State of the State visitor

State Rep. Bob Genetski, R-Saugatuck, left, talks with Chris Roerig.

Saugatuck Township Trustee Chris Roerig got a close-up seat for last Wednesday’s State of State address in Lansing.

He sat with State Rep. Bob Genetski, R-Saugatuck, during the talk at the Capitol.

Roerig said it was his first time at a State of the State address.

“Bob invited me as a local official and small business owner,” he said. Roerig and his wife Linda own Baragar Pines Tree Farm, 2661 64th St. in Saugatuck Township. He is also vice president of sales and marketing for CQS Innovation, Inc., 2390 Pipestone Road in Benton Harbor.

“The atmosphere was positive,” Roerig said. “The governor impressed me with his commitment to accountability to achieve goals and the progress that the state is making.”

School board thanks

 

Students from Douglas Elementary School and Saugatuck High School thanked members of the Saugatuck Public Schools Board of Education on Monday, Jan. 16., for their time and dedication.

The elementary school students made a banner that said “Thank You So Much Saugatuck School Board” and signed it. High school students donated money for two water filters to be sent in the board’s name to the Dominican Republic. The filters will help families that do not have clean water.

January is School Board Recognition Month.

To see videos of the presentations, visit:

http://www.hollandsentinel.com/videos/x1987749512/Douglas-student-thanks-school-board?page=0


http://www.hollandsentinel.com/videos/x255288961/High-school-student-thanks-Saugatuck-board?page=0

Nothing to say about McClendon lawsuit

Saugatuck Township board members sat quietly Wednesday night as half dozen audience members asked what was happening with negotiations in the Aubrey McClendon federal lawsuit.

Township trustees did say two things:

-- Jim Hanson: Discussions are progressing toward scheduling a meeting with  attorneys to discuss the next step in the McClendon case.

-- Jane Wright: No court recorder is present so the board cannot talk about the lawsuit.

McClendon sued the township in 2010 alleging his property had been singled out for spot zoning in 2006 when the township passed an ordinance limiting development. In July, McClendon’s Singapore Dunes LLC and the township reached a consent agreement to end the lawsuit, though in November, a federal judge dismissed the agreement.

That means the lawsuit is still pending in federal court and the two sides have another chance to work out a compromise.

In December, township Supervisor Bill Wester said the board will meet with its attorney this month to decide the next step.

(FYI: Wester was absent from last week’s meeting)


David Swan, president of the Saugatuck Dunes Coastal Alliance, asked the board on Wednesday to re-examine the zoning of the property as a way to settle the issue.

“This is just such an easy path and an inexpensive path,” Swan said. He directly asked Trustee Chris Roerig if he would open a motion to look at the zoning, but neither Roerig nor the rest of the board could discuss the issue.

The federal judge earlier told the township that anytime the McClendon lawsuit is discussed, the session must be recorded by a court reporter so the information is accurate. For the first time in months, the court reporter was not at the township meeting.

The confusing way to choose a chairman

A spectator in the crowd at Thursday’s Allegan County Board of Commissioners meeting leaned over to me and asked, “What are they doing?”

“Electing a chairman,” I whispered.

The spectator shook his head and said it was all too confusing.

The process of electing the chairman — Mark DeYoung, who was also chairman last year — is a complex task at the county level.

First, county Clerk Joyce Watts opened the meeting. Then the board elected a temporary chairman — this time, Commissioner Jon Campbell. Each person had to get up from their regular seats and physically occupy the center chair. Campbell then asked for nominations for the permanent chairman.

DeYoung and Commissioner Dean Kapenga were nominated.

The board had to decide if it would vote by show of hands, written signed ballot or written unsigned (secret) ballot. First, it was to be written signed ballot, then, by the suggestion of Commissioner Max Thiele, it became a secret ballot.

Two commissioners were then appointed to collect and count the ballots. They were sworn in by Watts. After the ballots were counted and DeYoung declared the winner (no totals shared), the papers were given to the clerk.

Believe it or not, this was a walk in the park compared to last year’s choice which took five attempts. Ryan Lewis at The Allegan County News described last year’s voting debacle:

“DeYoung's eventual election followed four other attempts. Three came back with the votes for DeYoung and Kapenga tied at five and one commissioner explaining on his ballot that he did not want to vote for either candidate on the slate.”

Read the entire description of last year’s voting at http://www.allegannews.com/articles/2011/01/13/local_news/6.txt