I don't understand why the YMCA group, that claims they may be able raise $14,000,000, is coming to the Iron Mountain City Council, which finds the previous administration ravaged its finances,  for  a handout.  This handout is in the form of a new road off South US-2 between between the Subway store and the Hospital parking lot.
 
The last thing we need as a Iron Mountain taxpayers is to run on miles of city roads that need work while listening to people propose building new ones.  The YMCA is probably a tax-exempt entity, so no taxes would accrue from this multi-million dollar building, just a forever cost to the city of maintaining the proposed road.
 
You know who's also promoting this?  Our Mayor, Jeff VanLaanen.  This guy is part of the gang that damned near sent to the city over the cliff.  I guess he figures maybe this latest scheme will do the job that wasn't quite completed by the infamous "gang of four."  This guy, a stay-at-home-dad with a doctor for a wife bringing home the cash, has absolutely no concept of the real world and what many of us Iron Mountain taxpayers are going through.
 
My hopes hang on the five new members who are showing fast break efforts to return sanity to Iron Mountain government.  They show every indication of having their heads screwed on right.

12-20-2008-04

Sigh. Okay. Educate me. But, tell me what I want to know, not what you think I should know about it. The first fact I need to know before wasting my time - and yours -  is this: How is this project going to be paid for? If my tax dollars are needed to fund this project at this time, I don't need any more facts. Sorry, that's the practical side of me speaking. Those tax dollars are already stretched to the breaking point. If I have to fund it, then the other facts are irrelevant. It's simple, really.

I offer this to qualify that sentiment: I already got soaked in taxes for a new privately owned college building that won't even give county residents a lower tuition rate. You know, those of us that are paying for their building? Yes, and paying for it for a long time. 

What about the existing Community Center? It's tough for that place to get proper funding every year, and you want to add another albatross? What a great place that existing center could be.

Also, if you can't mention those committee members names, why are they on the committee at all? Seems like a waste of time -and counter-productive - to be on a public committee and not have an official position, or worse yet, to want your position to remain secret.

Another observation - Some people just don't learn. That's in reference to a member name on that YMCA website, who just recently tried to bleed Iron Mountain's last drop of blood for another albatross, but didn't get it, thank God.

And one more thing, I remember reading something either in the newspaper or on this website that no one connected with the YMCA effort stands to make any personal gain from it. After seeing the members listed on that recently linked website, I find that statement very hard to believe. Laughable, even.

12-20-2008-02

12-20-2008-01

12-19-2008-01

In response to 12-18-2008-01

I can't mention names because these individuals are ordinary working parents who are trying to stay out of Iron Mountain politics.  This is not an "Iron Mountain" project, it is a Dickinson County/ Community Project.

The individual I work with has spend countless hours of their own time doing research and going to meetings in the hopes that their children might have something (a center and programs) positive available to them in the community.  How many of us have heard our kids whine that "there is nothing to do around here".

I still stand by my comment that folks should learn all the facts for themselves before they condemn this project on the basis of a couple bad participants. And as you admit, you have not learned all the facts for yourself as of yet. 

Please take the time to learn the facts about this project.

12-18-2008-01

12-17-2008-01

Thank you, Dave Farragh.

12-16-2008-01

Folks -

Don't let a few people you see as "bad apples" spoil your view on the YMCA project.  I know a couple committee members who are dedicated to this project BECAUSE they want something better for their children.

Please get all the facts for yourself before you throw out a good basket of apples for the sake of a few bad ones.

12-12-2008-02

Oskar - I don't think the poster was suggesting anyone build a $14 million dollar structure without an architect and engineering drawings.  I think he/she was hinting that Blomquist had an inside (non-competitive) track on the project and was pushing for it because of self-interest rather than any altruistic motives.

12-12-2008-01

12-11-2008-02

That was a very thoughtful post by poster #12-08-2008-01  reminding us of Pearl Harbor and the blessings we enjoy.  It sure put things in perspective.
 
As a history buff of sorts, not an expert, I would remind all readers of the cemeteries dedicated to the darkest episode in our history, the Civil War.  Shiloh, Antietam, Bull Run and, of course, the most famous of all, Gettysburg are just a few of the cemeteries that have become national shrines.
 
Arlington National Cemetery is also awesome, and by far the largest today.  You cannot visit the place and watch the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns without shedding a tear.
 
Those young guardsmen take their duties very seriously and with utmost pride.  The precision is perfect.  Arlington is now closed at night, but the guards are there, 24 hours a day, every day, no exceptions.  Nobody is there to see them during the closed period, but they are there, winter and summer, in blizzards, driving rain, and blistering sun year round, around the clock.
 
A few years ago, when a hurricane with exceptionally strong winds and rain was predicted for the Washington, DC area, the officer-in-charge told the men that he was reluctantly recommending ceasing guard duty until the hurricane passed through.  To a man, they refused the recommendation.  "No, sir," they said. "We are honor bound."
 
The decades long tradition of guarding the Tomb of the Unknowns continuously was not about to end on their watch.
 
There are millions of good Americans.  The honor guards at the Tomb of the Unknowns are a small sample, but a good one, of what true pride of country means.  As an older American and a veteran, I part company with those who believe the younger generations are useless and are all about me-me-me.  They will carry the torch going forward, good will overcome evil, even though evil will always be among us. 
 
As Winston Churchill once said, "I am an optimist.  I don't see much point in being anything else." 
 
Personally, I've always been optimistic about our little home town and the turn of events in the past year show that maybe I was right not to lose faith after all.

12-11-2008-01

You are correct.  6% is probably low; the proper percentage is likely closer to 10% and it is entirely reasonable.  On a 14 million dollar construction project you may expect to pay 1.4 million for Engineering/Architectural services AND ALSO another 10% for construction inspection services.  In other words, another 1.4 million.
Now, the 14 million dollar price tag you mention doesn't state whether design/construction services are included in that figure, which they often are, so the 20% total may or may not be in there, I don't know.  If it is, it's somewhat less than 1.4 million two ways.  Either way, you MUST expect to pay for those services somewhere along the line, and they are expensive, but money well spent.  You are paying for necessary professional expertise.  Would you expect a builder to build your house willy-nilly without a design, plans, or oversight?  If you do you are a damned fool.

We're back once again to the counsel I've given here on countless occasions.  Expect to get what you pay for.  If you hire a city manager or a DPW director for 25% less than what the market says you should pay for a quality employee, then don't expect to get a quality employee.  Quit trying to get by on the cheap; those days are long gone.
This is really a pretty simple deal.  If Blomquist (who I don't know) wants to do the job for 6% of the construction costs, the City would not be doing due diligence in at least investigating.  I suspect that he cannot do the job for 6%, but I'll leave that for others to hash out
For what it's worth, a quote from Will Rogers:  "Just be happy you're not getting all of the government you're paying for.".
 

Oskar

11-26-2008-02
Architect Mark Blomquist gave a pitch for the YMCA at a city council meeting under the guise of caring for the community. 
 
What would the architectural fees be on a project of $13 - to - $14 million?
 
At 6%, probably a low-ball figure, it would be $780,000 on a $13 million project. You never get too far off track by following the money.

12-8-2008-01

"Yesterday, December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy, the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan."
 
Thus began the most famous speech of the twentieth century by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt sixty-seven years ago today. 
 
While we think of the upcoming Christmas Holiday season, mull the financial crises circling the globe, and ponder the future our own home town, let us never forget the immensely greater problems our beloved nation faced three-score and seven years ago.
 
The population of the United States was one hundred forty million in 1941.  Over sixteen million men and women would wear the uniform of the armed services during the war, over 10% of the entire population.  Comparatively, we would have over thirty-million in uniform based on our current population of over three hundred million.
 
Literally within days, we went on a total wartime footing.  Ford Motor Company went from making cars to producing bombers.  Chrysler found itself in the tank business.  General Motors produced vast amounts of military equipment.
 
Boeing had developed and continued building the B-17 and B-25 bombers and began working on the B-29.  Women who had never set foot inside of a factory stepped in to take the place of the men called into services and "Rosie, the Riveter" became the catchall phrase for all the millions of women who became our new production workers.
 
No one under seventy years old can remember much of this era.  Nonetheless, we still have millions of Americans, rapidly leaving us, who were of a part of what is now called The Greatest Generation.  We were a nation of tough, determined people who fought two major wars at the same time in Europe and the Pacific. 
 
We paid a price with over 300,000 servicemen giving their lives to the cause.  Immaculately manicured cemeteries are maintained throughout Europe and the Pacific area as a perpetual reminder of the price of liberty.
 
Let us all hope and pray that we still have the determination and mental and physical toughness needed in an ever more dangerous world.  And let us not forget what others have done for us in decades and centuries past.
 
God Bless America - if we continue to deserve His blessing.

12-5-2008-01

It was great to see everyone out and walking around downtown last night.  Thank you to everyone who organized and participated in the event. 
P.S. the lights downtown look great at night.

12-4-2008-01

12-3-2008-01

To 11/30/08-02
 
It was just a question.  A site like this, where great minds share, I thought I would get a reasonable answer to my question.  With the economic situation as it is, and Michigan in worse shape than most states, I am actually wondering what would happen if these business could no longer survive, what would happen to the city of Iron Mountain and Kingsford, and to the township.  I know that some of these business do business all over the country.  What if other areas provided a more central location making it more cost effective for them to move.  That is all I was trying to get to.  Sorry, if I sounded like an extortionist.  I won't bother you with any more questions.

12-2-2008-02

12-2-2008-01

What a difference an election can make.  I have been to many Iron Mountain City Council meetings in the past few years.  The atmosphere has taken  a decided turn in the three meetings since the November election.
 
We now have a deliberative body that asks questions carefully and in depth.  There is no showboating because none is needed when everything is out in the open. Even Van Laanen and Burke are getting the message that things are not what they used to be, and, I pray, never will be again.
 
This council has many issues to wade through.  They face many challenges going forward.  The damage done in the past five years cannot be corrected overnight.  The difference is that we have a new mind-set representing us, and it is showing itself loud and clear. 
 
They are moving as fast as possible, but the list of issues that need to be resolved is long and financially foreboding. I have high hopes for Iron Mountain for the first time since January of 2004.