By Rich Lakeberg/Ottawa County Department of Strategic Impact

The West Michigan Pike was once the premier way to travel along Michigan’s western shores. This highway running along Lake Michigan was conceived of and built during the second decade of the 20th century to accommodate the “horseless carriage,” opening up the region to tourism and the development it would bring.

Eventually, the Pike was replaced by state and U.S. highway systems and was mostly forgotten. But now, thanks to local historian Blaine Knoll, the Ottawa County Department of Strategic Impact, and Grand Haven Area Community Foundation funds, the West Michigan Pike lives again. New signs commemorating this key piece of West Michigan tourism and automotive history are being installed along the original route.
“Beginning at the Ottawa-Allegan County line, the newly marked route stays as true to the original route as possible,” said Knoll. “It winds through the southwest side of Holland, follows a series of secondary roads, part of U.S.-31, then heads through Grand Haven and into Ferrysburg.”

The effort to recognize the original historic route doesn’t end with signs. Knoll and County staff are also developing a commemorative plaque to be placed where an original Pike marker from 1916 still stands along 152nd Avenue in Olive Township.

“The plaque recognizes the last known standing marker of the West Michigan Pike Historical Route. The installation of all the concrete pikes along the route was never completed due to the everchanging roadways. Witnessing this pike’s original location is significant to the route, and we are proud to highlight it,” said Ottawa County Land Use Specialist Andrew Roszkowski.

The project has been years in the making. “It all started when I was young,” said Knoll of his interest in the Pike. “My dad told me about seeing the 64th Street portion in Allegan County being paved right after World War I.

Around 2011 I started mapping the whole route from Michigan City (Indiana) to the Straits of Mackinac.”

A few years later, Knoll approached Ottawa County with an idea to retrace the original Pike route. Working closely with Knoll, the Tri-Cities Museum in Grand Haven, Michigan Beachtowns and other stakeholders, staff created mockups of signage, and had the signs made. Funding for the signs was generously provided by the Elizabeth Davidson Kammeraad Dobbie Fund for History and the Greatest Needs Fund of the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation.

In 2018, two original concrete West Michigan Pike road markers were discovered near Spring Lake. “They were being used as clothesline posts,” mused Knoll. Both have been loaned to the Tri-Cities Museum in Grand Haven for a time to display as part of a West Michigan Pike Exhibit. This interactive exhibit with numerous artifacts told the life story of the Pike.

In 2016, the state recognized a small section of the Pike as a “Pure Michigan Byway”, joining 22 other historic, scenic, and recreational Michigan byways that include M-22 byway, Tahquamenon, and the U.S.-12 Heritage Trail.

“It’s important that local history like this stays alive,” said Knoll. “I’m thankful to Ottawa County for allowing this project to go forward.”

For more information on the West Michigan Pike, visit www.michiganbeachtowns.com.

Have an interesting project under way in your county? MAC can help share the news. Send your details to Derek Melot at melot@micounties.org.

House committee approves extension for trial court funding

Michigan trial courts would continue to have the authority to impose fees, a critical funding element, until May 1, 2024, under a new version of a MAC-backed bill adopted by the House Appropriations Committee Wednesday.

House Bill 5956, by Rep. Sarah Lightner (R-Jackson), was designed to address the crisis caused by the looming expiration of fee authority on Oct. 1, 2022.

Courts have long relied on fees to help fund operations. In 2014, the Michigan Supreme Court said, however, that courts could levy only fees specifically designated by the Legislature. MAC led a coalition to enact a legislative fix that was adopted in the fall. That legislation, to place “reasonably related” costs, has been extended twice already.

With the Oct. 1 deadline looming, MAC urges quick action on HB 5956 when the House returns to Lansing in late September. The bill must pass through both chambers and be signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer prior to Oct. 1 to avoid a disruption in fee authority.

MAC will be asking for member outreach to legislators in late September as the final push for the bill begins.

For more information on this issue, contact Samantha Gibson at gibson@micounties.org.

 

Comedian to entertain at 2022 President’s Banquet; early-bird pricing continues through Sept. 2

Chris Young, a comedian who has performed across Michigan and was a finalist in Dave Coulier’s “Clean Guys of Comedy/Unbleepable Contest,” will be the after-dinner entertainer at the 2022 President’s Banquet on Sept. 20.

The banquet is the final event of the 2022 Michigan Counties Annual Conference, to be held Sept. 18-21 at the Blue Water Convention Center in Port Huron. Registration continues for the event, which will include:

• Four plenary sessions featuring key issues now before Michigan and a MAC Legislative Update
• 12 breakout sessions for MAC members and 6 workshops for MCMCFC members
• A Welcome Reception and Strolling Dinner on the evening of Sunday, Sept. 18
• A lavish President’s Banquet on the night of Tuesday, Sept. 20
• Plenty of free time in the afternoons for attendees to enjoy sights and sounds of Port Huron, including the St. Clair River

Meanwhile, early-bird pricing of $395 for members has been extended through Sept. 2, so act fast.

To register and for complete conference details, click here.

Hotel Update: There are some rooms left at the Comfort Inn (1720 Hancock St. in Port Huron) for the special room rate of $129 per night (rate is good through Sept. 4). To make a reservation, call 810-987-5999.

To meet demand, we’ve added a third hotel option for conference-goers, the Holiday Inn Express (2021 Water St. in Port Huron). Twenty-five (25) rooms are now available there for the conference rate of $129 per night (rate is good through Aug. 19). To reserve a room, click here or call 810-662-3400 and use the group name of “Michigan Association of Counties.” 

A special shuttle will operate between the conference headquarters at the Blue Water Convention Center and the Comfort Inn and HI Express. Also, plenty of free and convenient parking is available outside the convention center.

 

FY23 county-by-county revenue sharing estimates

 

Don’t lose out on early-bird registration rate for Annual Conference

County officials have just five days left to take advantage of the early-bird registration rate of $395 for the upcoming 2022 Michigan Counties Annual Conference, Sept. 18-21 in Port Huron.

The conference will be headquartered at St. Clair County’s Blue Water Convention Center in Port Huron at the southern end of Lake Huron.

The early-bird rate for members and spouses is set to expire Aug. 10.

Expiring even sooner is the special conference room rate of $129 per night at the Comfort Inn in Port Huron. (A free shuttle service will run between the Comfort Inn and the conference center and there is plenty of free parking at the conference center as well.)

The Annual Conference will feature:

• Four plenary sessions featuring key issues now before Michigan and a MAC Legislative Update (Speakers will be announced soon.)
• 12 breakout sessions for MAC members and 6 workshops for MCMCFC members (Speakers will be announced soon.)
• A Welcome Reception and Strolling Dinner on the evening of Sunday, Sept. 18.
• A reception sponsored by MAC’s CoPro+ subsidiary on Monday evening, before attendees are shuttled into downtown Port Huron for a “dinner on your own” night.
• A lavish President’s Banquet on the night of Tuesday, Sept. 20.

Members of MCMCFC will enjoy specialized breakouts designed for its members to earn Nursing and NAB Continuing Education credits. And MAC members attending the conference will receive credits in MAC’s County Commissioner Academy.

The early-bird conference fee of $395 provides members full access to all conference activities. (The spouse fee also provides access to any conference event, including the President’s Banquet on the evening of Sept 20.) This fee includes two dinners, two receptions, two breakfasts and two lunches. On Aug. 11, the member fee will increase to $425, while the spouse rate will rise to $175.

NOTE: The member rate is open to all county commissioners, administrators, countywide elected officials and county employees of MAC member counties, plus employees and board members of MCMCFC facilities.

Hotel details

Rooms at the Comfort Inn are $129 per night. The Comfort Inn is located at 1720 Hancock St., Port Huron, MI 48060. To book your room reservations, call 810-987-5999. Group Name: MAC.

As of Thursday, the Comfort Inn had 34 rooms still available in the conference block with the special pricing of $129 per night.

Please direct any conference registration questions or issues to conference@micounties.org.

 

Higher county reimbursements backed by Juvenile Justice Task Force

Michigan counties would receive a higher reimbursement rate on some juvenile services under a proposal unanimously backed by members of a state Task Force on Juvenile Justice Reform this month.

The panel’s report advises a boost in the community-based service/supervision reimbursement rate for counties to 75 percent, from the current 50 percent to 75 percent. The recommendation is to keep the reimbursement rate for residential services at 50 percent, however.

Wayne County’s Alisha Bell and Shiawassee County’s Marlene Webster represented MAC in the task force’s work for more than a year, along with a diverse group of representatives, to recommend reforms that improve public safety and outcomes for youth and families.

Among other key recommendations, the panel advised:

• keeping youth under 13 years old out of juvenile court
• creating a statewide juvenile public defense system
• expanding diversion opportunities for youth
• increasing funding availability for community-based prevention and intervention
• implementing screening and assessments to inform decisions about supervision and services
• developing standards for residential placements and reentry supports for youth
• investing in quality assurance mechanisms to ensure resources are used efficiently

MAC is pleased with the task force’s work and supports the key recommendations made to advance positive outcomes for Michigan’s youth. We anticipate legislation to be introduced this fall to implement the recommendations.   

For more information on this issue, contact Deena Bosworth at Bosworth@micounties.org.