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*pp EAST JORDAN PUBLIC LIBRARY PO BOX G .EA3T JORDAN, MI, 49727 CHARLEVOIX COUNTY PRESS Volume 104, Number 43 December 28,1983 25 cents Trends group re-affirms 'Old Town' concept At their December 19 meeting, Old Town has been offered as a "to strenthen the business district by to the committees because it com­ factor that would allow their predic­ the group was focussing on. members of planning and zoning means for moving the city ahead expanding the permanent market... bined tourism with the industry that tions to be 30 percent off, and costs to Miller mentioned other cities which commission, Trends committee, economically. At the previous meet­ tourism would be disregarded." In is part of downtown, the Iron Works. triple, and "the project would still had successfully developed a theme: Chamber of Commerce, and city ing on November 10, the vote for the other words, the city would focus on Making a foundry museum as a remain viable." Hannibal, MO., Mark Twain's town; council re-affirmed by vote their in­ Old Towg idea was the result of two its outstanding characteristic and con­ focal point, possibly recreating an Sheridan repeated that the draft Mystic Seaport, CT,; and Rockford, tention to see if an "Old Town" studies of East Jordan: one, from tinue to develop industries. 1880's Main Street, with horsedrawn was only a suggestion. What the city MI, which resembles East Jordan in concept would work for East Jordan. interviews of East Jordan business Emesco, a Grand Rapids consulting carriages over a brick-and-cobble- would do would be only what is ac­ that it has an industry in the center of Speaking for South Arm Township, people, and the second, the Chamber firm, had been called in earlier this stone street, and adding an arts and ceptable. town. Trends member Bill Ashley'was con­ of Commerce survey of 420 residents. year, to help Trends committee with crafts shopping area are suggestions Dennis Jason suggested they re-, He added that the Hannibal project cerned with just what the Old Town The idea of capitalizing on East what had been found to be the for developing Old Town. consider the possibility of developing started with a redevelopment author­ concept entailed, and to "what Jordan's 100-year-old foundry, is priority in drawing up a comprehen­ The committees have stated that it East Jordan as an industrial town. "I ity, a for-profit operation, selling degree does the plan go?" what is called Old Town. The purpose sive plan for East Jordan. That would take time, study, and funds. think the theme ideas are great," he stock. Hannibal, he said, had about Chairman Tom Sheridan emphasiz­ would be to create a destination for priority was the three downtown The goal now is to collect as many said, "but there are people here who 300,000 visitors last year. ed that the concept is only what tourists, something that is more than blocks of the city. Without a clearcut suggestions as possible. are dying for industrial jobs." He Councilman Al Joseph was con­ would be acceptable to those in­ simply giving service to those that solution there, the total plan was Sheridan pointed out, "You can do noted that their skills would be cerned about the possible destruction volved, namely, merchants in down­ happen to come through. unworkable. what you want to make a beautiful wasted if tourism were the chosen of landmarks and old homes to make town East Jordan and East Jordan To improve that tourist service was Following Emesco's study, the idea Main Street," but, he said, the bus­ alternative. room for the parking areas, proposed Iron Works. the second idea, and the third was of Old Town seemed most desirable iness community has to be involved. The view that attracting industry is for the Old Town concept. Patsy Clark and Zane Miller of very difficult in Michigan was given Committee members agreed that Emesco provided the committees with by Chamber of Commerce president nothing would be done without input an outline, of the project, including John Kempton. and discussion. If a building should general layout, street by street; Developing cross-country skiing be saved, they said, that would be­ projected costs; and income. It is and fishing were also mentioned, but come part of the plan. their view that in its final form, the the committees pointed out that while The next meeting, open to the Old Town could attract 906,400 tour­ these were important, they were not public, as the others have been, will ists in a year. They include a safety part of the downtown problem that be sometime in January. Boyne looks for four runway airport funding Extending the present airport City manager Randy Frykberg said the 10 percent called for in the runway, Boyne City may have to dig the Michigan Aeronautics Commis­ ordinance, actually came to $37.38. up as much as $44,000. "We were sion has funds available for runway There is a two-hour minimum requir­ rather shocked at the figure," said extension on a 50-50 sharing basis, ed by union contract. The commis­ the city commissioners. The price tag and has loan funds to allow the city to sioners voted to set the after hours for going from 3,200 to 4,000 feet to borrow for its matching share of the rate at $37 to approximate actual cost accommodate turbo-props is the cost. The city could borrow up to 90 to the city. state's estimate, and includes six percent of the share. The city commission also voted to inches of aggregate base which the Because Aeronautics is meeting in approve the $7,000 contract between existing runway does not have. January, to plan for the next five the city and Granger Engineering, Saying, "Regardless of turbo- years, it needs the statement of intent Inc. for designing and building props, the longer the runway the from Boyne City. improvements listed in the Small safer it is," commissioner Bill Grimm Frykberg reminded the commis­ Cities Grant to the city, totalling moved to go ahead with the intent, sioners that the grass runway will be $290,225. — '- ""••- and city commission approved. shortened to allow for two or three The city is supplying $80,000 to­ The commitment to extend the lots in the air-industrial parks, if ward the projects, which includes new runway stems from an agreement by Aeronautics permits it. raw water supply, waterfront park the city to trade extension for part of The city will also have to add improvements, and public works the needed match of funds to put up zoning for its newly-annexed 83.4 improvements. the airport terminal building. The acres at the industrial park. Frykberg pointed out these three private funds include $2,170 Higher rates were approved for alone would not have merited the The weekend snowfall along with the blowing winds made the store is, let alone what they are offering in the collected, $2,500 pledged at the be­ weekend requests for turn on/off grant, but with the commitment of these drifts In front of tbe stores along Lake Street In windows. Barretts of Boyne ia one of the stores that was ginning of construction with $250 a water service. Up to the present the One Water Street's investment in a Boyne City as the wind blew the snow off the frozen lake, almost completely hidden from the road. Snowfall In the year for 10 years. rates had been S25, higher than the docking facility at $1,200,500, the ap­ over the roofs of tbe stores and then dumped it right in area reminded some of the winter of 81-82 when we had a Total cost of the building will be regular $15 rate because of being plication showed sufficient value to front. In some cases, the snow makes It hard to see what buzzard every weekend for some weeks. $50,000. The city's match, including after regular working hours. the improvement of city economy to the private funds, $25,000. Frykberg said the total cost plus gain approval by the state. EJ Board reviews early results of state testing Although results from the Michigan either way is not very significant. not taught to the test," said Peters. year to year, the fact remains, he director Shelly Martin, reported the Snarey, athletics director. Appointed Educational Assessment Program are Schools have different textbooks, Rossler commented, "Our kids are said, that the state's fiscal year is enrollment in adult education has in­ to coaching positions were Mike Bos, intended only for across-the-state ,he said. For example, one school may going to have to compete with kids different from a school's, and thus a creased every year. Rossler com­ Fran Pepin, and Richard Brooks. comparison, East Jordan teachers and thus cover metric numbers a year across the state." He said that four school borrows money to get started mended Johnson for the fact that the Teacher leave requests were school board are nevertheless con­ earlier than another. There were years of English in high school, more in September. Tax collections in enrollment jumped from 28 last year granted to Peg Johnson for additional cerned that the test marks are down questions involving the metric system time spent in math may be the next winter are then used to pay back the to 42.75 this year. education, and to Diane Frykberg. one or more points from last year. on the tests. steps to take. loan.

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