New Electronic Message Board

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

Seasons Greetings to all from the Village of Roscommon!


Tom Gromek
Village Manager

New Businesses

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

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

MML Guest Blog - Tom Gromek



Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Christmas in the Village

Fourth Street Soil Borings

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

- 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

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

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

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

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

September 11, 2001

Hard to believe it has been 7 years since the 9/11 Tragedy. I remember reading this article by Mitch Albom on the one year anniversary of 9/11, and I think it still hits home 6 years later.

AMERICA's YEAR of LOSS, COURAGE,
UNITY, STRENGTH
September 11, 2002
By Mitch Albom
courtesy of Detroit Free Press

A message to Osama bin Laden on the one-year anniversary of his terror:
You failed.
If you are dead, you failed, because you are not in some blessed place, sitting under the Yum Yum tree. You are in a corner of hell reserved for murderers.
And if you live on, you failed, too. Because you are hidden in some cave in a forsaken corner of the world, forced to recognize the truth: What you sought to weaken, you fortified. What you sought to terrorize, you emboldened.
How does it feel, to have so woefully miscalculated? We are smarter, stronger, more aware and more involved. We treat our neighbors with more patience and our country with more love.

If you sought to destroy our spirit, you failed.
If you sought to destroy our will, you failed.
And if you sought to destroy our institutions, you failed, big time, even on the very day you had the advantage. One of the four planes you stole last Sept. 11 did not even make its mark. It was retaken by passengers who proved there is no need to fear you or your cowardly henchmen. With two words, "Let's roll," that plane was driven into the ground, and instead of taking down a monument, it became one. Its Pennsylvania crash site is an inspirational place.
For us, not for you.
You gave us something to feel good about.
How does it feel?

You failed.
If you planned on demoralizing us, you failed.
If you planned on dividing us, you failed.
If you planned on destabilizing us, we're still here. Our streets, our schools, our government, our freedom. You, on the other hand, lost your sand lot. You lost your real estate. You lost your roof and your umbrella, your shelter from the storm, you lost something all of us can claim, but you no longer can. You lost your home.
You lost your friendly host, the Taliban. You lost caves and training camps and what little infrastructure you had. You scatter with a breeze, leaving maps and tapes and bags and boots as you race for a place to hide, a bug scampering behind the refrigerator. Do you think people are inspired by such flight? Do you think people admire it?

If you sought to command respect, you failed.
And if you sought to affect our patriotism -- well, you couldn't have done much worse. In a single day, thanks to your heinous act, this nation transformed, from a people who saw their country as a place worth enjoying, to a people who saw their country as a place worth saving.
You made us fierce. You made us united. You made us mad, and that's a deadly thing to do.

But if you sought to make us fear you, you failed.
If you sought to make us respect you, you failed.
If you sought to make us listen to you, you failed. Most people don't even bother with the translation of your cryptic messages anymore. We flip channels. We move on. We ignore your hate.
If you sought to win converts, you lost.
If you sought to make things better for your people, you lost.
If you sought to rally Muslims to your warped and pathetic view, you lost more than you can calculate. Life has rarely been worse for those who follow your religion. They are scrutinized, harassed, singled out and picked on. They hate this. But they hate you more for bringing it upon them. You did not gain their allegiance, only their wrath.

If you sought to unnerve us, you lost.
If you sought to undermine us, you lost.
If you sought to put a permanent dent in the American economy, well, look again. The airlines are still flying. Wall Street still functions. Your financial flow, on the other hand, has never been more scrutinized. And while we haven't shut off every faucet, we've shut a few. The world is not your ATM anymore.

How does it feel?
If you dreamed of victory, you failed.
If you dreamed of domination, you failed.
If you dreamed of Muslims on one side, Westerners on the other, you failed.
And if you dreamed of glory and righteousness and, most of all, your god's blessing -- you do not have it. No matter how many times you invoke his name, you do not have it. No god loves you. No god forgives you. No god blesses you. No god condones you.
Today we remember your day of destruction, but not you. Today we honor those who fell, but not you. We suffered that day, we suffered and we grieved, but then we did what we do best. We came back stronger. We came back united. We stood up straight and resolved more than ever that our way of life is precious and true and loving and right.

We buried our dead. We mourned for them. Today, we remember. But tomorrow, the world goes on.

You failed, bin Laden, in every important way. It is one year after your fire in the sky. We've cleaned up our ashes.
The only ones left are yours.

Bus Stop

(click on photo to enlarge)

We teamed up with MDOT to convert two parking spaces (along Lake St. in front of St. Vincent De Paul) to a Bus Stop for the Roscommon County Transportation Authority to use. Since so many county residents utilize the bus system to frequent this store, it made sense to give them a great, permanent drop-off/pick-up location that was convenient for everybody involved. St. Vincent De Paul took this request to the Village Council a couple months ago, the Village contacted MDOT, and MDOT provided the appropriate signs at no cost to the Village or the store. We will explore the possibility of a bus stop enclosure to protect individuals from our unpredictable weather and provide a safe waiting area. Also, some type of striping to further indicate the bus stop area is still something I am interested in pursuing.

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Q & A

I thought I would submit my own Q & A that will help residents and visitors understand more about my job & Roscommon. Here are a couple questions to start off with, and I will try to address other issues in future posts.


What do you do as Village Manager?

This is a question I get the most, and it is a hard question to answer in one sentence or two. I was appointed by the Village Council, and I serve at their will. I run the day-to-day business of the Village, provide overall direction and am responsible for overseeing our Village Employees. I also provide reports to the Council in regard to ongoing activities within the Village as well as evaluating services and making recommendations for the improvement of operations. I also administrate the policy decisions that the Village Council decides upon. I try to get involved in every Village organization and attend DDA, Planning Commission, ZBA, and the Roscommon County Economic Development Corporation. I also stay in close contact with the Higgins Lake-Roscommon Chamber of Commerce. So while the job is challenging and requires a lot of knowledge on a lot of topics, it is also interesting as I get to work and impact just about every aspect of our community.


What are some of the hot issues in the community?

- Certainly, the economy is front and center. We know we have some vacant buildings and we have had some businesses close down. However, I feel we have some positive momentum currently flowing through the Village. Our Downtown Development Authority (DDA) has implemented a successful Facade Grant Program, which has drastically improved the look and feel of downtown Roscommon. We had a new restaurant open, Matt's Lake Street Grill & Pizzeria, which has been very successful from all accounts. Fred's Bowling is now up and running, and the restaurant is slated to open late September/early October. This will be a major boost to our economy. The group of owners involved has devoted tons of time, energy, and money into this building - both inside and outside. I have been in several times to tour the facility, and discuss future plans. I think everybody will be amazed at the result when it officially opens for business.

- Besides the economy, I think blight and upkeep of property has been front and center once again. I have cracked down on blight this year, and we have issued several tickets and many more letters. We appreciate the cooperation of many of our residents; however we know we still have a lot of work to do to make our community as attractive as possible.

- We are considering a major update of our Master Plan for next year, which will be very exciting and important as Roscommon moves forward. We will be looking for as much community involvement as possible during this process.

- We are in the process of developing a Capital Improvement Plan to better address our Village Roads. We will soon rate our Village Roads and develop a plan for the next few years on how to best spend our Act 51 and Road money based on the conditions of the roads. Gone are the days where we will wait for a road to deteriorate, then completely replace it. We want to be pro-active and use preventive maintenance techniques such as crack sealing, chip sealing, thin-overlays, etc. to extend the life of our roads. This ends up saving much more money in the long run if you keep up what you have, instead of fully reconstructing roads.


Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Village Manager Report

Here is my report that appeared in the Council Agenda Packet last night.



VILLAGE MANAGER REPORT
September 8, 2008


▪ A Copy of Village of Mayville’s Roadway Paving Evaluation will be provided for each council member. John Billette, from Civil Engineering Consultants, prepared this document for around $2000. This gives a comprehensive document of all Village roads, their conditions, what maintenance should be used on them, and what funding is available. It really is a quality document at a reasonable price.

▪ Kathy & I will be attending a listening session on Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) grants at the Ralph A. MacMullan Conference Center next week.

▪ The Wallace Park bathrooms will be closing at 7:00pm now that summer is ending, with exceptions being for any special events at Wallace Park which require a later closing time. They still open at 7:00am.


Calendar
September 10th – Planning Commission Meeting – 5pm
September 15th – DDA Meeting – 8am
September 16th – MNRTF Listening Session (Kathy & Tom) 2pm
September 16th - Intro to Planning & Zoning – Kirtland (Tom) 6:30pm
September 18, 19, 20, 21 – Firemen’s Memorial Festival
September 22nd – Council Meeting – 7pm

Village Council Agenda - Monday, September 8th

Here is the agenda from last night's Village Council Meeting. The minutes, as always, are posted on our website later in the week.



VILLAGE OF ROSCOMMON
MEETING AGENDA
September 8th, 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 August 25, 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
Planning Commission/ZBA
Master Plan
Road Project

8. New Business:
Knights of Columbus Request
Fire Wood Ordinance
(Added) Roscommon County Trailway
(Added) Council Resignation

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.

Wallace Park Improvements

(click on photo to enlarge)

Photos Courtesy of Roscommon County Herald News

Make sure to read the Article on Page 6A in the August 31st edition of the Roscommon County Herald-News. Jeff Patrus wrote a great story about the numerous improvements at Wallace Park, and the wonderful community cooperation which made the projects possible.


Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Household Hazardous Waste Day

The Roscommon County Solid Waste Recycling Committee will be collecting household hazardous waste Saturday, September 6, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at the Roscommon County Health Department parking lot (please enter from M-18), in Prudenville. They will be accepting aerosols, auto liquids, cleaners, corrosives, fertilizers, glue, herbicides, medicines, oil-based paints, pesticides & solvents (Marked with Caution, Corrosive, Danger, Flammable, Poison, Reactive, Toxic & Warning). We will NOT accept explosives, bombs, fireworks, smoke alarms or smoke detectors. Call for specific handling of these items.

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
Please keep these items separate from hazardous waste) batteries (all types), cell phones, computers, ink jet cartridges, PAINTS of ALL types (good, usable and container must be at least ½ full), televisions, and TIRES (on or off rims) up to 4 per household FREE, $2.00 each after that. This service is FREE for Roscommon County residents only. This community service is being sponsored by the Crawford-Roscommon Conservation District. For more information, call 989-275-3163.

Q & A

For the residents or visitors that have been consistently reading my blog, do you have any questions about myself or the Village?

Feel free to ask anything & I will post some responses in a Question & Answer post. I would like to hear suggestions, improvements, complaints - anything you may have to share.

Thanks.

E-mail me at tom@roscommonvillage.com


Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Yard/Garage Sale Poll

I added a Poll on the upper right portion of the blog. We just completed our 2nd Annual Village Wide Yard Sale last weekend. All indications our it went well and brought many people into town. However, a few people expressed interest in moving the date of the sale to earlier in the summer.

I encourage everybody to vote in the poll and send comments to me at tom@roscommonvillage.com about how their sale went, along with any suggestions or improvements you may have for our 3rd Annual Sale in 2009.

Thank You!


Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Manager's Report

VILLAGE MANAGER REPORT
August 25, 2008



▪ In order to comply with the State of Michigan Elevator Safety Division, we will be required to update the elevator in our DPW building. I have put a copy of the letter in the communication folder we received in March detailing the process. We had an inspection performed by the State last week, and we will have a few months to complete this work. It will most likely be done by Central Elevator Company.

▪ I continue to pursue ways we can better plan out our future road work. I received an example of the Village of Dexter’s Capital Improvement Plan, which is simple, basic, but a very valuable resource. This work was done with assistance from OHM, a civil engineering firm in the Metro Detroit area.

▪ We are straightening out a matter with the IRS regarding our payment schedule of federal payroll tax money. To sum up a complex issue, we were making monthly payments to the IRS, and we were told this was acceptable. When we were notified we needed to make weekly payments, we immediately followed those orders and have been since this notification took place. We recently received an invoice from the IRS stating we owe them money for penalties. We do have to pay these penalties to the IRS now, but we are disputing these costs, as nobody in this office knowingly violated any rules. The IRS will be reviewing our dispute shortly. I will keep the council updated on this matter.

▪ I will have a brief report on how our Village Wide Yard/Garage/Sidewalk Sale went.




Calendar
August 27th – Planning Commission – 5pm
September 1st - Labor Day – Village Offices Closed
September 8th – Council Meeting – 7pm


Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Council Meeting Agenda - August 25, 2008

Here is the proposed agenda for tonight's council meeting. Agenda items that are bolded will be discussed, while items that aren't bolded are skipped over until a future meeting when new information arises on these topics.


VILLAGE OF ROSCOMMON
MEETING AGENDA
August 25, 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 August 11, 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
Planning Commission/ZBA
Master Plan
Road Project

8. New Business:
Lake & 6th St Project
Fund Balance
MML Representation

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

(click on photo to enlarge)

This appeared on the front page of the Roscommon County Herald News this week. Everybody is really excited on the potential for this facade.

Tom Gromek

Village Manager

Village Garage/Yard/Sidewalk Sale

Nicole is currently compiling a list of all the residents and business who signed up for the Village-wide Garage/Yard/Sidewalk Sale which will be taking place this weekend, August 22nd & 23rd(Friday-Saturday).

You may pick up the list of sale locations along with an attached map starting Thursday afternoon and all day Friday. If you want to give Village Hall a call this afternoon or early Thursday morning, there is still time to sign up to be included on this list.

We look forward to a wonderful Village event!


Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Wallace Park

(click on photos to enlarge)

Have you noticed all of the changes at Wallace Park this season? We have a new dock, new stairways, and new bathrooms. Many groups and individuals worked hard to make these improvements a reality. The Roscommon Rotary Club donated the bathrooms, the Roscommon DDA funded the new dock/steps construction, while the Village paid for the new electronic locks, signage, and other miscellaneous items to finish up the project.

All in all, the park looks wonderful, and certainly is a great asset to our community. It is encouraging to see the cooperation between different organizations and individuals for the betterment of the Village. Improving the park did not happen overnight, and it did not happen by accident. With careful planning and dedication from the above mentioned groups, we were able to successfully improve Wallace Park.

I encourage residents and visitors to visit the park during the late summer/fall season, or at the very least, click on the above photos and see the beauty of Roscommon.

Tom Gromek

Village Manager

November Elections

For those who do not have access to the Houghton Lake Resorter, here is an article which deals with the Village elections and who officially filed before the August 12th deadline. I am sure the Roscommon Herald will have coverage on this issue in their next issue, but I thought it would be newsworthy to update residents and interested parties in advance of that.



In other political news, six candidates filed by Tuesday's deadline for four trustee positions on the Roscommon Village Council. On the non-partisan ballot in November for the four-year terms will be incumbents Steven Morris and Joan Murphy and challengers Jerry Cousineau and Michael Butler. Incumbent Don Dixon is not running for another term. Butler, who resigned from his council seat in June, was a councilman in the 1970's and from 1991-95. He was elected to a four-year term in 2001 and was appointed to a vacancy shortly after losing a bid for reelection in 2005.

Seeking a two-year trustee term created by Butler's resignation are appointed incumbent Dawn Dodge and challenger Ivan Willett.

Unopposed for reelection to two-year terms are Village President Jesse Carlson, Clerk Kathy Murphy and Treasurer Janae Ostling.




Tom Gromek
Village Manager

DDA Meeting

The Roscommon Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Meeting is this Monday, August 18th at 8am at Village Hall in the Council Meeting Room. This meeting is always open to the public. They always meet the 3rd Monday of the month at 8am at Village Hall.

As I have touched on before, our DDA is phenomenal in their efforts to improve the downtown through a variety of projects. A major project this year is the DDA Facade Grant Program. Other projects they have done include:

- New Dock & Stairway at Wallace Park
- Lake Street Building Demolition
- Roscommon County Courts Facility Funding
- Downtown Railroad Parking Project
- New Roads in the Industrial Park
- Flowers in the Village

Downtown beautification projects including:
- Sidewalks, lightpoles, trees, flower boxes, brick pavers, landscaped Village of Roscommon welcome signs, lightpole banners & town clock.

So, as you can see, the Roscommon DDA is extremely dedicated to improving our wonderful community.

I encourage any resident to attend a DDA meeting or if you have any comments or questions on the DDA, e-mail me and I can pass them along.


Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Village Manager Report

Each council meeting, I prepare a written document and touch briefly on issues in the community that are not on the agenda. This is done to keep council members and the public involved on some smaller issues happening on a day-to-day basis in Roscommon. This is the report from our last council meeting.


VILLAGE MANAGER REPORT
August 11, 2008


▪ The DPW has mowed another property in violation of the Noxious Weeds Ordinance, 130 Lake St.

▪ Tim O’Rourke will be setting up a two day window in September/October to get our roads PASER rated and get up and running with the Road Soft program.

▪ Our M-18 Property Ad did run as scheduled in the Oakland Press in the agreed upon formats for $127. We have not had any response yet.

▪ Porath completed the work involving our water system between St. Michael’s Church & the Roscommon Herald. Our DPW Staff was able to provide assistance, and the problem was successfully fixed. They installed copper pipe, and restored the road to proper condition. Instead of a temporary, quick fix, we decided to complete the project as to avoid any problems in future years.

▪ The streetlight in front of the courthouse has been replaced, and we will be reimbursed from the Road Commission on the replacement costs.

▪ The DDA has taken on another project of restoring the “Community Events False Storefront.” The proposed drawing is located on the council room bulletin board. The DDA will be taking bids on this project until Friday, August 15th at Noon. The bids will be opened at their August 18th board meeting.

▪ I have started a Manager’s Blog. There is a link in the upper left on the main Village website. This will be used to keep residents up to date on Village events, focusing on government and community events/projects.




Calendar
August 18th – DDA Meeting - 8am
August 25th – Council Meeting – 7pm

New Arrival

In case you have been wondering why our Village Treasurer, Janae Ostling, has been gone from the office the past couple of weeks is that she recently gave birth to a very healthy, beautiful boy, Owen Blake Ostling. Both her & the baby are doing well, and we certainly can pass any messages along to her here at Village Hall. Congratulations Janae! We all miss her in the office, and welcome her return back.

Village Taxes can still be paid at Village Hall. Township Taxes can be paid at Higgins Township, as Janae's Deputy Treasurer, Leasa Tulgetske, will be holding office hours Tuesday - Thursday from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm at the Township Hall.


Tom Gromek
Village Manager

DDA Facade Grant Program

The Roscommon County Herald News had a great article on the DDA Facade Grant Program in this past Sunday's paper, including a photo of the work being done on the Spruce Motor Lodge. I encourage everybody to take a look at it, and if you have any questions about the program or the DDA, please call or e-mail me.


We have a council meeting tonight at 7pm at Village Hall, and as always, the public is encouraged to attend.

New Green Space

(click on photos to enlarge)

The Cherven building, which the DDA demolished in the Fall of 2007, had undergone some recent changes. The DDA granted up to $1,000 in funding for Village Clerk Kathy Murphy to turn this space into a mini-park/green space instead of just an empty lot. Kathy and her husband, Pat Murhpy, have done a phenomenal job in turning this lot into a usable, green space area.

The fence, in the back of the lot, is a new addition, along with 2 benches and 2 solar lights. Two new trees, along with various bushes have also been planted.

If you have not checked out this property off of Lake Street, across the street from Village Hardware, stop and take a look. Pat and Kathy Murphy deserve plenty of credit for volunteering their time for the betterment of the Village.


Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Village Sponsored Garage/Sidewalk Sale

Our 2nd Annual Village of Roscommon Garage/Sidewalk Sale is fast approaching. This two day event will take place on Friday, August 22nd and Saturday, August 23rd from 9am - 5pm.

Village residents & downtown retailers that wish to participate are encouraged to call Village Hall at (989) 275-5743 to register. The Village will provide free advertising and no permits are needed. After registering, your location will be added to a list with an attached map that will be available for distribution at Village Hall and at various local businesses before the sale.

Locations will be available for residents that do not have a place to have a sale.

This event was extremely successful last year, and we anticipate an even bigger turnout this year. A big thanks to Nicole Lippert, our wonderful Village Administrative Assistant, for all of her work on this endeavor. She goes above and beyond to organize and promote this community event. Also, a thanks to Bev Luther & the rest of the Council for their support on this project.

For visitors, I encourage everybody to visit Roscommon both of these days to take advantage of a fun and unique community event.

For any questions on this event, do not hesitate to call Nicole at 989-275-5743 or e-mail me at tom@roscommonvillage.com. Please register early, if possible, as this makes it easier on us to compile the necessary list and map.


Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Roscommon Outdoor-Farm Market

(click on photos to enlarge)

Did you know we have our very own Farmer's Market in Roscommon?

When: Every Monday from Noon til 6:00pm, from May 19th through September 22nd

Where: The Au Sable River Center Parking Lot (Main St. between Brooks St. & Sheley St.)

Fees: Space per vendor $10.00 per week or $25.00 per month(if paid in advance)

All items for sale must relate to household use (produce, plants, landscaping, lawn use, etc..)

The Roscommon Outdoor-Farm Market is one of only two markets in the county eligible to take the "Project Fresh" coupons. Project Fresh is a government program to put fresh Michigan produce in the hands of low income and senior families.

I personally have been at the market several times and have been impressed at the amount of traffic and quality items available for purchase. The market is consistently stocked with fresh, high quality produce along with all kinds of plants and Michigan made products. I purchased fresh blueberries for an afternoon snack yesterday, and they were excellent.

I encourage everybody to stop over on Mondays and take a look, and see just one of the many positive things happening in Roscommon.

For any questions about the Farmer's Market, contact the market manager, Kathy Pardo Carlson at 989-275-8546 or 989-889-5776 (Cell) or send her an e-mail at Kathy_pardo2005@yahoo.com

Or feel free to send me an e-mail or give Village Hall a call for more information.


Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Flag Raising Ceremony

(click on photos to enlarge)

I attended the Opening of the 2008 Roscommon County Fair today. The above photos were taken during the flag raising ceremony. Roscommon Village President Jesse Carlson sang a great rendition of the Star Spangled Banner as the American flag was raised.

I encourage everybody to stop by the Fair and take part in one of the many activities throughout the weekend.


Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Roscommon County Fair

Just a reminder to everybody that the Roscommon County Fair will be taking place this Friday, Saturday, & Sunday (Aug 1st -3rd) at the Fire Training Center grounds.

A list of events is available at Village Hall. Check out the Higgins Lake - Roscommon Chamber of Commerce website for more information (http://www.hlrcc.com/). The major attraction will be a Jimmy Buffet Tribute Band performing Saturday night - August 2nd from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM. Tickets for the show are only $10 and are available for sale at the Chamber of Commerce office.

The Fair kicks off with the annual Flag Raising - Star Spangled Banner ceremony at 12:00 noon on Friday.


Tom Gromek
Village Manager

MLGMA Conference

I had the pleasure of attending the MLGMA Conference at Boyne Mountain from July 22nd - July 25th. MLGMA stands for Michigan Local Government Management Association. This conference brings managers of cities, villages, and townships throughout the state together to both further our education, share ideas, and build camaraderie.

Being a new manager, I found this conference incredibly beneficial and rewarding. The veteran managers do a great job of mentoring the younger managers, and we are lucky to have some of the best managers in the country right here in the state of Michigan.

While I had considered starting a manager's blog in the past, a session on using technology within your community presented by the MML (Michigan Municipal League) and talking with other managers who have blogs, really gave me the motivation and direction to develop this new tool.

MLGMA has an annual summer conference and a winter convention, both of which are highly attended. The MML has a Capitol Conference and an annual convention, and many other regional training seminars. I feel we are blessed to have two strong organizations dedicated to making our communities better, and attempting to solve of the some problems occurring throughout the state.

Tom Gromek
Village Manager

Welcome!

Greetings! Let me begin by expressing a sincere “thank you” for checking in on the inaugural post to the Roscommon Village Manager blog.

This blog is a great tool to update residents and visitors about Roscommon. The information discussed will not be limited to Village government, but will cover community promotion in general. Our blog has been created with the following purpose statement to guide it;

Purpose/Goals: The purpose and goals of the Roscommon Blog are as follows:
◘ Educate the public about the government of Roscommon
◘ Advocacy for the local business sector
◘ Promote the community and its residents
◘ Increase transparency and connection in and to local government via an open forum

Blogging in local government is a communication medium that is ahead of the bell-curve. Governmental websites are becoming very common, and a great means of gaining basic information about a community. But even great websites still lack in two-way communication and fresh content that promotes the community. We firmly believe that our website is an excellent gateway to gain relevant information regarding the Village from any location with a computer. It is our plan that by blogging, we will be able to enhance your online experience with the Village.

If you are interested in being a guest blogger, please let us know at the Village Hall. We are seeking guests to blog about their experience with the Village and highlight their experience with the community.

Also, I would direct any comments or questions about blog posts or Village events to be sent to my e-mail address, tom@roscommonvillage.com. In the near future, I would like to have a Q & A post to answer questions residents or visitors may have, so feel free to speak your mind!

That’s all for now, but check back soon as we will be working on frequent updates!

Tom Gromek
Village Manager