Supervisor's Weekly E-Letter

October 26, 2004

Important Notice: DPW

Beginning today the GI DPW will be flushing watermains and fire hydrants throughout the community. Flushing will take place for about the next seven weeks, with work performed between 12am and 6am to minimize inconvenience to residents. Homeowners in the area of flushing operations may notice rusty or discolored water on a temporary basis. Residents experiencing this problem are advised to let the cold water run in a laundry tub until it clears. Discolored water is not harmful to drink, but washing clothes under these conditions should be avoided. The purpose of the flushing program is to insure high quality water delivery and fire protection services. Contact the DPW at 676-5959 with questions.

This Weekend: Trick or Treat on Macomb

Don't forget to join the GI Business Association and GI Recreation Department for the annual Halloween parade and Macomb trick or treating this Saturday. Sunday Trick or Treat hours Islandwide have been set from 6-8pm. Please be safe! Saturday times: Parade starts at 10:30 with tick or treating on Macomb from 11-1.

New Garbage Hauler

The township Monday approved a 3 year contract with a new garbage hauler, P&R Industries. The township's former haler, Abcor, went out of business a few months ago. The new hauler was the low bidder.

Road Work

The board approved an $11,700 contract Monday for crack sealing on the following roads: Highland, Byromar, Church, Whithall, Lakewood, Island, Miami, Balmoral, Harlan, University and Loma. The work will occur in the next month funded by the local road millage.

September Police Report

Total Phone Calls = 2265, including 88 to "911"
Total miles driven = 17,342
Traffic accidents = 9 with one injury

September Animal Control Report

Total complaint calls = 92
Dogs> picked up = 10, returned to owner = 8, adopted = 3, euthanised = 1
Cats> picked up = 19, returned to owner = 1, adopted = 26, euthanised = 2
Raccoons picked up = 53
Opossums picked up = 2
Dead animals picked up = 26
Pound fees collected = $323
Warnings issued = 59
Violations issued = 4

Make Sure You Vote

There are 8507 voters on GI.
The clerk has issued 2500 absentee ballot applications so far.
The clerk has issued 2200 absentee ballots so far.
About 850 absentee ballots have already been returned to the clerk.
Absentee ballots are available for the November Election at Township Hall. Voters in Precincts 5&6 should note that the voting location has been moved from St. James Church to Centennial Farm at the Recreation Building. For voting information, including your specific voting location, hours, and type of voting equipment see: www.publius.org

Toll Bridge Delays Under Way

The EPA is now delaying traffic at the toll bridge while barges are pulled up and down the river relating to environmental clean-up work on the "Black Lagoon." Work is expected to continue into early December. We are told by federal and state officials that TOLL BRIDGE DELAYS are scheduled Monday thru Saturdays, (6 days per week), two times per day at 6:-6:30 A.M. and 7:-7:30 P.M.

Serve Our Community

You can get involved right away in one of the following boards or commissions which currently have vacancies:
Festival Commission
Planning Commission
Board of Review
Public Works Commission
Zoning Board of Appeals
Construction Board of Appeals
Waters Edge Commission
Elected Officials Compensation Commission
Fill out an application at Township Hall today!

The Email Bag

Doug - just read the GI update - and wanted to add: Good job!!! You will be missed - terribly! Just wanted you to know how we feel.
Hawthorn Resident

Doug, just a note to say that when the county bridge was closed, truck traffic on the island was down considerably. And is was nice. No large double tandem trucks, very few cement trucks etc. It was nice and quiet for a while. Perhaps the county bridge could close a little more frequently.
East River Resident

Doug, Just wanted to say thanks in a public way to the folks of the recreation department and the many volunteers, and organizations who put together again another great day of fun for families - Harvest Day at Centennial Farm on October 9. We have been going to the event for years, and each year enjoy it so much that we clear our calendar to make sure we attend. Unfortunately, we also heard that some folks had wined about the fee for the event. Boo hoo – shame on you whiners! Where else can you get all that for mere $3? Pony rides for kids at other fairs alone cost more. Please don’t let these negative comments affect the plans for next year. Next year, please ask each whiner to volunteer their time! We also appreciate the fact that even the food service benefited the local groups. (And even that was at a cost less than a trip to a fast food restaurant.) Doug, would you please make sure that the folks in charge know how much we appreciated their efforts. Thank you all so much for such quality & well thought out event!
Glengary Resident

Dear Doug, It was indeed refreshing to see in this week's newsletter, that they all had something good to say about the bridges. Every single one had a complimentary point that I would have made. It was getting pretty depressing to hear people talking in stores, letters in the Ile Camera, and in your letters, about all the personal inconviences that they would be forced to bear during the closing of the bridge for one week. I've lived on Grosse Ile for 40 years, on both the north end and the south end of the island. I'll have to admit that I had the fleeting secret desire that all the complainers would be the first to have their cars fall into the river if the bridge collapsed from lack of maintenance. How do they expect the bridge to survive all the traffic, including giant heavy trucks that traverse the county bridge every day? I would like to thank the people who showed some compassion and understanding to a businessman who owns a bridge, and even had the afore thought to prepare themselves with the entertainment of reading material and the relaxation of a good radio program if they were detained for a few minutes. These are the people who join me in really appreciating living on our own beautiful wooded island, surrounded by water, and connected to the mainland by two bridges.
Elba resident

Hey Doug: The closure of the free bridge was, of course, inconvenient but not catastrophic. Monday morning it took about an hour and a half to get off the island---I almost decided then and there to take the week off thinking that traffic would be that bad all week. Thursday morning I actually turned around and went home because traffic was at a dead stop and I didn't move more than a hundred yards in 1/2 an hour (I'm assuming there was a fender bender) I didn't see anyone else in the mail bag who experienced such traffic backups. Both back-ups occurred before the Bridge Rd / Meridian Rd. intersection. I got backed up onto Park Lane. It wasn't a big deal because I had planned ahead and warned my employer of possible delays during that week. I thought the Toll Bridge employees did a comendable job. Twice only one lane was open coming back on the island and a couple of times there wasn't any traffic cops directing things. But all in all, not too shabby! In regard to the resident who feels the bridge company made a mint on Monday because of the "double charge". I have to agree that all I had to do was mention that I had already paid in the morning and my fee was reduced to one token. By her guarded reaction, I could tell that the toll booth attendant had been yelled at multiple times that evening. My goodness, thousands of people had to get on and off the island daily----a few SNAFU's should be tolerated and expected.
Halcyon Ct Resident

Picture of the Week

GI Lighthouse with Coast Guard vessel in background.

This Week in Island History

Oct. 22, 1878 – Louis Groh signed the release of property through his land to the Township for use as a highway. He received a consideration of $1. (This became Groh Road.)

Compiled by Clare Koester, GI Historical Society

Quotes of the Week: Ronald Reagan

"No arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women."
"Here's my strategy on the Cold War: We win, they lose."
"Of the four wars in my lifetime none came about because the U.S. was too strong."
"If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under."
www.georgewbush.com

Have a question or comment for the Supervisor?
Email: douglasj@grosseile.com
Please discontinue using any other of my previous email addresses, as they are being turned off in an effort to avoid spam.

Resources available at Grosse Ile On-Line include:
Past weekly updates: http://www.grosseile.com/government/supervisor/eletters.html
Searchable township code, zoning ordinance & master plan: http://www.grosseile.com/government/index.html
This week on GI-TV: http://www.grosseile.com/government/cable/gitv.html

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