On October 1, 2011, I officially retired from being Saginaw Township’s Manager. I had just completed my 2oth year here. When I was first beginning my career in city and township management, people would ask me “How long do you plan to work here?” That always seemed odd to me but it did in fact come up at several past interviews I had for city manager positions.
It seemed odd to me because I was a baby boomer and in my generation, most baby boomers took on only one or two jobs for most of their working life. But soon I learned that in the profession of managing a community, the average tenure of a city manager was about 5 years….and longer for a township manager. And here I am with twenty years in one place.
I also learned about a few characteristics that some city & township managers have …………….which I do not have. Let me tell you about a few of those characteristics of some managers that I do not have:
I am not the kind of manager that is a “high risk” taker. Those kind tend to move on when the risks taken do not pan out.
I am not the kind of manager that treats their community as his personal laboratory, to try out experiments on their staff and on the public as if they are lab rats. Those kind tend to move on when the experiment goes bust.
I am not the kind of manager that is so scientific management oriented and clinically impersonal that people start to think he has no conscience or he has no regard for one’s personal situation.
I am just not that kind of manager. However, I will tell you that
I am the kind of manager willing to take educated risks when the benefits are proven to be there.
I am the kind of manager that maintains a high regard for his community, represents his community and is willing to put down roots and raise a family in his community.
I am the kind of manager that within a professional perspective, seeks to help any person, neighborhood or group….in the interest of morally doing the right thing.
So back to the question, how long do I plan to stay here? My answer is …. “Why would I want to leave? I love it here in Saginaw Twp., & the Great Lakes Bay Region, and for all purposes, this is where my kids will always return home to during the holidays.”
I have a favorite saying: ALL GOOD THINGS MUST EVENTUALLY COME TO AN END, & UNFORTUNATELY, THE END ALWAYS SEEMS TO COME TOO SOON.
When I first tendered my notice of retirement, I had mixed emotions that day. Over the last 20 years, we have all witnessed the growth and progress of Saginaw Township with new developments in retail commercial, numerous new residential subdivisions, and recreational amenities such as the Sawmill Golf Course, the Soccer Complex and the Center Courts. And yet in this tight economy we are experiencing, I feel like I am leaving an unfinished book on the table. Part of me feels like I NEED TO STICK AROUND AND FINISH THE BOOK.
But having surgery this past June, I lost a little energy in the process…an energy that my doctor said would likely NOT return immediately, and maybe not for several more months. [He said NO GOLF & that really hurt.]
At this point, I know it is time to step back and let Assistant Township Manager Rob Grose take the helm. He has earned it and it was definitely his time and his turn to lead Saginaw Township as the next manager.
And besides, in my management career of 29 years, I have always placed duty to the job ahead of my family. Because of that, I really never got to see my four kids grow up. It was during my recuperation from surgery that I realized, “Hey, I may have missed seeing my kids grow up but I sure as heck am not going to miss seeing my grand children grow up.
Should I be worried about retiring from Saginaw Township? My answer is no because I believe the Township is in very good administrative hands. In addition to Manager Rob Grose, I believe Saginaw Township has the very best and most qualified set of department heads ever assembled to lead their respective departments. I would match these professionals against any other community, and I stand behind all of them.
President Harry Truman once said, “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” The credit for the success of our Township should go to my Department Heads, and to the Township Board who has supported them all these years. Literally, the individual Township Departments and how they deal with the public, have made me look good, the Township Board look good, and Saginaw Township as a whole look good. To you all, I say Thank you.
To Manager Rob Grose, To all the Departments and to the Township Board, I say that the future (your destiny) is in your hands. Sure, there is uncertainty and change in the air and the effects of macro and global economics are beyond our control. Please do not let this deter you from doing the right thing for Saginaw Township. Our citizens still need to be served in the best possible way.
We should not look at the glass as half empty and be negative. Someone once said, “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. “
By now, many of us wonder why Ground Hog Day is celebrated. It never seems to be accurate as far as Michigan is concerned. We have seen cold and snow, followed by a deceiving and temporary warm spell in mid March, only to be disappointed during the start of an April with cold, wet snow showers. People are out raking lawns on one day only to see blinding snow showers the next.
Amidst this fickle weather, I see people anxious to get outside (cabin fever?) and start preparing their lawns for the coming summer season. This is the time of year when the last remnants of fallen snow and ice melt away and all the “lawn debris” underneath is fully revealed. Yard waste pickup has begun and our brush will be open shortly. However, I realize that not every person can immediately get outside and start cleaning up. That is what weekends are for when you have the time to do this. SO…. when you have admirably policed your lawn and wonder why “So & So” hasn’t started, please remember that April is a whole month and it can take that amount of time for your neighbor to get organized and work his/her lawn or yard.
Another aspect of the Spring weather is accumulating storm water at the Center Road Retention Basin. Because of the unusually wet weather and melting snows, it was necessary to do a controlled discharge from the Center Road Retention Basin in the Tittabawassee River. This will be continuous for a few days. We have a permit for this; however, the rules of the permit require us to notify MDEQ and they issue a public notice.
Unfortunately, a rather negative editorial piece was printed in the Friday, March 18th issue of the Saginaw News regarding the dog shooting incident of last summer when one of our officers shot a dog that was charging him. Our officers were on the premises looking for an individual who they believed was there (but was not). In going to the rear of the building, the family dog was in the back yard and charged at the officer, who in self defense shot the dog.
The dog survived and we paid for the vets bill. The plaintiff attorney for the family filed a Freedom of Information request for information on the incident. I believe we provided some but not all the information upon the directive of our defense attorney. The information that was with held is what he is currently suing over.
We have not been served and yet the Saginaw News has printed two articles on this already. However, because there are attorneys for both the Township and the Plaintiff involved, we are advised to let them handle the matter, especially since there is a lawsuit being mentioned.
The lawsuit mentioned in the editorial was filed in Court but HAS NOT BEEN SERVED YET ON A SAGINAW TOWNSHIP OFFICIAL AS OF THIS DATE. Simply sending a copy to the Township’s attorney for his reaction is not proof of service. However, served or not, there are two attorneys involved and the Township is advised to let them handle it.
One year ago when I wrote my January, 2010 article for the STBA, I spoke of how cyclical our economy was and how people in the 1970’s can relate to the equally hard times that were felt shortly after we entered the 21st century. I spoke of the American spirit as one full of perseverance and I used the words, “adaptive, moving onward, and having strong hope.” Finally, I said, “Wait til next year.” That “next year” has come.
I still believe in those statements of last year and also believe that we need that same American spirit to manage our way through this next decade. 2010 was an interesting but somewhat nerve rattling year. Did we see recovery? Yes, but not as much as we hoped for in Michigan, and certainly not in the way we would have preferred to experience it. Amidst reports of dramatic market swings, double dip inflation and recession, we seem to be doing economically better than in 2009, and perhaps enough to fuel our hopes for 2011.
One of the things learned in 2010 was the fact that, like any business with a workforce of 128 employees and limited or declining revenues, we also needed to implement a plan for “right sizing” local government, apply resources to where it is demanded of us, and to no longer operate on the premise of “well, we always did it that way.” 2010 literally forced us to review our many programs in all departments to see if their continuance was necessary, cost effective or simply “still in wide demand.” This review will be ongoing in all departments. “Do we need it? How much is too much? How much is enough?” This much we do know, that maintaining our four community core values will require further blight prevention, a steadfast and watchful eye on preventing crime, making sure that our structures are sound and safe from fire, and further investment of time and effort on community & economic development.
Another lesson learned in 2010, which will affect not only local government but possibly the entire way in which we make our living, is the change in our American economy from industrial economy to a service oriented economy. This past spring and summer, State economic planners, along with economists from research think tanks and Michigan State University held a series of lectures on the “New Economy.” The key point made was that Michigan (and the U.S.) is no longer an industrialized society. Manufacturing is largely outsourced overseas to places where labor costs are lower. This trend is not new but actually started as early as the late 1960’s when manufacturers started moving factories to the deep south for cheaper labor, then eventually migrating to South America and then to places overseas. “That’s business,” they say. Today, even China is now outsourcing some of its manufacturing to places in Africa. Today, IBM employs more people in India than they do in the U.S. “That’s business.”
What does all this mean to us? The end result is we (Michigan and the U.S. in general) have become a “services oriented economy.” Not every community can have an auto plant, or a large chemical conglomerate, or any labor intensive manufacturing plant. In many communities, the largest employer is the school district or the local hospital. While we are truly fortunate to have Nexteer, Dow Chemical, Dow Corning, Hemlock Semi-Conductor, and even a state university, we cannot ignore the fact that we are a service oriented economy now. This is not a bad thing unless you ignore this realization. For every dollar paid to an industrial laborer, it will roll over through the community many times in services via the bank, the small retail shops, the various personal services people need.
In 2011, Saginaw Township will endeavor to become lean, cost effective and responsive to the needs and demands that our tax payers place upon us. New programs may be developed to meet new demands while old less utilized programs will be phased out. I would expect that this will also continue in the business community, too, with new products and services replacing old products and services, etc…
Another effort in 2011 will be the continued work of the newly established State Street Corridor Improvement Authority, as they work with our planning staff to study and plan enhancements for the State Street Corridor Improvement District. This will be an exciting time for State Street. Hopefully, we also would like to create that same excitement for Cardinal Square and the Bay Road Corridor but that is to come. Much of this excitement will depend on the collaboration we can create between the various groups in the community such as the S.T.B.A., Saginaw County’s Saginaw Futures, Inc., and even the Great Lakes Bay Region to attract growth.
State Street Corridor Improvement District Update: The waiting period of 60 days from when the Township Board first adopted its Resolution of Intent to create the District is now over. There were no adverse comments, expressions nor letters of opposition received during this period. The next step is to adopt an Ordinance to Establish the District and an Authority Board of Directors to develop a plan for the District.
The State enabling act authorizing the creation of a CID requires us to adopt the ordinance in the same manner that we use for adopting other local ordinances. Hence, there is a FIRST READING on October 11th, followed by the FINAL READING on October 25th. Appended to the Ordinance is an inventory of properties included in the District, along with a map delineating the District. These will also be published.
The Ordinance creates an Authority and empowers it to develop and administer the district plan. Membership on the Authority follows the eligibility guidelines prescribed by State law. A majority of the Board must have an ownership or business interest in property located within the District. The Authority must have, as a member, at least one resident living in or within one half mile of the District. All meetings are subject to the Open Meetings Act. The membership of the Authority, as well as the budget of the Authority must be approved by the Township Board.
Saginaw County 911 Emergency Notification System – Are You Connected? With funding provided from Dow Corning’s Hemlock Semi Conductor, an early warning system has been established through Saginaw County’s 9-1-1 Center. I encourage all of you to register in order to receive any broadcasts that HSC may need to make. Once you are registered, you can opt to receive notifications by email, phone or text messaging. Go to http://www.saginawcounty911.com/
Saginaw Exchange Club Selects Fire Fighter of the Year: I am pleased to announce that the Saginaw Exchange Club has selected Captain Dave Ebelt from Station #1 as one of their four Fire Fighters of the Year. Congratulations to Captain Ebelt. Dave is an upper level manager for Consumers Energy in the electrical division.
Halloween Trick or Treating Times: On Sunday, October 31st, Trick & Treating in Saginaw Township will begin at 6 p.m. and end at 8 p.m.
The brush drop off site will be open Thursday the 9th and Friday the 10th from 9 am to 3 pm because of the heavy winds we experienced. The regular hours will begin this weekend and it will be open 8 am to 3:30 pm from Sept. 11 thru Oct. 31, Sat. & Sun. only. Thank you.
Some say that planning is just an exercise. Others may say that the corridor improvement plan is merely a document that sits on someone’s shelf. To me, it’s one way…perhaps the only way in which you have the chance to control and manage your own destiny. Like a ship’s crew going through calm seas or turbulent waters, you will reach your port by working together. I believe we are together. The Plan is the ship. We are its crew and we can take it wherever we collectively want to go.
During the winter of 2008, we saw the Saginaw Township Board adopt the “Recreate State Corridor Improvement Plan.” One of the key implementation steps of the Plan called for the consideration and potential creation of a Corridor Improvement District. A Corridor Improvement District (which is permitted by State law) is established to carry out the goals and recommendations of the Plan… (Examples: to correct and prevent property value deterioration; increase property values in business districts; encourage historic preservation; promote economic growth, etc…). The Plan does this through the creation of a local Corridor Improvement Authority, which is a body composed of merchants, elected officials, property owners and residents who share a vested interest in the District.
Once a C.I.D. Authority is created, they (the members who comprise the Authority) become active stake holders and advocates for the betterment of the District. The Authority becomes the “ways & means” by which improvement initiatives can be achieved. These initiatives can range from “soft” measures (such as coordinating programs like the spring clean up, marketing activities within the District that can attract patrons, seasonal events and decorations. etc…), to “solid” measures such as brick and mortar improvements to beautify the corridor. The funding of these activities can come from a variety of places, both public and private sources…donations & contributions, fund raising, district wide property assessments or from Tax Increment Financing (TIF). Many improvement authorities have opted to use the TIF approach because it doesn’t increase taxes but rather “captures the growth” in the existing property taxes as property values generally tend to grow each year.
The TIF
With tax increment financing, a municipality defines a corridor (we would use the CID as our corridor), establishes a base year taxable value, and in the future “captures” the growth in taxable value tax dollars. These dollars are to be used specifically within the district instead of being spread and spent throughout the municipality.
All improvements funded by a CID/TIF must take place within the boundaries of the District. These improvements must:
• Be adjacent to a road classified as an arterial or collector roadway (per FHWyA).
• Contain at least 10 contiguous parcels or at least 5 contiguous acres.
• Have more that ½ of the existing ground floor square footage in the development area classified as commercial real property.
• Historically allow for residential use, commercial use or industrial use for the immediate preceding 30 years.
• Be currently served by municipal water and sewer.
• Be currently zoned to allow for mixed use, including high-density residential development.
• Have an agreement from the local municipality to expedite local permitting and inspections in the area and to modify the master plan to provide for walk-able, non-motorized interconnections, including sidewalks and streetscapes throughout the area.
One might say there has been more decline than growth in property values within the last few years. This is true; however, establishing a TIF in 2011 is regarded as an opportune time because you want the “base year” or the point of beginning to be low. We believe the economy will recover over the next several years, and now is a good time to establish a TIF.
Charting the Course Ahead
The Township is moving forward in the process to create a State Street Corridor Improvement District. Last July 12, 2010, the Township Board passed a resolution of intent to establish a district, and subsequently held a public hearing on August 9, 2010. The remaining steps are:
October 25, 2010: Township Board will adopt an ordinance establishing the authority and the District. The Board will then create an authority board consisting of 5 to 9 members. A majority of the members must have an ownership or business interest in property within the development area and at least one member shall be a resident within ½ mile of the area.
Winter 2010: The newly appointed CID Board begins to meet and works in partnership with businesses and others along State Street to create a Development Plan with cost estimates and funding strategies. One of these strategies would be tax increment financing. At that point, the Authority Board and the Township Board must decide whether or not to pursue tax increment financing as a viable strategy to implement the plan. If so, a tax increment financing plan (strategy) could be in place during the 2011 calendar year.
ALERT: Keep Your Vehicles Locked At Night…..We have noticed that there a a few “safe” things that people do not do in terms of home security. During a rash of car larcenies recently, we have learned that 1) some people don’t lock their cars at night; 2) some people leave keys, money, credit cards, ipods, laptops and a combination of these in their car “in full view” from the windows; 3) some people like to park their car at night at the end of the driveway closest to the road; 4)some people don’t like to leave night lights on; and 5)many folks do not have motion sensor floodlights. If a drive by inspection by our District Resource Officers can spot this, ANYONE ON THE PROWL CAN SPOT THIS, TOO!
A recent apprehension of a car larcenist revealed that there are more than one (maybe three) separate groups of kids out looking to break into cars. Why? It has become a sort of competition. Which group can “harvest” the most in one night. Our police know there are groups because they would catch members from two different groups going through the same neighborhood. Our Police Chief, Don Pussehl asked that I mention this alert on the blog.
Reminder: MDOT is planning to mill and pave a portion of Gratiot Road in Saginaw Township, beginning about a thousand feet east of Midland Road and continuing westward to the Gratiot/Graham Road intersection in Thomas Township. This will begin on July 12th and also last a few weeks.
ALLENDALE DRAIN DISTRICT RECONSTRUCTION STILL UNDER WAY……..work has been limited due to heat.
BROCKWAY ROAD WIDENING IN PROGRESS… work has been limited due to the heat.
Saginaw Township encountered a few problems recently from projects being done by outside agencies. Even so, it is the Township which generally gets the first call from a resident. While not our primary role, we do get complaints even when it is not within our scope of responsibility. Read on:
By now, you have probably seen construction cones and reduced lane traffic on State Street. It seems that MDOT (Michigan Dept. of Transportation) waited until three days prior to doing “their thing” to inform us that they would be resurfacing State Street, from the City line to Midland Road beginning Monday, June 21st. None of our staff knew of this project, nor was it on the SMATS (Saginaw Metropolitan Area Transportation Study) schedule for area improvements. We had to quickly notify our people of this work in order that our Township operations (public safety, etc…) could be adjusted. The project will take approximately 2 weeks to complete. MDOT will mill the surface during the day and pave at night. MDOT is also planning to mill and pave a portion of Gratiot Road in Saginaw Township, beginning about a thousand feet east of Midland Road and continuing westward to the Gratiot/Graham Road intersection in Thomas Township. This will begin on July 12th and also last a few weeks. Apparently, these were internal projects on MDOT’s schedule and they neglected to mention it to SMATS.
The Brockway Road Widening by the Road Commission has caused some inconveniences in traffic. While working on the northerly side of the road, the Road Commission closed the west bound lane and effectively created a one way street. This has forced west bound traffic to seek other routes. The Road Commission says it is a safety issue to allow two-way traffic during construction.
Also with the widening of Brockway, this has created trash pick up problems for Brockway Road residents. As of this week, it is my understanding that the Road Commission has “directed” Waste Management NOT to pick up trash along Brockway because of safety issues again. Each trash truck (recyclables, trash and yard waste) has about 32 stops to make along Brockway. This has caused the one-way, east bound traffic to back up to Weineke Rd. Waste Management also agrees that it is not safe for construction workers and their (WM) drivers to operate along this road while construction continues. An accident with injuries during this project could cause M.I.O.S.H.A. to assess penalties on both Waste Management and the Road Commission contractors. The Mid Michigan Waste Authority is sending out letters to affected residents explaining the situation. They are making alternative pick up plans which call for people to take their trash to a nearby side road. It will be impossible to provide curb side pick up along Brockway this summer.
The following is a compilation of activities you can expect to see from some of our departments over the next few months. Spring is here and this is a transition time for many of us from winter mode to summer mode.
Police Department:
May 11th – Police Awards Ceremony & Police Memorial Service, Knights of Columbus Hall, 6 pm, followed by a prayer, gun salute and taps at the flagpole in front of the Township Hall.
Continued update to the police department’s web page to make it more user friendly for our citizens.
Continued work on Nixle (public notification software) to get information out to the public. We used Nixle recently to notify citizens of the increase in car larcenies due to the nice weather.
Sent out a Nixle message for the fire department to remind citizens not to open burn during dry periods.
Fire Department:
Spring is the time when the Fire Department receives the most nuisance complaints about open burning, grass fires, and recreational fires. The Departments notes an increase every year in the number of runs for these types of fires. (Either more people are burning, or more people are complaining.) While the Township has a well written burning policy, people still enjoy backyard bonfires. Others do this to discard the scrub brush and debris left behind by the winter.
Our Public Fire Educator, is finishing the Risk Watch and Learn Not to Burn programs in our elementary schools for this school year.
The Saginaw County Fire Academy will concludes its training on May 1st. We have five fire fighters (Two from station two and three from station one) in the Academy. Upon completion of the written and practical testing these five will have their Fire Fighter II State Certification.
The new Rosenbauer 1500 gpm fire engine has arrived. Training on the new engine is now taking place.
Recently, the Fire Department was showcased by TV 5 in its Fire Station Friday series. STFD was the first fire company to be showcased. For a replay of the video clips, go to http://www.wnem.com/video/23033548/index.html
The Department will soon start the process of inspecting and documenting all home daycares in Saginaw Township. This will likely start when the school year is ended.
Moving into the summer months, the Department is planning to inspect all apartment buildings. All apartment buildings are inspected every three years.
Every April each station gets together and does a spring clean-up which involves removing every piece of equipment from the apparatus and cleaning the compartments, thoroughly cleaning the apparatus bays, cleaning windows, etc.
Department of Public Services. April & May are the busiest months of the year for DPS.
Township Parks and Property: General clean up process including the installation of playground equipment, tennis nets, and water fountains.
Lawn Repairs: We make repairs to resident’s homes and Township property. (these are damages from water and sewer repairs, snow plowing, etc…) Generally, we cannot do these earlier due to County Road Commission’s vehicle weight restrictions.
Ball field Preparation: Grading of ball fields, fence line and dug out repairs. (11 hardball and softball fields)
Hydrant Flushing Program: Approximately 2,550 fire hydrants are being flushed to assure proper operation and removal of sediment that accumulates over the winter months.
Sewer Jet / Vacuum Unit: Spring cleaning of priority sanitary sewers.
Turf Management: Maintenance of approximately 300+ acres of grass. De-winterization of all irrigations systems.
Restrictor Program: Inspection, cleaning, and replacement as needed of approximately 1,900 restrictor plates. (Combined sewer districts)
Motor Vehicle Equipment Pool: Equipment change over- winter to summer operations.
Sidewalk Inspection/Replacement Program: Inspection of 47+ miles of Township sidewalks.
Our spring schedule also includes the safety inspection of all playground equipment. Equipment is checked monthly to assure the safety of the general public
