can be found at:
http://www.newagoroads.com/

ALL signatures and letters MUST be sent to be received by the NCRC NO LATER than Monday June 12, 2006.

For those that don't know:
This 'road' runs the length of the power lines from Croton-Hardy Damn Pond north all the way into Luther.

THANK YOU!

Pat Brower

[Jarhead]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Trail_Fanatic &#064; Jun 5 2006, 01&#58;46 PM) 14716</div>

...Info can be found at:

http://www.newagoroads.com/ (http:///)

[/b]
The "http://www.newagoroads.com" gave me a bad Gateway Page (didn&#39;t work).

But I was able to find some info at: http://newaygoroads.org/meetings.html
and http://newaygoroads.org/Abandonment.htm
and http://newaygoroads.org/county%20map_files/barton.htm

[Trail_Fanatic]

Thank you for the correction.

This computer stuff is kind of new to me, as you can tell.

Can anyone get rid of the duplicate post that I somehow managed to put up?

[Jarhead]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Trail_Fanatic &#064; Jun 5 2006, 08&#58;30 PM) 14728</div>

Thank you for the correction.

This computer stuff is kind of new to me, as you can tell.

Can anyone get rid of the duplicate post that I somehow managed to put up?
[/b]
The duplicate post was removed per your request.

[Zookeeper]

I sent an e-mail. They wrote back encouraging me to attend the meeting, but said they would pass along my comments to managing director. If you can&#39;t make the meeting, at the very least send a quick e-mail. I basically cut and pasted the top of Trail Fanatic&#39;s petition and tweaked it so it read more like a personal e-mail than petition language. That&#39;s all it takes.

:Ari:

[Trail_Fanatic]

I brought it to our Club meeting and added anouther 35 signitures.
I&#39;m going to do my best to take a long lunch that day and go up to the NCRC meeting to present whatever I can accumulate by then.

[Trail_Fanatic]

Well . . .
There were 2 people from the Grass Lake Society present with their attorney supporting the closure. There were 8 people present in opposition to the closure. 55 petition signitures were presented in opposition to the closure. 2 letters were presented in opposition to the closure (I&#39;ll bet one was Ari&#39;s--thank you).

The Commission postponed their decision for 6 weeks so they could ask the DNR their opinion of the &#39;road&#39; before acting. I&#39;ll bet I know what the DNR has to say about it without even hearing them.

I think this move was actually just a ploy so that they didn&#39;t have to vote against the majority present. The head of the Commission seemed rather &#39;buddy-buddy&#39; with the Grass Lake people. The &#39;delay&#39; just happens to grant them the ability to take the next vote in private, since the &#39;Public Hearing&#39; portion of the process is technically finished now.

Bummer, there were some great clay holes and sandy hill climbs on that stretch. Run it before July 26th, while it&#39;s still legal.

[Zookeeper]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Trail_Fanatic &#064; Jun 14 2006, 04&#58;13 PM) 14890</div>

Well . . .
There were 2 people from the Grass Lake Society present with their attorney supporting the closure. There were 8 people present in opposition to the closure. 55 petition signitures were presented in opposition to the closure. 2 letters were presented in opposition to the closure (I&#39;ll bet one was Ari&#39;s--thank you).

The Commission postponed their decision for 6 weeks so they could ask the DNR their opinion of the &#39;road&#39; before acting. I&#39;ll bet I know what the DNR has to say about it without even hearing them.

I think this move was actually just a ploy so that they didn&#39;t have to vote against the majority present. The head of the Commission seemed rather &#39;buddy-buddy&#39; with the Grass Lake people. The &#39;delay&#39; just happens to grant them the ability to take the next vote in private, since the &#39;Public Hearing&#39; portion of the process is technically finished now.

Bummer, there were some great clay holes and sandy hill climbs on that stretch. Run it before July 26th, while it&#39;s still legal.
[/b]

Pat,

The Road Commission is still subject to the Open Meetings Act. That means they have to make their final vote in a public meeting. Another show of solidarity might help, particularly if the Newaygo County Road Commission is elected (some of them are appointed). If they are appointed, contact the Newaygo County Board of Commissioners -- who are elected -- and let them know you&#39;re not happy with how their appointees are handling their duties.

[Jarhead]

If plans for another meeting is planned and there is a chance a vote will be taken, please give us whatever info you have...some things are worth a long morning drive, with breakfast in another city. :thumb-up:

[lgottler]

Keep us in the loop.

[Trail_Fanatic]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jarhead &#064; Jun 15 2006, 05&#58;25 AM) 14896</div>

If plans for another meeting is planned and there is a chance a vote will be taken, please give us whatever info you have...some things are worth a long morning drive, with breakfast in another city. :thumb-up:
[/b]

The next meeting is July 26th, at 9:00 am.
The CRC building is on the north side of M20, just west of M37.
If others are interested in going, Id be willing to join them, otherwise I&#39;ve already said my piece.

Does anyone have a rebuttal to the

"It&#39;s acceptable to allow the few (bad apples) to ruin it for the many"

attitude/ arguement/ thought process? My &#39;gut&#39; tells me it&#39;s WRONG and anti-freedom/ anti-american, but I can&#39;t seem to get my &#39;head&#39; to explain this &#39;feeling&#39; logically enough to put on paper.

[Jarhead]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Trail_Fanatic &#064; Jun 15 2006, 11&#58;11 PM) 14915</div>

Does anyone have a rebuttal to the

"It&#39;s acceptable to allow the few (bad apples) to ruin it for the many"

[/b]
Making allowances for a few bad apples is NOT Acceptable. As a father, there have many steps I have taken to secure the future for my children. As a Grandfather, I find myself even more involved to ensure they have a future. To allow a few bad apples to operate independently and unchecked is a threat to my children&#39;s and grandchildren&#39;s future; this, I cannot allow. Further, if we do not take the time to address those that would ruin it for all of us, they will spread like a cancer and become even more deadly as those areas in which they have destroyed or had access removed become widespread. Just as we teach our children, it is upon us to teach responsible wheeling and having respect for the land we use, so that we may return time and time again.

Although there are those that may initially enjoy their destructive ways; once taught to the point of acceptance the principles of Tread Lightly, they will find an even greater enjoyment because they will realize the benefit of being able to return time and time again.

[Trail_Fanatic]

I&#39;ve had one volunteer to go to the next meeting.

Any others?

We could do breakfast and get our &#39;notes&#39; in order in the morning, or something.