VILLAGE OF ROSCOMMON - Village Manager's Blog

Master Plan

2010-08-04T12:48:00.001-04:00

Check out the Village of Roscommon's new Master Plan! It is available on our main website, on the lower right hand side in PDF format.

Village of Roscommon

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Village Seeks Cemetery Board Members

2010-07-21T11:21:00.000-04:00

Village Seeks Cemetery Board Members

The Village of Roscommon is seeking individuals to serve on its Cemetery Board. The Cemetery Board consists of three (3) members and make recommendations to the Village Council regarding upgrades, maintenance, and other cemetery related items.

Meetings are held as needed, usually on a quarterly basis. Initial terms vary from one (1) to three (3) years. Please contact Village Hall at (989) 275-5743 if you are interested in serving the Village in this capacity.

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Roscommon County Fair 5k

2010-06-09T23:51:00.003-04:00

Attached is the registration form for the Roscommon County Fair 5k Run/Walk to be held Saturday, August 7th, 2010 at the Roscommon County Fair Grounds.

Village Spring Clean-Up

2010-06-04T07:22:00.000-04:00

3rd Annual Village Spring Clean-Up

Roscommon Village Hall - 214 S. Main St.

Saturday, June 5th, 2010

10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

40 Yard Roll-Off Dumpster will be provided free of charge

*Village Residents Only*

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The items that cannot be put into the roll off container are:

Any Liquid or Hazardous Material
Paint/Oil
Yard Waste
Whole Tires
Rock
Dirt/Sand
Any Freon Containing Appliances
Concrete or Brick
Shingles
Steel or Iron

Fourth Street Project

2010-06-03T09:36:00.000-04:00

Fourth Street construction to begin in Roscommon

(courtesy of the Houghton Lake Resorter - June 3rd)

Reconstruction of Fourth Street in Roscommon Village is scheduled to begin next week. Village Manager Tom Gromek said work is scheduled to start next Monday and be completed by July 27.

The proposed project will completely reconstruct Fourth Street including additional depth of sand sub base, placing a geotextile fabric layer, and constructing under drain saturated sub base. Also, the proposed project will include milling and resurfacing of approximately 500 feet of Fourth Street from Brooks Street to Sheley Street. New eight-inch water main will be installed for 1,500 feet along Fourth and Edna Streets to replace four and six-inch lines, and three aging fire hydrants and 15 water services will be replaced.

Gromek said the road improvements will make Fourth Street better able to support truck traffic to the village’s commercial district. They also are designed to relieve surface drainage problems by increasing road grades and providing means for surface water to leave the roadway.

Replacing the existing water main with eight-inch pipe and fixing the known leaks in the water system is designed to protect the community water supply and health. The improvements will also increase fire flows to the project area by as much as 100%, Gromek said. That will positively impact the village’s Insurance Services Organization rating and could reduce residents’ insurance premiums, he added.

The $365,800 project will be paid for with a $245,800 Michigan Community Development Block Grant and $120,000 in matching funds from the village.

Porath Contractors, Inc., Houghton Lake, are general contractors for the project. The engineering firm is Fleis & VandenBrink, Traverse City.

During construction, the village will put a low level of chlorine into the water system as a precaution against potential contamination or water main breaks. Gromek said the village will provide residents with updates on any detours and road closures during the project via the village web site and cable television Channel 2.

4th Street Project

2010-06-02T13:55:00.001-04:00

Road Project - 4th Street (From Lake to Edna) and Edna St (from 4th to 5th Street)

June 7th to July 27th - anticipated construction dates

The proposed project will completely reconstruct 4th Street including additional depth of sand sub base, placing a geotextile fabric layer, and constructing under drain saturated sub base. Also, the proposed project will include reconstruction of approximately 300 feet of 4th Street from Lake Street to Brooks Street, milling and resurfacing of approximately 500 ft of 4th Street from Brooks Street to Sheley Street, reconstruction of 1400 ft of 4th and Edna Street from Sheley to M-76. Watermain construction will involve placing 1,550 ft of 8 inch watermain along 4th Street and Edna Street in addition of replacement of 3 aging fire hydrants and 15 water services along the new pipe.

The improved road section will be better suited to support commercial loads and provide long term service to the commercial district. In addition, reconstruction of the road will alleviate existing surface drainage problems by increasing road grades and providing means for surface water to leave the roadway. The elimination of these drainage problems will provide a great benefit for the many residents along Fourth Street.

Replacing the existing watermain with 8-inch pipe and fixing the known leaks in the water system will protect the community water supply and health. Also, these improvements will be able to increase fire flows to the project area by as much as 100%. This will positively impact the Village's Insurance Services Organization (ISO) rating and can potentially reduce insurance premiums.

4th Street is crucial to providing access to the businesses along M-76 and for providing a detour for M-76. Continued deterioration of the road and the existing drainage issues will require additional maintenance by the Department of Public Works which adversely impacts the Village budget and precludes staff from performing other duties. Repair of the road will alleviate maintenance concerns and will provide an effective road for all residents and businesses.

* Village received grant money for this project.....Michigan Community Development Block Grant Program........Village was awarded $245,800 in grant money with a $120,000 match.....total of $365,800 project. *

* The Village will be putting a low level of chlorine into the water system as a precaution against potential contamination or watermain breaks. This will be a temporary measure for the best interest of the Village and its residents*

* The Village will be providing updates on any detours and road closures during the project. *

Wildfires

2010-05-18T19:22:00.000-04:00

UPDATE AT 6:04 P.M: The U.S. Forest Service says the wildfire in Crawford County is now more than 3,000 acres and is not contained. A second shelter has been set up at the Resurrection Life Center in Crawford County. If you live in Roscommon County you need to go to the St. Helen Richfield Township Hall. Viewers tell 7 & 4 News ash is falling in areas surrounding the fire location.

UPDATE AT 5:30 P.M: The U.S. Forest Service says the wildfire in Crawford County is definitely not contained at this time. They are using all of their resources to fight the wildfire. Details of exact location of the wildfire are not known at this time.

Anyone within 10 miles west of the intersection of M-18 and F-97 and 3 miles north of M-18 need to evacuated the area immediately. A shelter was set up at Kirtland Community College. However, we are now told people are being sent to Richfield Township Hall in St. Helen.

The manager of the Ramada Inn in Grayling is offering special rates for evacuees. If you are in need of a place to stay call 1-989-348-7611. Rates will be $45.00

The Department of Natural Resources says the fire is about 3,000 acres and crossed M-18 around 4:00 p.m.. The DNRE says the head of the fire is more than a mile wide.

2010 Census - Roscommon

2010-04-12T10:38:00.002-04:00

The Village of Roscommon currently has a 71% Participation Rate for the 2010 Census. You can track returns rate for any of the country by follow the link below. Let's keep bumping that rate up!

http://2010.census.gov/2010census/take10map/2010textview.php

U.S. Census Jobs

2010-03-17T13:05:00.000-04:00

JOBS!!

The 2010 US Census recruiters in our area looking for 100's of people to assist in this year’s Census. CALL 1-866-861-2010 The field jobs in this area will pay $12.25/hour + $.50/mile. There are other jobs available, check the website.

Person must be 18 or over, have a valid driver's license and dependable transportation and pass an extensive background check. Training and canvassing will be held in our area.

http://2010.census.gov/2010censusjobs/ http://2010.census.gov/2010census/

Testing will be held Friday March 19 and 26 at 6:00 p.m. at the CRAF Center in Roscommon. 200 positions need to be filled. Bring your picture ID and take the test Friday!

These will be the last testing dates for our area.

Village Audit

2010-03-08T13:16:00.002-05:00

Berthiaume & Co. will be here Tuesday and Wednesday of this week to conduct the field work for our 2009 Village Audit.

Spring Banners

2010-03-08T13:14:00.002-05:00

Our DPW crew is replacing the winter snowflake banners with our spring daisy banners.....as we enjoy this nice, warm weather, the banners will add a nice spring feel to the community!

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Grant Dollars

2010-02-12T10:38:00.002-05:00

The Village already has been approved for grant funding through the Michigan Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) Infrastructure Capacity Enhancement (ICE) program offered through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

With this grant money, The Village will be fixing up Fourth Street, addressing both road surface and drainage problems. Construction should take place in mid to late May.

We are also applying for another CDBG ICE grant for watermain improvements on Fifth St, Wyckoff, and State St. The application is due on February 22nd.

Improvements we can make to the Village with grant funds and only a small amount of Village funds is a great benefit to the entire community.

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Winterfest 2010

2010-02-12T10:35:00.001-05:00

WINTERFEST IS ALMOST HERE….Get your BADGE at the Chamber Office … The fun begins Friday, February 19, at Cross Country Ski Headquarters with illuminated skiing from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. and dinner specials at Timbers on the Cut River with entertainment by Exit 239 from 5:00 – 10:00 p.m. Our new Box Hockey will be out on the deck – come check it out.

Saturday, February 20, kicks off with a Pancake breakfast at Timbers from 8:00 – 10:00 a.m., the Fishing Derby begins at 9:00 a.m. ending at 3:00 p.m. at the North State Park Boat Launch. The Crazy Cardboard Classic at Pioneer Hill, from 10:30 a.m.- noon is always a must attend event! The Annual Chili Cook-off will be held at the Ralph A. MacMullan Conference Center from11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., who will get the trophy this year? The Broomball competition starts at 1:00 p.m., Kid’s Karnival Games from 12:00 – 3:00 p.m., Hot dog and hot chocolate lunch, box hockey, and more, all at the Higgins Lake North State Park.

Another new event this year will be a Snowmobile Radar Run from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Classes will be Stock, up to 440; Stock, up to 699; Stock “Big Bore”; and modified. There will be a $10 registration fee. DOT Full face helmets, valid trail permit and registrations are required for participation.

All event participants must wear a $5 WinterFest 2010 Badge (children 5 and under are free – accompanied by an adult with a badge. Badges are available at the Chamber office, and will be sold at all event sites.

January - June Newsletter

2010-01-25T00:40:00.004-05:00

(Click for full-size image)

January - June 2010 Newsletter

2010-01-07T11:27:00.001-05:00

The January - June 2010 Village Newsletter (The Villager) is available at Village Hall now!!

I will have it scanned into this new post by week's end.

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Tip-Up Town USA Featured in MML Magazine!

2010-01-06T10:10:00.003-05:00

One of Roscommon County's major events receiving some nice publicity!

(Houghton Lake's Tip-Up Town USA was featured in the Janauary/February edition of the MML Review Magazine, Jennifer Eberbach wrote the article)

Houghton Lake’s winter festival Tip-Up Town USA is celebrating its 60th anniversary. For its diamond anniversary, a diamond studded entrance badge will be raffled off to one lucky attendee. Event planner George Geisenhaver of the Houghton Lake Chamber of Commerce, explains many badge collectors have held on to their personal experiences of the festival by holding on to these items—even passing them down from generation to generation. This attests to the impact the event has on individuals. Along with reoccurring events like “turkey bowling,” a polar bear dip, and a family-friendly carnival, this year’s installment of Tip-Up Town will feature a second-annual family skate night, which has been extended to both weekends, airboat rides for an extra fee, and illuminated torch parades at dusk around the lake.

Geisenhaver thinks the event has had a positive impact on tourism and the economic health of Houghton Lake’s business community. “This event really helps us through the month of January, which would typically be a slow month for people in other northern Michigan communities. The event draws in thousands of people. It’s pretty important for the businesses here,” he says.

(Jennifer Eberbach is a freelance journalist and professional copywriter. You may contact her at 734-929-2964 or jen@jenthewriter.info. Visit her online at
www.jenthewriter.info.)

Roscommon Business Expo

2010-01-06T10:00:00.002-05:00

We are planning on having another Roscommon Business Expo this spring, which will be our 2nd Annual. The event is co-sponsored by the Higgins Lake-Roscommon Chamber of Commerce and the Village of Roscommon, with Connie Allen, Chamber Director, chairing the Expo committee. Many local business representatives are part of the committee, which will immensely help the event further succeed.

We have a meeting today at 2:00 p.m. at Village Hall..........The Expo is set for May 12th at the CRAF Center in downtown Roscommon.

More details to follow!

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Green Team

2010-01-04T09:23:00.002-05:00

Village forming ‘green team’

(Courtesy of the December 31, 2009 Houghton Lake Resorter)

If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to be more “green” in 2010, the Roscommon Village Council has an opportunity for you.

Village Manager Tom Gromek said the village is looking for residents who would like to serve on a “green team” as the village participates in the Michigan Green Communities Challenge.

The village council recently voted to be part of the program, sponsored by the Michigan Municipal League and the Michigan Bureau of Energy Systems, for the next three years. The program is designed to reflect the village’s commitment to adopt energy efficiency and conservation policies and programs. It includes collecting and assessing data on the village’s energy, developing goals and activities to improve efficiency and measuring results. The program also encourages citizens and businesses to use conservation practices to benefit the community.

Gromek said village residents interested on serving on the “green team” may contact him at 275-5743 or tom@roscommonvillage.Com

The village also is participating with Gerrish and Higgins Townships in the Rebuild Michigan Program, which is designed to foster partnerships that promote increased energy efficiency within a community. Partners may include local governments, schools, universities, businesses, non-profit organizations and public housing authorities. It is designed to assist public schools, colleges, universities, local governments and public housing authorities with improving the energy efficiency of their buildings. This program offers technical assistance and attractive financing information for cost-effective projects. Eligible public institutions can install the recommended improvements with little or no up-front capital.

End of the Year

2009-12-30T13:25:00.003-05:00

I hope everyone had a good 2009, and let's go for an even better 2010!

We are producing a (January-June) Village Newsletter, so look for that at Village Hall and on our website/my blog. The newsletter will no longer be produced quarterly. Instead, we will have 2 newsletters per year. The January newsletter, as stated above, will be available in print form at Village Hall and on our website/my blog shortly. The July newsletter will be mailed out with the Village taxes.

The change is due to the Roscommon County Herald News closing down production.

Full Schedule of Events for Christmas in the Village

2009-12-04T15:00:00.002-05:00

Friday, December 4
7:00 p.m. Concert by area groups at the Roscommon High School

Saturday, December 5
8:30 – 11:30 a.m. Breakfast with Santa and a Santa’s Workshop - Roscommon High School, sponsored by the Roscommon Co-op Nursery

10:00 a.m. Cookie Walk & Greenery Sale – Good Shepherd United Methodist Church of the North, 149 West Robinson Lake Road

10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Christmas Open House – Gallimore Boarding House – Cookies and candies will be for sale, and free warm wassail will be served

Noon – 3:00 p.m. Special Postage Cancellation at the CRAF Center

Noon – 5:00 p.m. Kids Corner – Free Make & Take a craft. Sponsored by Don Nester Chevrolet Oldsmobile

Noon – 8:00 p.m.
CRAFT Show at the CRAF Center & CIV 4-Week raffle tickets
Model Train displays around the Village
Christmas Tree Silent Auction at the Richardson School House - Roscommon Elementary School Classes
Book Fair – at the CRAF Center, sponsored by the Roscommon County Literacy Council

1:00 p.m. Family Movie – sponsored by the Roscommon Cinema, admission=canned good

1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Chain Saw Carving Demonstration, 4:00 p.m. auction of carved items, 5th Street Market Parking Lot

2:00 – 5:00 p.m. Memorial Tree, inside Impact Office, sponsored by Hospice of Michigan

3:00 p.m. Family Movie – sponsored by the Roscommon Cinema, admission=canned good

Dusk Luminaries – Welcomes you down 5th and Lake Streets

4:00 – 8:00 p.m. Open House – Village Businesses
Streets are Closed, Free carriage rides starting at Chase Bank

4:00 - ? Lions Club Hot Dogs – Chase Bank, donation of a canned good or money

4:30 – 6:00 p.m. AuSable River Center – Visit the Center and enjoy refreshments and register for a door prize

5:00 p.m. Free cider and donuts in from of Impact Office. Sponsored by Nester Chevrolet.

6:30 p.m. ELECTRIC LIGHT PARADE

Village Tree Lighting, after the parade on the lawn of the CRAF Center. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be announcing the coloring contest winters. Children can visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Santa House in BC Pizza’s parking lot.

8:00 p.m. Teen Movie – sponsored by the Roscommon Cinema, admission=canned good.

Christmas in the Village

2009-12-04T09:00:00.004-05:00

With the snow falling, it seems like a perfect time to discuss our Christmas in the Village Festival happening this weekend.

Some brief highlights:

Friday - December 4th (tonight)
7:00 p.m. - Concert by area groups - Roscommon High School Auditorium

Saturday - December 5th
(8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.) - Breakfast with Santa & Santa's Workshop - Roscommon High School
(Noon - 8:00 p.m.) - Craft Show - CRAF Center Gym
(6:30 p.m.) - Annual Electric Light Parade - Downtown Roscommon

Following the parade, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be at the Gazebo to announce Coloring Contest Winners and light the tree.

After tree lighting, kids can visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Santa House by BC Pizza. Bring your camera!

I invite everybody to come to the Village of Roscommon and enjoy yourself this holday season!

For more information, call Village Hall at 989-275-5743 or check out this past week's Houghton Lake Resorter article.

Trunk or Treat

2009-10-28T14:27:00.002-04:00

A reminder of the Trunk or Treat Halloween Event taking place this Saturday, October 31st at the Au Sable River Center from 4:00 - 6:00 pm.

"Trunk or Treat is back! Bring your ‘vehicles’ and candy to the AuSable River Center on Halloween, Saturday, October 31st, from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. Set-up will begin at 3:00 p.m. Call Connie at the Chamber to RSVP by October 29th, at 275-8760! If you can’t make it that afternoon, we will gladly accept donations to purchase candy for all the children. Please call the Chamber to reserve your ‘spot’ today!"

Fred's of Roscommon

2009-10-28T14:25:00.002-04:00

Read about Fred's of Roscommon in Bowling Industry Magazine!

http://www.fredsofroscommon.com/pdf/mag_article.pdf

Roscommon Area Public Schools - School Closing

2009-10-26T16:03:00.001-04:00

Due to illness and excessive absences, Roscommon Area Public Schools will be closed for the remainder of this week.

School will resume Monday, November 2, 2009.

MML Revenue Sharing Rally in Lansing

2009-10-26T10:06:00.001-04:00

I will post more in the next day or two of my experience, but this website gives a great video summary and provides some great articles on what transpired last Thursday.

http://www.mml.org/advocacy/funding/capitolrally.html

Revenue Sharing Cuts

2009-10-16T15:41:00.009-04:00

Roscommon stands to lose a good amount of money due to state revenue sharing cuts.....while a final decision has not been made, look for over 10% of our revenue sharing to be cut. The Michigan Municipal League and the various communities, including council members, employees, and managers are coming together for a common cause. I will most likely be attending, fighting for our share of the money so valuable services/projects do not have to be cut in communities, including ours. Here is more information about the event.....

Action Alert!
Rally for Public Safety & Revenue Sharing!
Join us at the State Capitol October 22
Join us in a RALLY for public safety and revenue sharing Thursday, October 22 at 11:30 am on the Capitol Building steps in Lansing!

Year after year, dollars promised to local communities have been cut. This year, the Legislature has passed a budget with some of the most severe cuts yet to revenue sharing. It is time to take a stand. We must tell legislators and the governor that we will not allow them to make local officials cut services demanded by their residents anymore!

The governor and legislators from both parties have repeatedly said that appropriately funding public safety and revenue sharing is one of their top priorities. The Legislature must find the resources to appropriately fund revenue sharing. Both chambers have passed bills to backfill cuts with new dollars. We must come together on the Capitol lawn Thursday to demand public safety and revenue sharing are appropriately funded. The safety and health of our citizens depends on it!

We expect to be joined by police and firefighters, and other local officials. There will also be media crews at the event, so we encourage you to bring your mayors, councilmembers, managers, staff, police officers, firefighters, and everyone else you can find. Be ready to talk to the media in case you are approached—and remember to use specific examples of how these cuts will hurt your community! The House and Senate will also be in session. After the rally, you can talk to your legislator about how these cuts will affect their constituents!

We promise to keep you warm with hot snacks and beverages.

Budget Workshop #2

2009-10-16T15:41:00.001-04:00

We will be having our 2nd Budget Workshop on Monday, October 19th at 7:00 p.m. at Village Hall!

Water Tower Exterior Cleaning

2009-10-07T20:00:00.010-04:00

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Water Tower Exterior Cleaning - October 6th & 7th

What a difference this has made to our water tower as evident from the photographs - much better impression from residents and visitors when they see this prevalent structure in the Roscommon sky!

Au Sable River Center Addition Grand Opening

2009-09-14T12:00:00.002-04:00

This photo was taken at the Grand Opening of the Au Sable River Center Additions. The additions include a covered canopy, new restroom, and a new meeting room. The outside of the building was also re-done to resemble the old Train Depot which stood close to this location.

DPW Appreciation Day

2009-09-14T11:49:00.003-04:00

(from left to right: DPW Seasonal Employee Andy McGregor, DPW Technician Mike Looney, Village President Jesse Carlson, DPW Specialist Jeff Burmester, DPW Director Dave Hodges, Village Manager Tom Gromek)

The Village Council honored the Department of Public Works' staff with a potluck lunch on September 3rd featuring many delicious homemade dishes. Certificates of appreciation were also given to each employee praising their hard work and willingness to go above and beyond their regular job duties for the benefit of the Village.

Tom's Two Cents - September Edition

2009-09-14T11:45:00.002-04:00

Tom's Two Cents

New, Unique Event Set to Take Roscommon by Storm

We all know of the Michigan Firemen’s Memorial Festival, its continued success, and its importance to Roscommon. This year’s Firemen’s Memorial Festival will be held from Thursday, Sept. 17 to Sunday, Sept. 20.

The following weekend features a brand new event, the first annual Roscommon Oktoberfest, sponsored by the Roscommon Rotary Club and the Roscommon Knights of Columbus. This event will take place on Friday, Sept. 25 and Saturday, Sept. 26. This will be a unique, fun-filled event and a great follow-up to Firemen’s Memorial Weekend.

Here is a brief Q&A detailing the event:

What time will the event take place?

Festivities kick off at 4 p.m. on Friday, ending at 1 a.m. On Saturday, the event opens at 12 p.m. and closes at 1 a.m.

Where is the event located?

At the Knights of Columbus Hall, which is located at 165 W. Federal Highway (M-76) in Roscommon.

Do I have to purchase tickets in advance?

No. Feel free to attend the festivities at your convenience. There may be a small cover charge at the door both evenings.

What type of entertainment will be provided?

There will be four live bands performing throughout the two-day event. These bands are: Catch and Release Blues Band, Strawberry Jam Band, Virgil Baker and the Just 4 Fun Polka Band, and the Jim Gower Band.

What type of food/beverage will be provided?

A limited amount of Polish Dinners will be sold, along with plenty of hot dogs, bratwursts, perogies, beer, and soda.

Where can I obtain more information?

On the Roscommon Rotary Website, www.roscommonrotary.com

Tom’s Take

The Detroit Tigers are in great position to capture their first division championship since 1987 and their first-ever AL Central Division Championship. Baseball fans around the state are tickled to death at the possibility of the Detroit Tigers returning to the postseason for the first time since 2006. The excitement is about to build as September ends and October approaches. We all remember the joy, passion, and sheer giddiness that the Tigers’ 2006 postseason run brought to the state of Michigan. With all the state’s economic troubles, I can’t wait to see people let go of their problems for a few nights and celebrate together, as a state.

Even if you are not a baseball fan, you can certainly appreciate the charity work and generosity of two particular Detroit Tigers. Centerfielder Curtis Granderson and 3rd-baseman Brandon Inge, both all-stars on the field, donate their precious off time to various charities and organizations, making them all-stars off the field as well.

Curtis Granderson started his own charitable organization, The Grand Kids Foundation, in 2008 to help Michigan’s educational system. Donations to the Grand Kids Foundation go towards purchasing school supplies for needy families/kids, books and supplies for schools which do not get the funding they always need, establishing baseball programs as well as providing equipment and facilities in some of Michigan's inner cities and eventually a scholarship program for graduating high school seniors.

Granderson has hosted two celebrity basketball games, a wine tasting and bachelor auction, and has written a children’s book entitled “All You Can Be”. He even has served as an ambassador for Major League Baseball, traveling to several countries the past several off-seasons to promote, teach, and represent the game of baseball around the world. Granderson is one of the most classy, humble, and generous athletes in professional sports.

It is hard to mention Curtis Granderson without mentioning his teammate, slugger Brandon Inge. Inge, the longest-tenured Tiger, has had his shares of ups and downs in his big league career. However, whatever his struggles on the field may be, he doesn’t let that affect his charitable work.

In 2007, Brandon Inge, and wife Shani, agreed to donate $100,000 for a new playroom for the pediatric cancer infusion clinic at C.S. Mott’s Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor. Earlier this month, the hospital hosted “Brandon and Shani Inge Day,” and Brandon took time out of his busy schedule to visit with patients, sign autographs, and play outside with the children. In a really humble move, the Inge’s decided to not place their names on the room, but instead asked that a contest be held to name the facility. The winning name was “The Dugout.” Inge recently dedicated two home runs to pediatric patients he has recently visited at the hospital.

In today’s society, we seem to hear that professional athletes only care about money, fame, and themselves. Next time you hear about the Detroit Tigers or watch one of their games in the coming weeks, think of what this team and organization mean to Michigan. We are fortunate to have winners, such as Curtis Granderson and Brandon Inge, representing our state both on and off the field.

Grand Opening of the Au Sable River Center Addition

2009-08-24T09:55:00.001-04:00

VILLAGE OF ROSCOMMON
DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

Grand Opening of Au Sable River Center Addition

On Monday, August 31st at 1:00 p.m., the public is invited to the official grand opening of the Au Sable River Center Canopy/Meeting Room Addition. Members of the Roscommon Downtown Development Authority, Roscommon Metropolitan Recreational Authority, Au Sable River Center, Roscommon Historic Model Train Club, Roscommon Historical Society, and the Roscommon Village Council, will be present.

The addition includes a 2,126-square foot canopy on front of the River Center that was designed to resemble the railroad depot that once stood on the site. The Roscommon Farmer’s Market utilizes this space every Monday from 11am – 4pm.

A 686-square foot enclosed meeting room was also constructed on the southeast side of the River Center. It houses a conference room, restrooms, and is accessible from both the inside and outside.

A railroad/train garden is currently in the works on the north side of the property. This 400 square foot area will house a train display and garden from the Roscommon Historic Model Train Club.

The total cost of improvements to the facility was approximately $140,000. The Roscommon DDA contracted with Costello Construction to perform the work.

The Roscommon Farmer’s Market will provide free pop, water, coffee, and refreshments to the public along with plenty of vendors selling fresh produce. They will also be raffling off door prizes.

Come celebrate Roscommon’s newest gem!

The Au Sable River Center (211 N. Main) is located on North Main Street, between Brooks & Sheley St.
Please Contact Roscommon Village Hall for more information on the event - (989) 275-5743
www.roscommonvillage.com

Au Sable River Center Sign Honors History of Roscommon Train Depot

2009-08-20T10:03:00.003-04:00

(Roscommon County Herald News - Article by Jeff Patrus)
ROSCOMMON — The AuSable River Center and the Roscommon Area Historical Society (RAHS) have joined forces to bring a bit of Roscommon’s history to life.

Recently, the RAHS installed a sign outside the River Center commemorating the history of railroad service and the depot in Roscommon. The sign contains some historical information about the depot and train service in the village. According to Carol Garlo of the RAHS, the sign was made and designed by Sean Bell and his staff at Thee Sign Shop of Higgins Lake, at a cost of $1,650, which was paid for by the RAHS.

Garlo said it is important for area residents to recognize the role the depot played in Roscommon’s development.

“The railroad played a large part in our history,” she said. “It came in here to service the logging industry, and the town was built around it.”

"The four by eight foot sign shows an enlargement of an early photograph of the depot, which was built in 1872. The red and gold stained glass portion of the windows is evident in the photograph. Original pieces of that glass are on display at the Gallimore Boarding House which the RAHS owns and which houses local artifacts and historical information," she said.

Garlo said Bell was able to emulate the ridgeline décor of the depot, as well as some of the end brackets on the roof of the sign. Cedar shake shingles from previous RAHS projects were also used on the sign’s roof.

According to information on the sign, the railroad “opened the way for the village of Roscommon to be settled and a booming logging industry to move in.” Around the turn of the century, under new ownership, the Michigan Central Railroad provided “rapid, dependable public service” for passengers and freight to Roscommon and north to Grayling, Gaylord, Cheboygan and Mackinaw City.

Garlo said RAHS member Ned Wickes was instrumental in compiling the historical information that is included on the sign. She said the RAHS had talked about putting together a sign “for quite a few years,” but that talk eventually died down. When Wickes said he would research the history of the depot, the society decided to put the sign together.

Wickes recalled how he and his parents traveled by train to visit Roscommon when he was a child. “It was the only way they could get here from Saginaw,” he said.
According to Garlo, the railroad continued to serve Roscommon until 1969, when the depot was torn down. She said she has talked to several residents who lived in the village at that time, and none of them understand why the depot was torn down. Nonetheless, she said she is glad the sign is now around so current residents can get a better understanding of the depot’s importance.

“It is an integral part of our history,” she said.

Miss Roscommon County / Miss Roscommon County Teen Pageant

2009-08-11T21:50:00.004-04:00

New River Center Photos

2009-08-11T21:41:00.004-04:00

Roscommon County Fair

2009-07-27T09:47:00.002-04:00

Fair kicks off Thursday night, August 6th at 7:00 PM with the Miss Roscommon County Beauty Pageant at the CRAF Center in Roscommon. Tickets $5.00 person

Opens Friday August 7th at noon with formal flag raising ceremony by VFW Post and State Representative Joel Sheltrown. National Anthem sung by Tami Menghini. Coffee and donuts.

Friday - August 7th
Exhibit Display: buildings open till 6:00 PM each day throughout fair
Nascar Simulator: noon till 8:00 PM-experience the thrill of Jeff Gordon's vehicle
Exotic Animal Display: noon till 6:00 PM-have your picture taken with a baby roo, tiger, etc.
Public Safety Day: 1:00 PM till 6:00 PM-watch demos/gain info from many Fire/EMS/Law Enforcement agencies, USCG. See first hand what they do and how they do it.
Solarscape: See what Hubble Telescope sees in full color. Open during fair on the half hour till 6:30 PM.
Model Train Display: Roscommon's Own Train Club bringing you their display to view and enjoy.
Children's Inflatable Rides: open throughout fair
Family Movie Night: enjoy a free walk in movie, bring a chair/blanket, just like the old fashioned drive in.

Saturday - August 8th
Exhibit Display: open
Nascar Simulator: 10:00 AM till 6:00 PM
Exotic Animal Display: 10:00 AM till 6:00 PM (or until animals too tired)
Children's Inflatable Rides: open throughout fair
Solarscape: open throughout fair
Model Train Exhibit: open throughout fair
Roscommon Little Sweetheart Contest: 1:00 PM
Horseshoe Tournament: pre-register early, draw partners noon, play 1:00 PM
Mud Bog: register during day, mud flies at 1:00 PM
Roscommon Style Music: Free music show, bring your chairs, blankets, enjoy a night of entertainment.

Sunday - August 9th
Exhibit Display: open throughout fair till 6:00 PM
Horse show: registrations open 8:00 AM, show begins 9:00 AM-high point awards for 57 classes
Nascar Simulator 10:00 AM till 6:00 PM
Children's Inflatable Rides: open throughout fair
Solarscape: program on the half hour ending at 5:30 PM.
Beautiful Baby Contest: 1:00 PM register babies throughout fair, public voting (vote often).

No admission fee to fair grounds
Exhibit entries open to residents of any county in Michigan.
Vendors open during fair hours
Children's Games and other events throughout fair

AuSable River Center Expansion/Depot Project

2009-07-16T22:17:00.006-04:00

(click on image to enlarge)

Photos of the construction of the AuSable River Center Expansion/Depot Project - the project is funded by the Roscommon Downtown Development Authority.

Roscommon River Festival - July 18th & 19th

2009-07-14T12:51:00.003-04:00

Saturday and Sunday, July 18-19

A free and fun weekend for the entire family – including the dog! Celebrate our river heritage on the banks of the beautiful South Branch of the AuSable River at Wallace Park and along the streets of downtown Roscommon. For more information on the festival, or how to become an exhibitor, call 989-275-4392.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

- Saturday, July 18, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (The streets in the area of Wallace Park will be closed to vehicles beginning at 9 a.m.)

- On the banks of the river in Wallace Park and on the streets will be vendors and exhibitors of fishing, hunting and cabin lore.
- Free fly tying workshop!
- Demonstrations: Rod makers, boat builders and more, will be demonstrating their products on the banks or in the river at Wallace Park.
- Free fly casting instruction.
- Historic information about the AuSable River will be presented throughout the day at the park.
- The AuSable River Center will be open all day for the public to visit and view the historic river collections as well as the Verlen Kruger Collection.
- The NRA Youth Shooting Trailer will be available for young shooters.
- Climb a 35-foot high rock wall and run an obstacle course, courtesy of the Michigan National Guard.
- Wooden Kayak, Canoe & Boat Show from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m..

Sunday, July 19

11 a.m. – A Kayak Paddle and free instructions by Kayaker Konnection will begin at 11 a.m. Bring your own kayak or rental kayaks available at the park for $5. Group Kayak Paddle will leave at 12 noon. Free shuttle back to Wallace Park by Paddle Brave Canoe Livery & Campground.

11 a.m. – Dock Dog: Big Air Competition, at Wallace Park. Bring your dog and his/her favorite toy. No entry fee! See pictures of last year’s competition below.

2 p.m. – 22nd Annual Roscommon Rotary Club’s Great AuSable Duck Race, Wallace Park. Tickets available at the park both Saturday and Sunday.

Roscommon 5k Run/Walk

2009-07-07T17:57:00.004-04:00

(click on image to enlarge)

Please support the 1st Annual Roscommon Summer Fun Fest Run/Walk 5k!

Date: Saturday, August 1, 2009
Registration & Packet Pick-up: 8 a.m. - 10 a.m.
Race Time: 10 a.m.
Entry Fee is $20 to run, and $10 to walk.

All participants that are pre-registered by July 20th will receive a T-shirt.

This event is in conjunction with the 1st Annual Roscommon Summer Fun Fest. I will be running the 5k, and I am looking forward to running with a large group!

Download the image for a registration form or e-mail tom@roscommonvillage.com for a PDF Version.

Thanks for a great 4th of July!

2009-07-07T14:54:00.001-04:00

Thanks to everyone in the community for a wonderful Fourth of July in Roscommon. The parade, activities, and fireworks were all great events, and they showcased how beautiful our community really is!

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Vandalism Photographs

2009-06-29T15:43:00.007-04:00

(The back of the Wallace Park Bathrooms)

(DDA Pocket Park Lot along Lake St.)

(Wallace Park Picnic Table in the Pavillion)

Freedom Festival - July 4, 2009

2009-06-29T15:39:00.002-04:00

I encourage everybody to take part in this year's festivities. Last year was my first year attending the events, and I had an absolutely wonderful time. The parade was a great start to the day, and the fireworks show was spectacular. Roscommon's Freedom Festival really is one of the premier small town events in the state.

More information.......

"The Roscommon Freedom Festival Parade and Fireworks will be on tap Saturday, July 4th! Jim & Laura Witt, the Roscommon Fireworks Committee and Sponsors have, once again, worked tirelessly to bring to our community a spectacular fireworks display for the upcoming July 4th celebration. This year's display will be bigger and better than last year! Fireworks and music will start at 10:15 p.m. You can tune in to 104.3 FM for a live broadcast! There will be food and children's games beginning at 6:00 p.m. at the Roscommon Fire Training Grounds.

The Freedom Festival Committee will be organizing the July 4th parade, which will kick off in the Village at 11:00 a.m. This year's theme is "Village of Dreams". Pre-registration is required and it is FREE. Forms may be picked up at the Higgins Lake-Roscommon Chamber of Commerce Tuesday - Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Immediately following the parade stop by the Gazebo at the CRAF Center for a musical and ice cream social hosted by Soul’s Harbor Worship Center. Food and children's games will begin at the Fire Training Grounds at 6:00 p.m.

The Roscommon County Fairboard will be on hand, cooking hot dogs and popcorn and so much more. The Freedom Festival Committee will have activities and games for the children. Come on out and enjoy all the fun" - (Higgins Lake - Roscommon Chamber of Commerce)

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Tom's Two Cents

2009-06-29T15:33:00.002-04:00

Here is a link to my monthly column in the Roscommon County Herald News, "Tom's Two Cents"

Tom's Two Cents - June

New Village Information

2009-06-22T08:38:00.002-04:00

Look for the Summer edition of the Village Newsletter (The Villager) in this week's Roscommon County Herald News and on our website.

Also, my monthly column, "Tom's Two Cents", will appear in the same edition.

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Adopt-a-Forest Clean-Up Day

2009-05-28T01:05:00.005-04:00

On Wednesday, May 27th, Huron Pines and the Village of Roscommon coordinated an Adopt-a-Forest Clean-Up Day. We received help from Home Depot, AmeriCorps, the Michigan DNR, and an area resident. Here are some photos of the rainy, yet successful event. Thanks to all the help, several major sites of garbage/trash/debris were cleaned up throughout Roscommon County, including some garbage along Tank Creek in the Village.

Park Organizer Honored at Opener

2009-05-26T08:58:00.002-04:00

Park Organizer Honored at Opener

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Village of Roscommon Yard/Sidewalk Sale

2009-05-19T13:53:00.002-04:00

Check out our Village website for information on our 3rd Annual Yard/Sidewalk Sale. This year we moved it up to Memorial Day weekend as opposed to August.

Village of Roscommon

1st Annual Roscommon Business Expo

2009-05-02T23:55:00.008-04:00

The 1st Annual Roscommon Business Expo was a big success! We had about 100 exhibitors and about 800 people pass through the CRAF Center. Many thanks given to the Roscommon Business Expo Committee & the Higgins Lake-Roscommon Chamber of Commerce.

More photos and information can be found on the Roscommon County Herald News website: http://www.roscommonherald-news.com/detail/79655.html

2009 Small Town & Rural Development Conference

2009-04-23T22:35:00.002-04:00

I attended the Small Town & Rural Development Conference in Thompsonville the past 2 days. This conference is extremely beneficial as it is solely dedicated to small, rural communities such as Roscommon. I learned a lot, and was able to network with other small town managers, economic directors, chamber of commerce members, university employees, and a lot of other professionals from around the state. Below is a link to the conference & session materials:

Conference Materials

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Roscommon Rotary Club

2009-03-31T16:27:00.007-04:00

Check out the Roscommon Rotary Club's new website at http://www.roscommonrotary.com

As a member of this Rotary Club, I can personally attest to the hard work that each member contributes to better our community.

Roscommon Business Expo

2009-03-31T16:27:00.006-04:00

Just a reminder that the 1st Annual Roscommon Business Expo is on Thursday, April 30th from 3pm to 7pm at the CRAF Center.

ICMA Events

2009-03-31T16:27:00.005-04:00

I will be attending the Midwest Regional Young Professionals Leadership Institute & 2009 ICMA Midwest Regional Summit in Oak Brook, IL this Wednesday - Friday.

Links to both event agendas are provided below.

Young Professional Leadership Institute

ICMA Midwest Regional Summit

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

PASER Training

2009-03-26T23:12:00.004-04:00

Dave Hodges (Public Works Director) & I will be attending a PASER training session in West Branch on Monday, March 30th. Dave & I previously attended a Road Soft Software training session. The PASER training will enable us to rate the Village roads & incorporate these ratings into the Road Soft software to develop an efficient maintenance/construction plan for years to come.

______________________________________________________

What is the PASER system all about?
The Pavement Surface and Evaluation Rating (PASER) system was developed by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Transportation Information Center to be used as the State of Wisconsin’s standard road rating system. PASER is a “windshield” road rating system that uses a 1 to 10 rating scale, with a value of 10 representing a new road and a value of 1 representing a failed road. Condition ratings are assigned by monitoring the type and amount of visual defects along a road segment while driving the segment. The PASER system interprets these observations into a condition rating.

The State of Michigan Transportation Asset Management Council requested that the information gathered in the federal aid road surveys be reported using the following categories:

· Roads with PASER ratings of 8 - 10 require Routine Maintenance. Routine maintenance is the day-to-day maintenance activities that are scheduled, such as street sweeping, drainage clearing, shoulder gravel grading, and sealing cracks to prevent standing water and water penetration.

· Roads with PASER ratings of 5 - 7 require Capital Preventive Maintenance. Capital preventive maintenance is a planned set of cost effective treatments to an existing roadway system and its appurtenances that preserves, retards future deterioration and maintains or improves the functional condition of the system without significantly increasing structural capacity. The purpose of capital preventive maintenance fixes is to protect the pavement structures, slow the rate of pavement deterioration and/or correct pavement surface deficiencies. Surface treatments are targeted at pavement surface defects primarily caused by the environment and by pavement material deficiencies.

Roads with PASER ratings of 1- 4 require Structural Improvements. This category includes work identified as rehabilitation and reconstruction which address the structural integrity of a road.

______________________________________________________

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

MML - Place Matters

2009-03-15T15:55:00.001-04:00

The Michigan Municipal League is working with local officials in the State to put communities at the center of Michigan's economic turn around. Place matters with the new economy. Knowledge-based workers are choosing where to live first, then finding a job.

What Does Local Government Mean to You?

2009-03-15T15:49:00.001-04:00

Taken from the mml.org.....interesting video interviewing people on the streets in different Michigan communities.

What Does Local Government Mean to You?

Can you answer these questions: "Who is your mayor?" "Who is your city manager?" "What form of government do you have?" Click here for a video to see how other people responded.

2008 Audit

2009-03-09T10:20:00.002-04:00

Julie & Ruth from Rehmann Robson started conducting our 2008 Audit today. They will be set up in Village Hall all week.

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

MML Capital Conference

2009-03-02T09:05:00.002-05:00

Village Trustee Dawn Dodge, Village Trustee Jerry Cousineau, and I will be attending the Michigan Municipal League (MML) Capital Conference in Lansing this Tuesday & Wednesday. Each of us is attending a pre-conference session in addition to the regular conference line-up. We are looking forward to learning new information & practices, being updated on the state government proceedings,
and networking with our peers from around the state. The goal of every conference attended by a Village Trustee or myself is to take some things away that will help us do our jobs better & benefit Roscommon.

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Winterfest 2009

2009-02-19T21:38:00.008-05:00

(click on photo to enlarge)

The Higgins Lake - Roscommon Chamber proudly presents Winterfest 2009. Click on the above images for detailed information on all the events taking place. I will be playing broomball on Saturday, representing the Roscommon Rotary Club!

Tom Gromek

Village Manager

Thanks to Jessica Roush

2009-02-12T11:34:00.003-05:00

Thanks to Jessica Roush for the portrait you see to the right of this post on my blog. The same photo you see will also appear in my monthly newspaper article. Jessica was great to work with, and I encourage anybody looking for any photography needs to stop into Roush Photography. The business is located next to Pioneer Pharmacy on 5th street in downtown Roscommon.

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Thanks to North Central Area Credit Union

2009-02-09T10:35:00.005-05:00

(click on photo to enlarge)

I would like to thank North Central Area Credit Union for its generous donation of $1,584 to our Flowers in the Village Committee. It is a tremendous boost for the community!

"Employees of North Central Area Credit Union donate $1,584 to Roscommon's Flowers in the Village project. Pictured are Kelly Barton, Roscommon branch manager, and employees from NCACU with Village Manager Tom Gromek, Village Clerk Kathy Murphy (accepting check from Barton) and Barb Stauffer, who was instrumental in starting the flower fund many years ago. NCACU employees wear jeans and casual credit union shirts every Friday and pay $2. The money is collected for the year with a community or charity event in mind. At the end of the year, the credit union matches what the branch has raised, and the employees choose where to donate their money."

(Courtesy of the Houghton Lake Resorter - February 5, 2009)

Sad News

2009-02-02T09:05:00.002-05:00

Kathy Butler, wife of Village council member Mike Butler, passed away late last week. The arrangements are....

Visitation at Walsh Funeral Home: Monday, Feb. 2nd, 1pm - 9pm

Funeral Mass at St. Michael's Church: Tuesday, Feb. 3rd, 11am (Visitation at 10am at Church)

Please pray for Mike & his family.

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

All Village Residents Urged to Let Water Run

2009-01-27T11:09:00.001-05:00

Village Residents and Businesses: “Let the water run”

Roscommon Village residents and businesses are being asked to leave their faucets open to keep village water lines from freezing.
The depth of ground frost and a recent prolonged spell of sub-zero temperatures make it necessary to keep water running day and night until further notice.
All village water customers should let a pencil-sized stream of water run continuously in their homes and businesses. Water bills will be adjusted so customers will not be charged for additional water use.
For more information contact Village Hall at (989) 275-5743

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Water Main

2009-01-21T10:00:00.003-05:00

The water main issue was resolved on Monday. The problem occurred on George Street between 1st & 2nd streets. Thanks to Porath & our DPW crew for resolving the problem effectively and efficiently.

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

New Poll has been added

2009-01-18T16:26:00.002-05:00

You can rate the quality of the snow removal of the Village sidewalks located within our Downtown Development District (DDA) in a new poll, located on the left side of this blog. This service is contracted out by the Village to Higgins Lake Landscaping.

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Water Main/Frozen Water Pipes

2009-01-18T16:06:00.002-05:00

Our Department of Public Works Department has been busy this weekend responding to a water main break & addressing a frozen water pipe. I will keep everybody updated on these ongoing situations. Certainly, the below zero temperatures the past few days have caused these problems. If any further problems arise in your neighborhood, please do not hesitate to call Village Hall at 989-275-5743 or my cell phone at 989-915-2901.

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Martin Luther King Day - Monday, January 19th

2009-01-18T16:00:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. While a controversial figure, there is no disputing the impact he had on America, the Civil Rights Movement, and human rights. For more information on his life & legacy, visit Martin Luther King

Benefit Dinner - Friday, Jan 16th

2009-01-11T23:32:00.002-05:00

Kathy Butler, the wife of Mike Butler (Village Council Member), has fallen ill recently. St. Michael's Catholic Church is having a benefit dinner (spaghetti). Here are the details I obtained from the St. Michael's bulletin about the event:

For: Kathy Butler
When: Friday, January 16th, 2009
Time: 4:30 to 7:00 p.m.
Where: Parish Hall

"Please plan to attend this dinner to help Kathy with medical expenses due to her illness. Kathy has given twenty years of faithful service to our parish and now is the time for us to give something back. If you can't attend the dinner and wish to make a donation, you can drop it off at the parish office or place an envelope in the collection basket marked Kathy Butler. Thank you!"

I encourage everyone to attend and contribute.

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Best of Roscommon

2009-01-06T15:03:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow (Wed, January 7th), Bev Luther, Dawn Dodge, Jerry Cousineau, & I will be meeting to discuss preliminary plans for a "Best of Roscommon" event. We want to have a free event, open to the public, which showcases our businesses, our service groups, the Village & Higgins Township, and any other community entity. The goal is to educate, inform, and promote the wonderful businesses, programs, and events we have available in our community. Look for more information in the coming weeks. We are all very excited about the potential of this event.

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

MML Blog - Andy Schor

2009-01-06T09:12:00.003-05:00

Andy Schor, the Assistant Director of State Affairs for the Michigan Municipal League (MML), is the blogger this week on the MML's website. Andy, in his first two entries, has given great, easy-to-digest insight & information on the Michigan House & Senate, what has happened in the past month, and what to expect in the future. I encourage everybody to take a look at his blog this week. The link is provided below.

MML Blog - Week of Jan 5th - 9th

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

New Electronic Message Board

2008-12-31T10:01:00.003-05:00

Photo Courtesy of Jeff Patrus
Story from the Roscommon County Herald News

A new electronic message board, located above the Village of Roscommon Events Center bulletin board, was recently donated by Kirtland Community College and features upcoming events at the college. Pictured, front, from left to right, are: Dr. Tom Quinn, KCC President; Sean Bill of Thee Sign Shop at Higgins Lake; (back, from left) Tom O’Brien of the Roscommon Downtown Development Authority; Roy Spangler of the KCC Board of Trustees; Jim Anderson, Roscommon DDA President; Curtis Norton of the Roscommon DDA; and Jesse Carlson, Roscommon Village President.

Season's Greetings

2008-12-29T11:15:00.001-05:00

Seasons Greetings to all from the Village of Roscommon!

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

New Businesses

2008-12-17T11:51:00.002-05:00

Fred's is now open for lunch, and will be open for dinner in the coming weeks. A lunch menu is available at Village Hall, or by e-mailing me, or better yet stop into Fred's and check it out yourself! The building has been completely refurbished and it will truly be a cornerstone, landmark business for our community. I personally tried the food last week, and it was excellent!

The Donut Hole is back open under new management and is serving up great donuts, bagels, bagel sandwiches, and even coney dogs. I can also say that the food has been top notch the several times I have stopped inside.

Roush Photography, a new business owned and operated by Jessica Roush, specializes in high quality photography & digital art. Their studio space & layout inside is something to behold! Her website, which showcases some of her work is, http://roushportraits.zenfolio.com/

Fred's & Roush Photography have both taken advantage of the DDA Facade Grant Program, and the Donut Hole is currently considering a new sign, which would be eligible for a Facade Grant.

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

MML Blog

2008-12-08T10:14:00.004-05:00

Check out my thoughts in the MML Guest Blog this week!

MML Guest Blog - Tom Gromek

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Christmas in the Village

2008-12-07T23:48:00.006-05:00

Fourth Street Soil Borings

2008-12-04T19:00:00.002-05:00

On Wednesday, Soils & Structures completed soil borings in several different places on Fourth Street. This was done with the supervision of Fleis & Vandenbrink, an engineering firm the Village contracted with for a survey & soil borings. The survey, completed a couple weeks ago, gave the engineers the appropriate road locations to test. After the analysis of the soil is complete, we will have a much better idea of how we want to fix the road & drainage problems in the most cost effective manner.

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Downtown Murals

2008-12-04T18:50:00.005-05:00

The DDA contracted with Terry Dickinson, a Northern Michigan artist, to paint 3 panels reflecting the different seasons of Roscommon with a background on the side of the North Country Computer & Design building, a very visible wall coming into town off I-75 via M-18. I will provide further details tomorrow, including giving the artist's full name, etc.

But as the pictures indicate, what a great new addition to our downtown! They are worth a visit into town just to see the fabulous work up close.

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Christmas in the Village

2008-12-01T12:01:00.001-05:00

Christmas in the Village is coming Saturday, December 6th, and there will be something for everyone!

8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. The Rosco-Higgins Trail Cruisers will host a Snowmobile Safety Class at the Roscommon Community Center, 510 South Street in Roscommon. All persons successfully completing the seven-hour class will be State Certified. Children, ages 12 through 16, are required by law to have seven hours of snowmobile safety instruction in order to receive their State Snowmobile Safety Certification. Registration is required, at no charge, and registration forms are available at: Spicer’s Boat City, Hacker’s, St. Helen Power Sports, Houghton Lake Middle and High School, Roscommon Middle and High Schools, Grayling Middle and High Schools, Houghton Lake and Roscommon Chamber of Commerce Offices. Registration deadline is November 30. Forms are to be returned to Tom Koscinski, 115 Clyde, Roscommon, MI 48653. For additional information or questions, call Tom at 989-821-8726.

8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Breakfast with Santa and Santa's Workshop at the Roscommon Knights of Columbus Hall, sponsored by Roscommon Co-Op Nursery.

10:00 a.m. Cookie Walk & Greenery Sale at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church of the North at 149 Robinson Lake Road

10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Christmas Open House - Gallimore Boarding House - Cookies & candy for sale and wassail will be served

Noon - 3:00 p.m. Special Postage Cancellation - at the CRAF Center

Noon - 5:00 p.m. Kids Corner, free, make and take craft, sponsored by Don Nester Chevrolet.

Noon - 6:00 p.m. Silent Auction by CIV, at the CRAF Center

Noon - 8:00 p.m. Craft Show at the CRAF Center. Noon - 8:00 p.m.

Noon - 8:00 p.m. Roscommon Elementary School Classes Christmas Tree Silent Auction at Richardson School House

Noon - 8:00 p.m. Book Fair, by The Literacy Council at the CRAF Center

1:00 & 3:00 p.m. Family Matinee Movie at the Roscommon Cinema

8:00 p.m. Teen Movie - admission is can good item to all three shows

1:00 & 3:00 p.m. Chain Saw Carving Demos

4:00 p.m. Auction of Chain Saw Carved items at the 5th Street Market Parking Lot.

Dusk - Candle Walk - Welcomes you down 5th and Lake Streets

4:00 - 8:00 p.m. Open House at Village Businesses

4:00 - 8:00 p.m. Streets are Closed, Free Carriage Rides starting at Chase Bank

4:00 p.m. until they are sold out Lions Club Hot Dogs at the Village Hardware. Pay with a cash donation or canned good donation.

5:00 p.m. Free cider & donuts in front of Impact Office sponsored by Don Nester Chevrolet.

5:00 – 7:00 p.m. AuSable River Center free refreshments and register for a door prize.

6:30 p.m. Electric Light Parade – starting at Nester’s on N. 5th, proceeds to the traffic light, right on Lake, and ending at 1st Street.

Village Christmas Tree Lighting will follow the Parade. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be at the Gazebo to announce Coloring Contest winners and light the tree. Coloring contest sponsored by the Roscommon Knights of Columbus.

After the tree lighting, children can visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Santa House by BC Pizza. Bring your Camera.

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

4th Street Survey & Soil Borings

2008-11-18T14:08:00.002-05:00

As some of you may already know, the Village has signed an agreement with Fleis & Vandenbrink to conduct a survey & soil borings on 4th street (from Lake St to Brooks St & Shelley St to Edna/5th street). Barry Willis is currently conducting the survey today & tomorrow (Wednesday). The purpose of the survey is to conduct an in depth analysis of the road, and give us better cost estimates for the actual road project. We plan to "crush & shape" parts of the road, while fixing the necessary drainage issues and problem areas in the spring. Fourth Street has become a critical road in the Village, especially with truck traffic from Glen's, McDonald's, Rite Aid, etc.....

We feel when this project is complete, the road will stay in excellent shape for many years to come.

Christmas in the Village

2008-11-17T10:19:00.002-05:00

Christmas in the Village is rapidly approaching. Here is the latest about the event from Connie Allen, Office Coordinator for the Chamber of Commerce.

"Christmas in the Village plans are in full swing. Planning meetings are held each Monday, at 7:00 p.m. at the CRAF Center. If you would like to volunteer some time with a great group of people - this is for you! This year’s event will be Saturday, December 6, with a craft show from noon until 8:00 p.m., at the CRAF Center and the parade at 6:30 p.m. The Chamber has $10 Raffle Tickets available – that give you 16 chances to win! For more information, call Pat and Lori Mattingly at 275-5829."

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Bo Schembechler

2008-11-17T10:09:00.002-05:00

Today marks the 2 year anniversary of the death of a legendary leader & football coach, Bo Schembechler. I think, regardless whether you love or hate Michigan football, you can learn a lot from Bo's life in terms of how he led, how he conducted himself, and his fierce loyalty. Rest in Peace Bo.

DDA Meeting

2008-11-14T11:25:00.004-05:00

Just a reminder that the Roscommon Downtown Development Authority's (DDA) next meeting is Monday, November 17th at 8am at Village Hall. These meetings are open to the public, and we encourage any interested residents or business owners to attend. The DDA is a great organization that has many exciting projects currently going on, and several others in the works. This is a great chance to learn & network with business and community leaders in Roscommon.

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

November 10, 1975

2008-11-10T09:18:00.005-05:00

Today marks the 33rd Anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, one of the most tragic & haunting events to happen in the history of the Great Lakes. To read more, follow this link.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Edmund_Fitzgerald

Village Manager Report - Nov 10

2008-11-10T09:18:00.001-05:00

VILLAGE MANAGER REPORT
November 10, 2008

▪ The Village of Roscommon was not chosen for the Grand Valley Financial Trend Monitoring project due to a limited number of students and the abundance of communities interested in participating. We will be considered for a future class project.

▪ Employee Reviews for Nicole & Dave will be conducted during the month of November.

▪ Paul Olson, from Municipal Underwriters, met with me last week to discuss insurance coverage for next year. He will be submitting a formal proposal by December 1st, and he would like to come to the first December council meeting to discuss our insurance coverage.

▪ We received the 2009 Blue Cross Blue Shield Rates from the MML in October. These are in the communication folder. The rate increase is around 6.4% for our plan. Melanie Hefron, our agent from The Centennial Group, will be meeting with me later this month. I recommend we stick with our current plan due to the small rate increase and its meets our budget expectations.

▪ I attended the Roscommon County Transportation Workshop conducted by MDOT on November 6th. Several MDOT officials from the Grayling Office were present along with Tim O'Rourke and several Roscommon County Road Commissioners. I have materials from the conference if anybody is interested in seeing specifics on county road projects.

Calendar
November 11th - Village Offices Closed - Veterans Day
November 17th - DDA Meeting - 8am
November 24th - Village Council Meeting - 7pm
November 27th - THANKSGIVING - Village Offices Closed
November 28th - Village Offices Closed

Meeting Agenda - Nov 10

2008-11-10T09:13:00.001-05:00

VILLAGE OF ROSCOMMON
MEETING AGENDA
November 10, 2008

1. Call to order, roll call of Council, Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation

2. Approval of the Regular agenda

3. Brief public comment on Regular Agenda items (Two minutes per speaker)

4. Approval of Consent agenda:
Minutes of the October 27, 2008 Regular Meeting & Minutes of the October 6th & October 20 Budget Workshops, Bills to be paid and Checks written since last meeting.

5. Manager’s Report

6. Council Member reports

7. Unfinished Business:
Sheriff's Report
Master Plan - Rob Eggers (Spicer Group)
CRAF Center & Wallace Park Electrical
Recreation Plan
Council Vacancy
Sale of Industrial Park Property

8. New Business:
Snow Removal Bill
Water Reliability Study
Best of Roscommon

9. Public Acknowledgement (Two minutes per speaker)

10. Items for the next agenda:

11. Adjournment

Any Council member shall have the right to submit items for the regular agenda before it is approved.

Community Events Facade

2008-11-04T09:19:00.003-05:00

The New Community Events Facade is nearly complete. There will be one more addition; Kirtland Community College has teamed up with the Chamber of Commerce & the DDA to provide a state-of-the-art LED sign, which will feature Kirtland events along with Roscommon-area events. This sign will be installed just above the glass-enclosed event bulletin board.

Community Events - October 29th

2008-10-27T10:20:00.004-04:00

We have two exciting events taking place on October 29th. Thanks to Connie Allen, Office Coordinator for the Higgins Lake-Roscommon Chamber of Commerce, for providing the details on both events.

Please mark your calendar for October 29. Forest Dunes will be hosting area chambers for a Business After-Hours from 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. The Roscommon-Higgins Lake Chamber of Commerce will be holding its Annual Meeting at 7:00 p.m., which will include election of officers. There will be a $5 charge. Please come out and support your Chamber, meet area members, enjoy some delicious treats, and relax in the Clubhouse at Forest Dunes. You won’t be disappointed! Please RSVP by calling the Chamber at 989-275-8760.

The Roscommon County Fair Board will be hosting a Roast Beef Dinner Wednesday, October 29, 2008, serving from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at VFW Post 4159 (across from the Post Office). Dinner will include roasted beef with gravy, baked potatoes with sour cream, baked winter squash, green beans, Portuguese bread, beverage, and home baked desserts. Adults dinners are $7.00, children 5-10 years of age $5.00 and children under 5 are free.

Village Manager Report - Oct 27th

2008-10-27T10:18:00.000-04:00

VILLAGE MANAGER REPORT
October 27, 2008

▪ The Wallace Park Bathrooms have been "winterized" and shut down for the season. The bathrooms will remain locked until spring.

▪ Connie Allen from the Chamber has invited everybody to an area Business After Hours Meeting on October 29th at Forrest Dunes starting at 5:30pm. Further information is located in the communication folder.

▪ The Road Soft Training session that Dave Hodges & I attended on October 16th was very beneficial. Without having any knowledge of how to operate the software going in, I was amazed at the simplicity and practicality of the software. While there are a lot of in-depth features in the program, I am more interested in incorporating our future road ratings into the software, which will help us plan for future road maintenance properly. I will keep the Council updated on our progress.

Calendar
October 29th - Roscommon County Fair Board Dinner - VFW Hall - 4-7pm
October 29th - Business After Hours - Forrest Dunes - 5:30-8pm (Tom)
October 30th - RCED Meeting - 8am (Tom)
October 30th - NMCMA's Lunch - 12pm - Gaylord (Tom)
October 31st - HAPPY HALLOWEEN
November 2nd - Daylight Savings
November 3rd - Higgins Township Board Meeting - 7pm
November 4th - Election Day
November 10th - Village Council Meeting - 7pm

October 27th Meeting Agenda

2008-10-27T10:14:00.001-04:00

VILLAGE OF ROSCOMMON
MEETING AGENDA
October 27, 2008

1. Call to order, roll call of Council, Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation

2. Approval of the Regular agenda

3. Brief public comment on Regular Agenda items (Two minutes per speaker)

4. Approval of Consent agenda:
Minutes of the October 13, 2008 Regular Meeting, Bills to be paid and Checks written since last meeting.

5. Manager’s Report

6. Council Member reports

7. Unfinished Business:
Christmas in the Village - Electrical
Road Project
Master Plan
Recreation Plan
Sale of Industrial Park Property
Council Vacancy

8. New Business:
Holiday Change Request
Set Date for 2009 Budget Public Hearing
RMRA Request
Publishing Meeting Minutes
Rental Inspections

9. Public Acknowledgement (Two minutes per speaker)

10. Items for the next agenda:

11. Adjournment

Any Council member shall have the right to submit items for the regular agenda before it is approved.

Park Bathrooms

2008-10-21T15:08:00.003-04:00

We have officially closed the Wallace Park bathrooms for the season. They have been winterized, and we will keep everyone up to date on when they will open come springtime. All in all, the bathrooms and the timed locks were a success. However, feel free to e-mail me any suggestions you may have on ways we can improve Wallace Park and its facilities.

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Roadsoft Training

2008-10-14T10:40:00.003-04:00

DPW Director Dave Hodges & I will be attending a Roadsoft workshop this Thursday in Mount Pleasant.

Roadsoft is a graphically designed, integrated roadway management system developed for Michigan's local agency engineers and managers to use in the analysis and reporting of roadway inventory, safety, and conditional data. Roadsoft uses the Michigan Accident Location Index (MALI) as a reference base.

This software is provided free of charge by Michigan's Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP), located at Michigan Tech University.

This workshop will be a great start for both Dave & I to get familiar with the software, and show us how we can use this software to better manage our roads. Once we rate all of our village roads, we can then plug this data into Roadsoft and see how we should best spend our road money. No longer will we wait until a road is in such poor shape, that we have to totally reconstruct it. Instead, we can budget money each year for preventive maintenance, and keep our decent to above average roads in good condition. This will save the Village money, and improve the overall quality of our roads.

Meeting Agenda - October 13

2008-10-14T10:35:00.003-04:00

Here is the agenda from last night's council meeting.

VILLAGE OF ROSCOMMON
MEETING AGENDA
October 13, 2008

1. Call to order, roll call of Council, Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation

2. Public Hearing - Sale of Village Property - Jackie & Richard Bertsch

3. Approval of the Regular agenda

4. Brief public comment on Regular Agenda items (Two minutes per speaker)

5. Approval of Consent agenda:
Minutes of the September 22, 2008 Regular Meeting, Bills to be paid and Checks written since last meeting, and Treasurer's Balance Sheet as of 9-30-08.

6. Manager’s Report

7. Council Member reports

8. Unfinished Business:
Sheriff's Report
Sale of Industrial Park Property
Jim Tucker - Christmas in the Village
Road Project - Fleis & Vandenbrink (Jim & John)
Master Plan
Fire Wood Ordinance
Council Vacancy

9. New Business:
Recreation Plan

10. Public Acknowledgement (Two minutes per speaker)

11. Items for the next agenda:

12. Adjournment

Any Council member shall have the right to submit items for the regular agenda before it is approved.

Winter Heating Costs

2008-10-09T08:53:00.001-04:00

This article was taken from the October 9th edition of the Houghton Lake Resorter. It contains useful reminders to help reduce your heating bill.

DTE Energy has tips on managing this winter's rising heating costs

With the heating season fast approaching- and with natural gas bills expected to rise- DTE Energy has a number of tips to help customers prepare their homes and their budgets for winter.

Some simple steps taken now can pay big dividends when temperatures start to plummet.

The following tips can help customers manage their energy costs and save money:

Budget wisely

DTE Energy's Budgetwise Billing program can take the seasonal ups and downs out of energy bills. DTE Energy will calculate an average monthly payment, based on your previous year's usage. You pay that amount for 11 months; the 12th bill of the year will reflect the difference between the energy you actually used and the 11 payments you made. Enroll online at www.my.dteenergy.com or by calling (800) 477-4747.

Dial down

The best way to manage your energy costs is by using energy wisely. For every degree you lower your thermostat, you can save about three percent on your heating bill.

One way to accomplish this is with an automatic set-back or programmable thermostat, which can automatically lower the temperature when you're away from the house, and automatically increase it before you get home.

Homes with proper humidity levels will provide greater comfort at lower temperatures. When humidity is kept at a proper level- about 35 percent at 70 degrees- windows will not sweat and the air won't feel dry. Replace the humidifier pad or clean it of calcium deposits for best results.

Fine tune your furnace

Schedule a heating system check-up. A qualified heating contractor will make sure your heating system operates efficiently and delivers the maximum energy savings.

Clean or replace your furnace's air filters as needed during the winter season. Dirty filters block the warm airflow in the home, which causes the furnace to work harder and less economically.

Clean and vacuum ducts, vents and heat registers. Check heat registers to ensure that drapes or furniture do not block airflow.

Add insulation

Install attic and basement insulation to keep out drafts and make your home more energy efficient and warm. Adding blown cellulose on top of rolled fiberglass insulation will increase the insulation value of your attic.

Insulate all heating ducts located in attics and unheated crawlspaces, and make sure there are no leaks in your ductwork.

Place an insulation blanket around your hot water heater. Electric water heaters should be placed on an insulated surface, such as foam. Adjust water heater temperature to the warm setting (about 120 degrees F)

Let the sun shine in

Open curtains on south facing windows during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat your home. Be sure to close the curtains at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.

Keep the cold air out

and the warm air in

Seal windows and doors with caulk and weather stripping to block unwanted drafts. If caulk cracks and peels away, it allows your home's heat to escape.

Install a fireplace door to prevent cold air from entering your home. And, be sure to close the damper unless a fire is burning. Keeping the damper open is like having a window wide open during the winter. However, if you have a gas fireplace, the flue should be partially open to allow fumes from the pilot light to escape.

Use kitchen, bath and other ventilating fans wisely. In just one hour, these fans can pull out a houseful of warm air. Turn fans off as soon as they have done their job. Energy efficiency forums provide

more money-saving info

DTE Energy is offering a number of free energy efficiency forums that will provide even more tips on how residents and businesses can reduce their energy usage. Vendors of energy efficient products will be on hand to talk about what's new in their industries, information will be available on energy efficiency rebates available from DTE Energy, and all attendees will receive a free gift.

The forums will be held Oct. 2 through Nov. 8 in these locations: Grosse Pointe Farms, Grand Rapids, Port Huron, Northville, Auburn Hills, Novi, Detroit, Trenton, Monroe, Dearborn and Ann Arbor.

For information on the free energy efficiency forums or to register for an event go to www.dteenergy.com/freeseminar or call (800) 477-4747. Advanced registration is encouraged.

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

The Grand Vision

2008-10-09T08:26:00.003-04:00

Check out what Northwest Michigan is taking part in.

http://www.thegrandvision.org/

The Grand Vision is a citizen led land use and transportation study that will provide a framework for the next 50+ years of development in Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau and Wexford counties.

What a cool concept! The public response appears to be tremendous. I think this is a great example of how the public wants to be involved and have a say in the future plans and goals of their city, county, & region.

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Planning Process

2008-10-08T15:54:00.003-04:00

I am working extremely hard on getting our Master Plan & Recreation Plan both updated. These plans are "must-have" documents at a municipal level. Both of the above plans are outdated, and not usable as we approach 2009.

We also are at the beginning stages of developing a Capital Improvement Plan, in which all of the Village roads will be rated, and we can properly assess how and where to spend our road money. No longer will we wait til a road is in such poor shape, that complete reconstruction must take place. Instead, we want to utilize preventive maintenance techniques to extend the life of the road; therefore saving money in the long run.

I certainly realize economic times are tough here in Roscommon, in Michigan, and throughout the nation. And some may question the spending of dollars on the planning process, and is it really worth spending a good amount of money on these projects. How would these plans benefit the average Roscommon citizen?

Well, updated, current plans are necessary to be competitive and to be awarded grant money. When our recreation plan is updated and complete, we can apply for and be very competitive in the grant process to help improve Metro Park & Wallace Park. Possible ideas include new playground equipment, upgrades to the tennis courts, possible basketball courts, etc...

These plans will also give a chance for the public to express its opinion on the likes/dislikes of the Village, its services, and its park facilities. After all, all of us at the Village Hall want to make Roscommon a better place for all residents and visitors. We want to have future goals, consider future land use, and we want everybody to have an opinion and a say into how our community will proceed in the future.

Without set guidelines, goals, and plans, it makes it very difficult to make strides and improvements.

I am always happy to answer questions on any Village issue, including on planning. And keep tuned to this blog, the newspaper, and our Village Newsletter on ways you can be involved and have your opinion known as we proceed. It will take a whole community effort to make these plans a success!

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

2008-10-07T14:04:00.002-04:00

MML Conference Report
Mackinac Island, MI
October 1st - 3rd

Highlights

Daniel Gilmartin
Dan emphasized that local officials need to think differently about their communities and think of new and creative directions for the future. Michigan will have to reinvest in its communities and diversify its economy. He also summarized the series of public policy forums conducted throughout the state the previous year. The major thing I took from this session was the need of making your community unique, thinking creatively, and understanding the needs of our future generations so we can benefit from the new generation workforce.

Promoting Active Communities (PAC)
Several speakers from the state level, along with community representatives, spoke of the benefits of physical fitness, and incorporating a healthy lifestyle mission into your community.

Ethics Quandaries
The new ethics handbook, published by the MML, was discussed and real life examples of ethical dilemmas were addressed. This new handbook is free and available to download on MML's website.

Rules for Public Meetings
This session focused on the Open Meetings Act, how to run meetings productively, and things to encourage or avoid regarding public meetings. City attorneys from Troy & Dearborn were extremely helpful in answering questions, and presenting court cases on situations where meetings were not run appropriately.

Mentoring Michigan Kids
Former University of Michigan football coach Lloyd Carr and First Gentleman Daniel Mulhern led a discussion on mentoring our youth. They addressed the different ways individuals and communities can get involved and make a difference in the lives of children who are desperate for a positive mentor in their life.

Community Excellence Awards
Each of the 7 Michigan Regional Award Winners presented their community project. The City of Jackson (Region 2) was the overall winner. Elk Rapids won our region back in May. I have a booklet of the different projects available for everyone to see.

What can be applied to Roscommon?

- We can promote our major community project, the DDA Façade Grant Program, and showcase it at the Region 6 meeting in May. I am currently working on a PowerPoint Presentation providing details about the project, showing before/after photos of the businesses, and emphasizing the positive impact it has had in Roscommon. The 2009 Region 6 Meeting is May 29th in Mackinaw City.

- We can fill out the necessary forms to get registered in the Michigan PAC Program. This will give us an evaluation of where we stack up to the rest of the state. Also, even more basic, the Village can help organize or promote walking/running days and locations throughout the warmer months. Also, encourage more walkability in our downtown area.

- We can help start a mentoring program, raise awareness for any existing local programs, and recognize individuals in our community who are making a difference in the live of others. Any ideas regarding ways we can accomplish this are appreciated.

- We can review the new Ethics Handbook and adopt our own ethics policy. While ethical issues may seem common sense, it is important to have a policy in place which sets certain guidelines for Village employees & council members.

- We can review the Open Meetings Act at a work session, and address any concerns or questions on the rules and proceedings of public meetings.

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Back from Mackinac!

2008-10-06T14:31:00.004-04:00

- Village President Jesse Carlson & I attended the MML Annual Convention on Mackinac Island last week. I will have more information very soon about the conferences sessions, and how what we learned can help the Village of Roscommon!

- Our 1st Budget Workshop is tonight at 7pm at Village Hall.

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Village Manager's Report - September 22nd

2008-09-22T14:01:00.002-04:00

VILLAGE MANAGER REPORT
September 22, 2008

▪ There was a court hearing regarding property belonging to Doug Smith. Judge Baumgartner issued a court order requiring Mr. Smith to final out permits & other requirements on 802 Lake Street & 1100 Tisdale Road within 42 days. Also, Mr. Smith shall be required to allow inspections on those properties by our inspectors.

▪ Janae & I attended a County Commissioners Public Hearing on the County Wide Proposed ORV Route. The map we received is hanging in our council room bulletin board. I also have a copy of the sample ordinance available; however it will most likely be altered in the upcoming weeks. A major issue for the Village is that currently the ordinance would give 50% of a fine to the County Road Commission and 50% to the County Sheriff. If a ticket is issued on Village roads, we should get 50% of the money. In talking with Tim O'Rourke, he agrees, and this issue will get straightened out. Since the road commission does not maintain our Village roads, this is the most sensible solution.

▪ Kathy & I attended a free listening session regarding Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) grants at the Ralph A. MacMullan Conference Center on September 16th. I found it to be very informative, and I feel we can be competitive for grant money in the future. One of the major projects we need updated is our Recreation Plan. I will coordinate efforts with RMRA, and we will work on getting a plan in place for the update.

▪ The Michigan Citizen Planner Classroom Series was cancelled due to lack of registered individuals. However, I was offered and accepted the option to participate in their online program, which includes the same materials, audio/video clips, and requires answering a high percentage of the questions right on each section before advancing to further topics. I have 6 months to complete all of the online courses, and I will be given a certificate of completion once all the sessions have been completed successfully.

▪ I spoke with Maureen Daugherty from the Roscommon Transit Authority, informing her that the two parking spaces in front of St. Vincent De Paul were converted to a bus stop. She thought there was a possibility we could receive a bus stop cover/structure. I can write a letter in support of one if the council desires. It is worth noting that by doing this, we could be showing some favoritism to this business, but personally I don't think many other businesses would object, as this bus stop is heavily used by county residents and the business certainly helps out many residents throughout the area.

▪ Andy, our seasonal DPW worker, will be working till the end of September. He did a great job for the Village once again.

Calendar
September 25 - Recycling Meeting - 7pm (Tom)
September 30 - Township Association Meeting (Tom)
October 1-4, MML Annual Conference – Mackinac Island (Jesse & Tom)
October 6 – Budget Workshop #1 - 7pm (Proposed)
October 13 – Council Meeting - 7pm

Village Council Agenda - Sept 22

2008-09-22T13:57:00.002-04:00

VILLAGE OF ROSCOMMON
MEETING AGENDA
September 22nd, 2008

1. Call to order, roll call of Council, Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation

2. Approval of the Regular agenda

3. Brief public comment on Regular Agenda items (Two minutes per speaker)

4. Approval of Consent agenda:
Minutes of the September 8, 2008 Regular Meeting, Bills to be paid
and Checks written since last meeting.

5. Manager’s Report

6. Council Member reports

7. Unfinished Business:

Sale of Industrial Park Property
Master Plan
ORV Route
Road Project
Fire Wood Ordinance

8. New Business:

Jim Tucker - Christmas in the Village
Budget Adjustments
Budget Workshop Dates
Porath Bill
Gravel Bids
Road Soft Training
Council Vacancy

9. Public Acknowledgement (Two minutes per speaker)

10. Items for the next agenda:

11. Adjournment

Any Council member shall have the right to submit items for the regular agenda before it is approved.

Firemen's Memorial Festival

2008-09-16T20:05:00.003-04:00

Just a reminder that the Firemen's Memorial Festival is this weekend in Roscommon. Go to the official website, "http://www.firemensmemorial.org" for a complete list of events, activities, and directions to the Memorial.

This is your chance to pay tribute to the brave Fire Fighters who gave the ultimate sacrifice of their lives while protecting their communities, plus an opportunity to see the beautiful renovations taking place in Roscommon. I am looking forward to my 1st Festival. Beautiful weather is expected all week long.

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Community Events Facade

2008-09-15T11:24:00.007-04:00

Before

After

Check out the work that has already been completed on the Community Events Facade Project. It will be an amazing gem in the middle of our community to display community and area events. I will continue to post the progress until the project is completed, which is expected to be within a couple of weeks.

Tom Gromek
Village Manager